And this a joyful post for me and lots of memories in my beloved Madrid and on the mythical stadium Santiago Bernabeu. I have done several posts on my team Real Madrid CF over the years in my blog, and I take this opportunity to update these old posts condense into one. I am having a thrill and hope you follow me along. Hala Madrid!!!
Of course, this is a club known for its football/soccer (sp. futbol) and basketball/(sp. baloncesto) but it also has several lower level farm teams such as the Cadete B, also, the Juvenil A . The Real Madrid C . The Alevin A ,the Benjamin B , and the Alevin B, the Cadete A , the Benjamín A. The Juvenil B and the Infantiles A , and B. The team just below the main team is call Real Madrid Castilla . All these teams are collectively known as the Fàbrica or factory teams.
The French sports daily L’Equipe which was an integral part in the creation of the Champions league or as it was call before the Cup of Europe ,has just named the Real Madrid as the best team in the history of the competition. In the overall 56 editions of the Champions, Real Madrid is first ,followed by AC Milan, and Bayern Munich. The much publicize culés only arrives in fourth place. The top ten are Real Madrid 483 points, AC Milan 330, Bayern Munich 288,Barcelona 250,Liverpool 237,Manchester United 229, Ajax Amsterdam 220, Benfica 217, Juventus 215, Inter Milan 184 points. As of November 2017. The magazine L’Equipe also created an all star selection of those that played in those Champions over the years. In this selection, there are two players that have wore the shirt of Real Madrid are Alfredo Di Stefano and Clarence Seedorf.
In another developement for the first time in 38 years the Real Madrid is wearing red shirts as second uniform or away games. Before it was in 1971 and 1973 my times of living in the city!!!!
The club is trying to improve the facilities in the training grounds at Valdebebas, now even a hotel for the players and staff is envision. This is a reality and the new Sports City is awesome, the stadium name after Alfredo Di Stefano historical in the fabolous history of the Real Madrid CF.
The next big project in union with the above is to renovate the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu ! There since Dec 14, 1947 and already a FIFA top rated stadium as a five stars rating. One of the improvements will be the enlargement of the trophy room/museum (oh yes it will grow for sure::)) and the tour Bernabeu will be expanded inside facilities to see (already 750 000 persons paid visits per year). It will have a plaza in front of stadium on paseo de la castellana and another one by the current esquina del Bernabeu , which memorable will be demolish. A new underground parking for capacity of 1000 cars and improvement on the current one at padre Damian and concha Espina with 500 places. This is ongoing as I write and will be awesome!!!
The Liga starts, that is football for most ,soccer for some, and calcio for a few of you. This is Spain top division, commonly refere as the Liga Santander as sponsored by the big Spanish bank. The team is the glory of Spain and its history, 34 Liga championships speaks loud and clear in my book. However, a team such as this needs more , a lot more. The European Champions league is made for them, won it 13 times more than any,and its the team ultimate goal.
The official Real Madrid webpage on titles won in English: https://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/honours/football
Let me stop and tell you a bit about me and my Real Madrid: My first steps into the sports was while living in Madrid as a young boy of 10, there playing around the Elipa, met some young Spaniards who encourage me to try for the team. At the Elipa played on the sport club of baseball for a club call, Real Madrid that at the time sponsored a team in the Madrid championship with 8 teams. Ins and outs of the politics of the system I end up playing in the formation training group for the Real Madrid at Casa de Campo fields. This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship (as Ricky said in Casablanca), actually it had grown stronger over the years, and now its a passion without limits. And I am glad that my sons had shown an interest in the club as well. Leaving Madrid was of necessary for my parents, but been fortunate enough to come back often,and now living in France, my trips there are frequent. This allows to give me time to stay closer to my love,Real Madrid. It has given me the opportunity to stay closer to other fans with the same love,and to make new friends in Spain that have remain close over the years,sort like a family away from home. When lived here, I started out playing baseball for the Real Madrid at the Parque Municipal de la Elipa complex, remember taking the P13 bus (today is the 113) from Alcalà street to the Elipa. Today baseball is still played there and the seat of the Madrid baseball/softball federation. I am honorary member of five peñas or supporting group of the Real Madrid from Xove (Lugo) ,Albaicin,( Granada), and Malaga Spain with regular visits. The trips to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Valdebebas Real Madrid Sports City,WiZink etc are annually and sometimes more; some times getting together with similar friends there in groups or individually. Nowdays, the facilities have nothing in common to those of earlier years. The moment I entered the casa de campo training site for the Real Madrid CF change my orientation of sports forever. My love for Real Madrid is huge, even my French dear late wife Martine , who was not into it , became a follower and even came with me to the Santiago Bernabeu and the old vista alegre basketball arena for the games, it was good for both!!! It has been a wonderful journey with many friends in different parts of the world , just last year finished playing indoor soccer /fooball here in France on a Corporate league.
