Real Madrid Soccer History

Real Madrid Soccer History - Early Years 1902 - 1945

Real Madrid is a very well known all around the world professional soccer club that is based in Madrid, Spain.

The full name of the club is Real Madrid Club de Futbol which is also translated into Royal Madrid Football Club in Spain.

Real Madrid history starts in 1902 when the club was first founded by President Juan Padros naming today's Real Madrid into Madrid Football Club.

Three years after being founded Madrid Football Club won its first title in 1905 after beating Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Cup final.

Madrid Football Club was changed to Real Madrid Football Club in 1920 after King Alfonso XIII granted Madrid Football Club the title of Royalty therefore changing the name to Real Madrid Football Club (translated into Royal Madrid Football Club) and also adding the royal crown to their logo.

First Spanish Football League was formed in 1929 and Real Madrid looked like they were going to be very first Spanish league champions until the very last game of the season which they lost against Athletic Bilbao forcing a 2nd place finish under the rival Barcelona.

First league title for Real Madrid came in 1931-32 season which they also successfully defended the following season becoming the first team in the history of Spanish soccer league to win the title twice.

The arrival of Second Spanish Republic in 1931 caused the club to lose Real (Royalty) name and go back to Madrid Football Club.

Football continued through the Second World War although it was suggested that the players were intimidated by police force.

In 1943 Madrid Football Club beat Barcelona 11:1 in the second leg of the semi final of the Copa del Generalisimo (Copa del Rey renamed in honor of General Franco) and Barcelona's chairman Enric Pineyro was also assaulted by Real Madrid fans after this win.

First league title for Real Madrid came in 1931-32 season which they also successfully defended the following season becoming the first team in the history of Spanish soccer league to win the title twice.

The arrival of Second Spanish Republic in 1931 caused the club to lose Real (Royalty) name and go back to Madrid Football Club.

Football continued through the Second World War although it was suggested that the players were intimidated by police force.

In 1943 Madrid Football Club beat Barcelona 11:1 in the second leg of the semi final of the Copa del Generalisimo (Copa del Rey renamed in honor of General Franco) and Barcelona's chairman Enric Pineyro was also assaulted by Real Madrid fans after this win.

Real Madrid Soccer History 1945 - 1978

In 1945, Santiago Bernabeu Yeste became president of Real Madrid and under his presidency the club and its training facilities were rebuilt after the Spanish Civil War damages.

In 1953, he started to use the strategy of signing world class players from abroad starting with Alfredo Di Stefano who was the most prominent player at the time.

UEFA Champions League as we know it today was actually started in 1955 under the guidance of Real Madrid President Bernabeu, Bedrignan and Gusztav Sebes creating an exhibition tournament for invited football clubs from around the Europe.

This exhibition tournament translated over time into UEFA Champions League.

Under Santiago Bernabéu's guidance Real Madrid established themselves as a major force in both the European and Spanish soccer.

Real Madrid went on a European Cup winning streak with five consecutive titles between 1956 and 1960 earning the right to keep the original trophy and wear the UEFA badge of honor on their uniforms.

The club won their sixth European Cup title 6 years later in 1966.

During the 1970s, Real Madrid football club won five league titles and three Spanish cups while also playing in their first ever UEFA Cup Winners Cup final in 1971 which they lost to English side Chelsea 2:1

On 2nd July, 1978 Santiago Bernabeu died while the World Cup was being played in Argentina.

The following year, the club organized the first edition of the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy in the memory of its former president.

Real Madrid Soccer History 1980 - 2000

By the early 1980s, Real Madrid squad was average and no more La Liga title contender until new batch of home grown players brought success back to the club in the early 1990s.

Real Madrid Players like Emilio Butragueno, Manuel Sanchis, Martin Vazquez, Michel and Hugo Sanches made Real one of the top clubs in the early 1990s winning 2 UEFA Cups, 5 Spanish Championships, 1 Spanish Cup and 3 Spanish Super Cups all from 1985 - 1990.

Early 1990s saw Real Madrid stars Martin Vazquez, Emilio Butragueno and Michel leave the club.

In 1996, under brief leadership of coach Fabio Capello with players like Roberto Carlos, Predrag Mijatovic, Davor Suker, Clarance Seedorf, Raul, Fernando Hierro, Ivan Zamorano and Fernando Redondo Real Madrid won another La Liga title.

With the addition of Fernando Morientes in 1997 Real Madrid finally won its 7th European Cup after 32 year wait in 1998 after defeating Juventus 1:0 in the final.

