La Décima Victory 2014

Lore & Background

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.

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. This success was replicated on the domestic front, with Madrid winning 12 league titles in 16 years. This team, which included Alfredo Di Stéfano, Ferenc Puskás, Paco Gento and Raymond Kopa, is considered by some in the sport to be the greatest of all time. Real Madrid is known for its Galácticos policy, which involves signing the world's best players, such as Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham to create a superstar team.

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 was recognized as the greatest football club of the 20th century, receiving the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit in 2004.

Reader's Guide

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 (the sixth in eleven seasons), recognized as such by Guinness World Records. Real Madrid is the first club across all Europe's top-five leagues to win 100 trophies in all competitions. Real Madrid are ranked 2nd in UEFA club rankings, and first over 2013–23 coefficient. The club anthem is the 'Hala Madrid y nada más'.

Did You Know?

• Real Madrid's members have owned and operated the club throughout its history, unlike most European sporting clubs.
• The club was estimated to be worth $6.6 billion in 2024, making it the world's most valuable football club.
• In 2024, it became the first football club to make €1 billion ($1.08bn) in revenue.
• Real Madrid has the highest number of participations in the European Cup/UEFA Champions League (55).