The city of Madrid on the Elipa: https://www.madrid.es/portales/munimadrid/es/Inicio/El-Ayuntamiento/Equipamientos-deportivos/Centros-deportivos-/Deportes/Tenis-de-mesa/Centro-Deportivo-Municipal-La-Elipa/?vgnextfmt=default&vgnextoid=f6b842be9971c010VgnVCM1000000b205a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=37ec50ccf45c6310VgnVCM1000000b205a0aRCRD
For the historical keeper this was the team in the 2012-13 season for the Real Madrid : Casillas, Adán, and Jesús as goalies, Defenders: Pepe, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Coentrão, Albiol, Arbeloa ,and Varane. Midfielders :Kaká, Özil, Xabi Alonso, Granero, Khedira, Lass, Callejón ,and Di María. Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema, Higuaín, and Morata.
This we have won 19 times but could be more if more importance is given to the old King’s Cup or Spanish Cup . Last wonderful time was in the Spanish King’s cup, we won again beating archrivals Barcelona (second in the Liga) 1X2 with the winning goal from Welsh international Gareth Bale. It was our 19th King’s Cup in history. Season 2013-2014. Needless to say,in both football and basketball we are the winningest club both in the Spanish League (Santander) and European titles( Champions).
And let me tell you a bit on the history of my Real Madrid CF! The Real Madrid CF was actually born in 1902, and given the title of Real or Royal by King Alfonso XIII in 1920. Juan Padrós was elected the first ever club President and adopted a white uniform Carlos Padrós, the brother and also future President organized a tournament for the crowning of king Alfonso XIII, sort of the first national tournament called Madrid football association tournament and received popular support that made extends the tournament and later named Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) as it is still play today!
The initial club takes over the Moderno FC who was the winner of the first regional championship in 1903 and was renamed the Madrid Moderno FC. The team wins all these regional tournaments from 1905-08 as well as the Copa del Rey or King’s Cup. The management leaders of the club participated in the creation of the first Spanish football federation in 1909. At the same time that the club won the regional championships of 1910, 1913, 1916, 1917, 1918 and 1920, as well as the Copa del Rey in 1917. Following the initiative of the English league, a national championship appears in 1926 with the approval of the Spanish federation in 1928; the first championship is held in 1929 with the first division teams of Athletic Bilbao, FC Barcelona ,Atlético de Madrid ,and the Real Madrid.
The abolition of the monarchy and the establishement of the Second Republic in 1931 enforced the club of retiring the Royal emblems logos and lose the title of Real becoming simply the Madrid Football Club. Finally, in the 1931-1932 season the club wins the national championship and all due to the amazing goalkeeper Ricardo Zamora, recruited in 1930. Later in 1959 his name is chosen to award the best goalkeeper in the Spanish first division. In 1934 and 1936,Real Madrid wins the Copa del Presidente de la República, ( the president of the republic cup) who replaced the Copa del Rey. The year 1936 was the last year playing of Ricardo Zamora with Madrid, and also, the tragic Spanish Civil War begins.
After the defeat of the Republicans by the Nationalist of Gen Francisco Franco,the club is giving back the title of royal or Real and the crown logo on their shirts. The football championship starts again ,and the club wins the 1943 Copa del Generalísimo (the king’s cup change to the general’s cup). By 1943 entered into the club the legendary figure of our new President Santiago Bernabéu ; he was a player in 1909 and played in first division as captain until 1927 (689 games and more than 340 goals), after passing to the technical team. The club lost a lot during the Spanish Civil War comparing to the Atlético Madrid (taken over by the army air force and renamed Athletico Aviación de Madrid). Bernabéu spent several months trying to rebuilt the Real Madrid.
