Santiago Bernabéu

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Bernabéu was born in San Sebastián street, Almansa in the province of Albacete, Spain. His family moved to Madrid when he was very young, and he joined the Real Madrid junior ranks in 1909 at age 14. He wore the captain's armband for years. In 1920, he withdrew from Real Madrid and joined Atlético Madrid, playing only one game. In 1921, he returned to Real Madrid, playing as a striker before retiring in 1927. He continued with the club until 1935 as manager, director, and assistant manager. During the Spanish Civil War, he fought on the side of Francisco Franco's Nationalists. After the war, he spent months finding and contacting former players, directors, and club members, restructuring the club. In 1943, he was elected president of Real Madrid, a position he held until his death. He built the stadium that bears his name, the largest in Europe at the time, and the Ciudad Deportiva. He signed world-class players including Alfredo Di Stéfano. In 1955, he helped create what became the Champions League.

In Their Own Story

After the war, Bernabéu spent the next several months finding and contacting former players, directors, and club members, eventually restructuring the club. In 1943, he was elected president of Real Madrid – a position he would occupy until his death on 2 June 1978. He restructured the club at all levels, giving every section and level of the club independent technical teams and recruiting people such as Raimundo Saporta. He then built what would become the stadium that today bears his name, at the time the largest stadium in all of Europe. The Ciudad Deportiva was also constructed during these years. He embarked upon a strategy of signing world-class players, the most prominent being Alfredo Di Stéfano. During his presidency, Real Madrid won five consecutive European Cups and numerous domestic titles. In 1955, acting upon an idea proposed by L'Équipe journalist Gabriel Hanot, Bernabéu met in Paris with Ernest Bedrignan and Gustav Sebes and created what became the Champions League. He helped Manchester United rebuild its team following the Munich air disaster in 1958.

Reader's Guide

Bernabéu's presidency saw Real Madrid win 6 European Cups, 2 Latin Cups, 1 Intercontinental Cup, 16 league titles, 6 Spanish Cups, and 1 Copa Eva Duarte. He died in 1978 while the World Cup was being played in Argentina; FIFA decreed three days of mourning. In 2002, he was posthumously awarded the FIFA Order of Merit.

Did You Know?

• Bernabéu helped Manchester United rebuild its team following the Munich air disaster in 1958.