Real Madrid CF
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, sometimes known as Real Madrid, is a Spanish football club from Madrid, Spain. It was started in 1902 and competes in La Liga (the Spanish top league). The "Real" in the club's name is Spanish for "royal", because it was blessed by the King of Spain in 1920.
| Full name | Real Madrid Club de Fútbol[1] | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Los Blancos (The Whites) Los Merengues (The Meringues) Los Vikingos (The Vikings)[2] La Casa Blanca (The White House)[3] | |||
| Founded | 6 March 1902 as Madrid Football Club[4] | |||
| Ground | Bernabéu (capacity: 85,454[5]) | |||
| President | Florentino Pérez | |||
| Head coach | Álvaro Arbeloa | |||
| League | La Liga | |||
| 2024–25 | La Liga, 2nd of 20 | |||
| Website | Club home page | |||
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| Closed departments of Real Madrid | ||||||||||
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Real Madrid has won La Liga 34 times and the Copa del Rey (King's Cup) 19 times, the most out of any team in the league. It has also won the UEFA Champions League a record 15 times and the UEFA Cup twice.
Real Madrid was recognised as the FIFA Club of the 20th Century on 11 December 2000, and received the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit on 20 May 2004. In June 2017, the team succeeded in becoming the first club to win the Champions League twice in a row. In 2018, Madrid made history by becoming the first club in recent history to win the Champions League three times in a row. They beat Liverpool F.C. 3–1 in the final.[6][7]
Since it began, Real Madrid has since spent all of its history in La Liga, and has never been relegated down to a lower level. This shows how strong they have been just to stay in the top flight of Spanish football. In the 1940s, the club, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (now known simply as Bernabéu) and the Ciudad Deportiva were rebuilt after the Spanish Civil War. The club became a major force in both Spanish and European football during the 1950s. In the 1980s, the club had one of the best teams in Spain and Europe (known as La Quinta del Buitre). They had won two UEFA Cups, five Spanish championships in a row, one Spanish cup and three Spanish Super Cups.
The club has bought and had many famous footballers, including Ronaldo, David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Michael Owen, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká and other very famous footballers. The most expensive player is Jude Bellingham, who was bought in 2024 for 127 million euros from Borussia Dortmund of the Bundesliga.
The club's traditional home colours are all white. Its crest has been changed several times in attempts to modernise or re-brand. The current crest is a modified version of the one first adopted in the 1920s. Real's home stadium is the 81,044 capacity Bernabéu in Madrid, where it has played since 1947. Unlike most European football clubs, Real Madrid's members (socios) have owned and operated the club since it was opened. Real is the world's most valuable club.[8] Real Madrid has won 34 La Liga titles.
Rivalries
El Clásico
There is a strong rivalry between the two strongest teams in La Liga, which are Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, where the game between them is known as "El Clásico" ("The Classic").
Madrid Derby
The club's nearest neighboring club is Atlético Madrid, and matches between them are known as "Madrid Derby". A strong rivalry is shared between fans of both teams.
Current Squad
- As of 15th January 2026[9]
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Honours
- record
- S shared record
League position
| Season | League | Position |
| 2000/01 | La Liga | Champions |
| 2001/02 | La Liga | 3rd |
| 2002/03 | La Liga | Champions |
| 2003/04 | La Liga | 4th |
| 2004/05 | La Liga | 2nd |
| 2005/06 | La Liga | 2nd |
| 2006/07 | La Liga | Champions |
| 2007/08 | La Liga | Champions |
| 2008/09 | La Liga | 2nd |
| 2009/10 | La Liga | 2nd |
| 2010/11 | La Liga | 2nd |
| 2011/12 | La Liga | Champions |
| 2012/13 | La Liga | 2nd |
| 2013/14 | La Liga | 3rd |
| 2014/15 | La Liga | 2nd |
| 2015/16 | La Liga | 2nd |
| 2016/17 | La Liga | Champions |
| 2017/18 | La Liga | 3rd |
| 2018/19 | La Liga | 3rd |
| 2019/20 | La Liga | Champions |
| 2020/21 | La Liga | 2nd |
Former position
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Reserve Team
Most expensive players
| Player | From | Transfer Fee (£ millions)[15][16] |
Transfer Fee (€ millions) | Date | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Eden Hazard |  Chelsea
|
£89 | €100 | June 2019 | [17] |
 Gareth Bale |
Tottenham Hotspur |
£86 | €100 | September 2013 | [18] | |
| 3 |  Cristiano Ronaldo |
Manchester United |
£80 | €96 | June 2009 | [19] |
| 4 |  Zinedine Zidane |
 Juventus |
£46.6 | €76 | July 2001 | [20] |
| 5 | File:Flag of Colombia.svg James Rodríguez | Monaco |
£63 | €75 | July 2014 | [21] |
| 6 | File:Flag of Brazil.svg Kaká | Milan |
£56 | €67 | June 2009 | [22] |
| 7 | Luís Figo |
 Barcelona |
£37 | €62 | July 2000 | [23] |
| 8 |  Luka Jović
|
 Eintracht Frankfurt
|
£52.4 | €60 | June 2019 | [24] |
| 9 | File:Flag of Brazil.svg Éder Militão | Porto
|
£43 | €50 | July 2019 | [25] |
| 10 | Ferland Mendy
|
Lyon
|
£42.7 | €48 | June 2019 | [26] |
Real Madrid CF Media
Julián Palacios, the first president of the club in 1900–1902
Spanish club Real Madrid's football team of 1905-06. The players portrayed are: Berraondo, Alcalde, Joaquín Yarza, Paragés, Prast, Alonso, Revuelto, Armando Giralt, Manolo Yarza, Normand, y "Patache" Giralt.