Real Madrid Soccer History 2000 - 2006

In July 2000, Florentino Perez vowed in his presidential campaign that he will help the club erase the 270 million Euro debt, modernize the clubs facilities and bring some top players to the club.

Perez's signing of Luis Figo from rival Barcelona propelled him to victory taking charge as Real Madrid president in 2000.

The following year, Real Madrid history shows the club modernizing their training ground and beginning to assemble the famous Galactico side including players such are Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos, Raul and David Beckham.

With squad like this Real Madrid went on to win a UEFA Champions League and an Intercontinental Cup in 2002, followed by the league title in 2003.

Real Madrid football club failed to win another major trophy in the next 3 seasons while the clubs coach Vicente del Bosque along with captain Fernando Hierro left the club in 2003 after dispute with Florentino Perez.

Claude Makelele also left Real Madrid to join Chelsea where he showed Real Madrid what they missed out on by being key player in Chelsea multiple title runs.

Newly appointed coach Carlos Queiroz started the 2005-06 season with promising new signings like Julio Baptista, Robinho and Sergio Ramos but the Real Madrid form continued to suffer with the team hitting rock bottom after a 0:3 loss to rival FC Barcelona in the home field Santiago Bernabeu.

On February 27th, 2006 Florentino Perez resigned as Real Madrid President.

Real Madrid Soccer History 2006 - 2010

Ramon Calderon became a newly elected club president on July 2nd, 2006 instantly appointing Fabio Capello as the new coach and Predrag Mijatovic as the new sporting director.

Real Madrid won the Spanish la Liga title in 2007 for the first time in four years with the title hanging on the line between Real Madrid and Barcelona until the very last match of the season.

Even though Fabio Capello led Real Madrid to their first title in four years, he was again let go as Real Madrid coach after winning the La Liga title with Real.

Real Madrid Soccer History 2009 - Present

On June 1st 2009, Florentino Perez regained his presidency instantly continuing with his Galacticos policy of bringing star players to Real Madrid with the signing of Kaka from AC Milan and than bringing Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United for a record braking 80 million Euro.

In May 2010, Perez also brought in one of the best coaches in the world, as Jose Mourinho joined Real Madrid.

In April 2011, a strange occurrence happened where Real Madrid was to face rival FC Barcelona four times in the span of 18 days.

Real Madrid went on to win the 2011-12 Spanish La Liga Title for the record 32nd time.

In the same season Cristiano Ronaldo became the fastest player in Spanish league history to reach 100 goals.

Ronaldo scored 101 goals in 92 games surpassing Real Madrid legend Ferenc Puskas who scored 100 goals in 105 matches.

Ronaldo also set a new club mark for individual goals in one year with 60 and became the first player ever to score against all 19 opposition teams in a single season.

REAL MADRID HISTORY - TEAM HONORS

REAL MADRID SOCCER HISTORY - SPANISH LA LIGA

32 TITLES: 1931–32, 1932–33, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1994–95, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2011–12

20 Runner-Up: 1929, 1933–34, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1941–42, 1944–45, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1965–66, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1998–99, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11

HISTORY OF REAL MADRID FOOTBALL CLUB - COPA DEL REY

18 TITLES: 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1917, 1934, 1936, 1946, 1947, 1961–62, 1969–70, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1988–89, 1992–93, 2010–11

19 Runner-Up: 1903, 1916, 1918, 1924, 1929, 1930, 1933, 1940, 1943, 1958, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1968, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1989–90, 1991–92, 2001–02, 2003–04

REAL MADRID FC HISTORY - SUPERCOPA DE ESPANA

9 TITLES: 1988, 1989*, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2012

4 Runner-up: 1982, 1995, 2007, 2011

REAL MADRID SOCCER HISTORY - COPA EVA DUARTE

1 TITLE: 1947

HISTORY OF FC REAL MADRID - COPA DE LA LIGA

1 TITLE: 1985

1 Runner-up: 1983

REAL MADRID SOCCER HISTORY - EUROPEAN CUP / UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

9 TITLES: 1955–56, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1965–66, 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2001–02

3 Runner up: 1961–62, 1963–64, 1980–81

HISTORY OF REAL MADRID FOOTBALL CLUB - EUFA CUP

2 TITLES: 1984–85, 1985–86

REAL MADRID FC HISTORY - UEFA CUP WINNERS CUP

2 Runner up: 1970–71, 1982–83

FC REAL MADRID SOCCER HISTORY - UEFA SUPER CUP

1 TITLE: 2002

2 Runner Up: 1998, 2000

FC REAL MADRID SOCCER HISTORY - INTERCONTINENTAL CUP

3 TITLES: 1960, 1998, 2002

2 Runner Up: 1966, 2000