The march to glory begins. The Real Madrid recruits the Argentine forward Alfredo Di Stéfano and wins the Spanish championship in 1953 and Di Stéfano,finished as best goal scorer with 29 goals together with the young Francisco Gento. The Stadium is enlarged in 1954 to 125 000 persons and the team recruits another Argentine Héctor Rial, and again the championship is won with Di Stéfano scoring 25 goals. During the summer of 1955, the Real Madrid wins the Copa Latina that opposed the champions clubs of Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal beating in the final at the Paris Parc des Princes,the French club Stade de Reims. In the 1955-1956 season was founded the first edition of the Cup of Europe, and the Real Madrid wins its first European championship beating the same Stade de Reims led by Raymond Kopa 4-3. A few weeks later the Real signs Raymond Kopa making a deadly attack with Di Stefano, Rial, and Gento. In the season 1957-1958,the Real Madrid signed the defender Uruguayan José Santamaría and in 1958 signed the Hungarian Ferenc Puskás that together with Gento, Kopa and Di Stéfano allows the club to win the European championships five times all together during this period.
In 1960, the Real Madrid wins the first Intercontinental Cup beating Peñarol of Uruguay winner of the Copa Libertadores,5×1. In 1966, Real Madrid wins its 6th European Cup!! The era of Santiago Bernabéu comes to an end on June 2,1978 with the passing of Don Santiago at age 82, just before the opening of the World Cup in Argentina . After 35 years as President of the club; the following year the club creates the Trofeo Bernabeu tournament that still is play today. It begins a drought in European Cups with the Quinta del Buitre group from 1981-1990 with players such as Manolo Sanchís, Martín Vázquez, Míchel, Miguel Pardeza, and Emilio Butragueño (El buitre) and later the Mexicaine Hugo Sánchez blending veterans such as Juanito, Valdano ,and Santillana. The magnificent period includes two Champions of the UEFA Cup,1985-1986, five times the Liga national championship between 1986 and 1990 (a record),and one Cup of Spain in 1989. Only the European Cup escapes them. The period 1991-2000, saw many dry hands and a period of adjustments to many coaches and presidents. Finally in 1998, under the new name of the competition from European Cup to Champions league (1992) ,and the Real Madrid wins its 7th beating Juventus 1X0 in the final ;later in December they win the Intercontinental Cup beating Vasco da Gama of Brazil.
From 2000 on the new President is Florentino Perez known for his big checks and gallactic players, such as Luís Figo, Zinédine Zidane,Ronaldo, David Beckham, Michael Owen, and Robinho. Winning again the Champions league of 2000 and 2002 as well as the Intercontinental of 2002, and the UEFA Supercup of 2002. Also, in 2006 Florentino Perez resigns first time. The era 2006-2009 under President Ramon Calderon, on a disastrous period of not winning that caused his resignation and the retunr of Florentino Perez in June 2009. Cristiano Ronaldo is signed in 2009. Various coaches changes of not so good performances continues. Finally, the era of Zinedine Zidane begins on January 2016. Winning the World Club championship ;also winning the Champions league three years in a row a record never before done, and hard to beat. Also, in 2017, later in August it wins the UEFA SuperCup also two times in a row!!! 6/8 titles for Zidane!!!! again in August they win the SuperCup of Spain , and later in December they win the World Club tournament to bring the total of 5 titles in 2017 out a possible 6, a record for the club.
In December 2000, the club is name by FIFA the best club of the 20C; and also received the order of merit by FIFA in 2004. Also, the IFFHS in Europe name it best club of the 20C in Europe! Simply the best ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On April 1st 2017 the Real Madrid CF became the first club with 100 millions fans in their Facebook page!!! My hangout when by the Bernabeu is the Real Cafe Bernabeu restaurant where you can see the field of play sitting in a nice table. webpage: https://realcafebernabeu.es/
This is the official Real Madrid CF webpage in English: https://www.realmadrid.com/en
And for me since 1972 the best sports daily is AS, and now gladly keep up online and on apps, their official page having English language and versions on several countries now including the USA! https://as.com/
If you want to follow the Liga in Spanish try here which I have in my links below my blog: Foro del Real Madrid: https://fororealmadrid.com/index.php
The Spanish La Liga Santander first division webpage: https://www.laliga.com/laliga-santander
The RFEF or Real Federacion Española de Fùtbol federation on the first division : https://www.rfef.es/competiciones/futbol-masculino/resultados/primera-division
Just last year we have started a women team as Real Madrid CF femenino or female and the team on its first year is doing well rank in 4th place as I write in the Liga Iberdrola, or Spain women’s first division: https://www.realmadrid.com/football/female-team
Follow the renovation of the best stadium in the world Santiago Bernabeu Madrid of the Real Madrid CF of course: https://www.realmadrid.com/en/bernabeu-stadium
There you go folks, wants to be the best, start by following the best ever in the history of football/soccer, my Real Madrid CF and join our family, its for life!!! Hala Madrid!!!!
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
Leave a Reply