Alfredo Di Stéfano led the club to win five consecutive European Cups (currently the Champions League).
Amancio Amaro, captain of the Yé-yé team of the 1960s
Real Madrid's captain Paco Gento shaking hands with Zamalek's captain Sharif El-Far before their friendly match on the occasion for celebrating 50 years on Zamalek's establishment in Cairo Stadium on 10 March 1961
Beckham and Zidane were considered Galácticos.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the club's most expensive signing when he joined in 2009, costing €94 million. He went on to become the club's all-time top scorer.
Real Madrid players celebrate the club's historic tenth European Cup / Champions League win (La Décima) in 2014.
2016–17 La Liga champions Real Madrid celebrate the title with Community of Madrid President Cristina Cifuentes.
Chart of Real Madrid's league performance 1929–2025
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References
- ↑ Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (in es)Liga de Fútbol Profesional. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
- ↑ Los vikingos arrasan Europa. Ligadecampeones.com (23 November 1960). Retrieved 18 February 2013.
- ↑ D'Onofrio: "I always support Real Madrid; Bernabéu came to my house". As.com (7 December 2018). Retrieved 2 January 2019.
- Real Madrid Expecting 25,000 Fans at the Bernabeu For Cristiano Ronaldo Presentation. Goal.com (24 June 2009). Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- Transfer Real Madrid: Mariano Diaz said the "White House" "can not be said no". Vaaju.com (10 August 2018). Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- ↑ Luís Miguel González. Pre-history and first official title (1900–1910)Realmadrid.com. Retrieved 12 July 2008.
- ↑ (in en) Santiago Bernabéu Stadium | Real Madrid CF. Real Madrid CF. http://www.realmadrid.com/en/santiago-bernabeu-stadium. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ↑ Ubha, Ravi. Real Madrid beats Liverpool 3-1 to win Champions League, make more history (in en) (27 May 2018)CNN. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- ↑ Taylor, Daniel (26 May 2018). "Real Madrid win Champions League as brilliant Bale sinks Liverpool" (in en-GB). The Observer. . https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/may/26/real-madrid-liverpool-champions-league-final-match-report. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- ↑ #2 Real Madrid. Forbes.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Real Madrid squad | Real Madrid CF. Real Madrid C.F. - Web Oficial. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 Football honours. Madrid, Spain: Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ↑ Copa del Rey – Palmarés (in Spanish). Marca. Spain. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ↑ Carnicero, José. Spain – List of Super Cup Finals (25 August 2016)Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ↑ From Fairs Cup via UEFA Cup to UEFA Europa LeagueUEFA. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ↑ Magnani, Loris. Intercontinental Club Cup (30 April 2005)Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
- ↑ History of the world transfer record. BBC Sport. 11 June 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8085391.stm. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
- ↑ World's Highest Transfer Fees (25 August 2007). Retrieved 25 September 2013.
- ↑ Nakrani, Sachin. Eden Hazard confirms he is set to join Real Madrid from Chelsea for £88.5m (in en). the Guardian (7 June 2019). Retrieved 9 December 2020.
- ↑ Gareth Bale joins Real Madrid from Spurs in £85m world record deal. BBC Sport. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/23538218.
- ↑ Ronaldo completes £80m Real move. July 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8121951.stm.
- ↑ Zidane makes record Real switch. BBC Sport. 9 July 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/1421741.stm. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- ↑ James Rodriguez: Real Madrid sign Monaco forward (22 July 2014)BBC Sport.
- ↑ Kaka completes Real Madrid switch. BBC Sport. 9 June 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/8082147.stm. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
- ↑ Figo's the Real deal. BBC Sport. 24 July 2000. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/848836.stm. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
- ↑ Ostlere, Lawrence. Real Madrid confirm Luka Jovic transfer from Frankfurt on six-year contact for fee exceeding £50m. The Independent (4 June 2019). Retrieved 20 September 2020.
- ↑ (in English) Official: Real Madrid sign Militao. Marca. July 2019. https://www.marca.com/en/football/real-madrid/2019/03/14/5c8a398122601d221c8b4584.html.
- ↑ (in English) Ferland Mendy Signs 6-Year Real Madrid Contract, Completes Transfer from Lyon. Bleacher Report. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2840754-ferland-mendy-signs-6-year-real-madrid-contract-completes-transfer-from-lyon.