Real Madrid

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Real Madrid's origins go back to when football was introduced to Madrid by the academics and students of the Institución Libre de Enseñanza, which included several Cambridge and Oxford University graduates. They founded (Sociedad) Sky Football in 1897, commonly known as La Sociedad. In 1900, conflict between members caused some to leave and create Nueva Sociedad de Football. Among the dissenters were Julián Palacios, recognized as the first Real Madrid president, Juan Padrós and Carlos Padrós. In 1901, this new club was renamed as Madrid Football Club. On 6 March 1902, after a new board presided by Juan Padrós had been elected, Madrid Football Club was officially founded. The club became one of the founding sides of the Royal Spanish Football Federation on 4 January 1909. In 1920, the club's name was changed to Real Madrid after King Alfonso XIII granted the title of Real. Real Madrid won its first league title in the 1931–32 season and retained it the following year. On 14 April 1931, the arrival of the Second Spanish Republic caused the club to lose the title Real until the end of the Spanish Civil War. On 13 June 1943, Madrid beat Barcelona 11–1 in the second leg of the Copa del Generalísimo semi-finals. Santiago Bernabéu became president of Real Madrid in 1943.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the stadium is thick enough to choke on, a mixture of smoke from flares and the heavy scent of anticipation. On one side, a sea of white; on the other, a wall of red and white stripes that seems to vibrate with a singular heartbeat. The referee blows his whistle, and the roar is not just noise—it is a physical force. A Real Madrid player dribbles forward, but he is met not by a tackle, but by a chorus of boos so loud it drowns out the stadium announcer. Every pass is scrutinized, every foul celebrated or mourned with equal fervor. In this 90 minutes, there are no neighbors, only enemies. The city outside holds its breath, waiting to see which flag will fly over the capital.

Reader's Guide

Real Madrid is one of the most successful football clubs in the world and the most decorated club in Europe. In Spanish domestic football, the club has won 71 trophies; a record 36 La Liga titles, 20 Copa del Rey, 13 Supercopa de España, a Copa Eva Duarte and a Copa de la Liga. In International football, Real Madrid have won a record 35 trophies: a record 15 European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles, a record six UEFA Super Cups, two UEFA Cups, a joint-record two Latin Cups, a record one Iberoamerican Cup, and a record nine world championships. Real Madrid is known for its Galácticos policy, which involves signing the world's best players, such as Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham. In 2009, Madrid signed Cristiano Ronaldo for a record-breaking £80 million (€94 million) from Manchester United; he became the club's and history's all-time top goal-scorer. Real Madrid develops homegrown talent through its academy, La Fábrica, which has produced notable graduates such as Raúl, Iker Casillas, and Dani Carvajal. Real Madrid is the only club to have won three consecutive titles in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League twice, achieving this in 1956-58 and 2016-18. In 2024, they won a record-extending 15th Champions League title. Real Madrid is the first club across all Europe's top-five leagues to win 100 trophies in all competitions.

Did You Know?

• Real Madrid was recognized as the greatest football club of the 20th century, receiving the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit in 2004.
• Real Madrid has the highest number of participations in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League (55).
• Real Madrid is one of the three founding members of La Liga never relegated from the top division along with Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao.
• The club established itself as a major force in Spanish and European football during the 1950s and 60s, winning five consecutive and six overall European Cups.