1985 Copa del Rey Final: Real Madrid 4-1 Athletic Bilbao

Lore & Background

Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally worn a white home kit. The honorific title 'Real' was bestowed by Alfonso XIII in 1920. Real Madrid have played their home matches in the Bernabéu since 1947. The club is one of the most widely supported in the world and the most followed sports club across social media. It 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 in revenue. The club anthem is the 'Hala Madrid y nada más'.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights hummed over the Santiago Bernabéu, casting long shadows across the pristine grass where legends walked. The air was thick with anticipation, a palpable tension that vibrated through every seat in the stadium. As the whistle blew, the roar of seventy thousand voices seemed to shake the foundations of the city itself. In the center circle, Hugo Sánchez adjusted his boots, eyes fixed on the goal, sensing destiny waiting just beyond the penalty arc.

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. 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. 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 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.

Did You Know?

• 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.
• Real Madrid was recognized as the greatest football club of the 20th century, receiving the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit in 2004.
• Real Madrid is the first club across all Europe's top-five leagues to win 100 trophies in all competitions.