Whether you’re into football or not, we’re you must have heard of Real Madrid. One of the greatest football clubs in the whole planet, Real is a true symbol of Madrid and Spain, representing the country and its capital in pitches all over the world – and bringing home plenty of trophies while doing it.
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A glorious history
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Founded in 1902, the club was initially named Madrid Football Club. It was only in 1920 that King Alfonso XIII bestowed upon it the word Real (which means “royal” in Spanish), with a crown being consequently added to the club’s emblem.
For over a hundred years now, Real Madrid has been a dominating entity in both national and international competitions, amassing a total 32 La Liga titles and 11 Champions League victories – both of these numbers being absolute records. Adding to those, Real Madrid has also won 19 Spanish Cups and 9 Spanish Super Cups, as well as 2 UEFA Cups, 3 UEFA Super cups, 3 Intercontinental Cups and a FIFA Club World Cup.
Real Madrid Trivia
- Real’s greatest rivals throughout its history have been Barcelona and Atlético Madrid. Games against these teams always have a special atmosphere and are lived intensely by both players and supporters.
- Real Madrid has never been relegated from the top national division. There are only two other clubs in Spain who can say the same – Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelona.
- Real plays its home games at Santiago Bernabéu, a stadium that, due to its history, as achieved somewhat of an iconic status in the world of football – and, of course, is considered “sacred” ground by fans of the club.
- Despite its many conquests, Real has never been able to win the treble, which consists of grabbing the League title, the Spanish Cup and the European Cup in the same year.
- Real is the only Spanish club to have ever won the national title 5 times in a row – and they did it twice!
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Players & Coaches
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Some of the greatest footballers of all time have played for Real Madrid. Names like Alfredo Di Stéfano, Ferenc Puskás, Hugo Sánchez, David Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Luis Figo, Jorge Valdano, Butragueño, Raúl, Iker Casillas and Gento are true club legends that the fans will never forget. Former French international Zinedine Zidane, another legend of the club, is the current coach, continuing a line of master tacticians that has included John Toshack, Vicente del Bosque, Fabio Capello, José Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti.
The current squad, considered one of the best in the world and perhaps rivalled on the world stage only by Barcelona, includes Cristiano Ronaldo (who battles Barcelona’s Messi for the FIFA Ballon d’Or every year), Gareth Bale, Pepe, Marcelo, experienced team captain and club symbol Sérgio Ramos, Luka Modric, Karim Benzema and many other world-class players that virtually every club in the world would love to have.
That’s it – all you need to know to be able to effortlessly join the conversation when it comes to Real Madrid. Try watching a few games – they’re always very exciting. Despite being a Spanish club, Real has fans all over the world. Will you be one more? Let us know using the comment box below. Enjoy Madrid!
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