Paris1972-Versailles2003

This is something would like to write more, but for some reason  let it lagged behind.   My passion for football/soccer/calcio  is huge.  I am the one who yelled screamed and sing/dance even in bars when the games of my beloved team is on. Therefore, on a nostalgic day in my Morbihan Breton, let me tell you more about one of my passions. I have written before several blog posts on the sport and my team, This time will update this post to be short and to the point. I have included some pictures from my cd rom vault for you and me.  This is more like there is never enough; Therefore ,here is my take on the Real Madrid CF, simply the best !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

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. And there is nego to start next year a Real Madrid C team, There is a Real Madrid women’s team in first division or La Liga F ,who are already in their 3^rd season in 2^nd place.

We won FIFA Best Club of the 20C and the IFHHS European Best club of the 20C as well !!!  And we are en route to name again the Greatest Club of the 21C having won more league and champions title than any. Recently voted by the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards as so far 2000-2020 best club of the 21 century! 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.

These are the Real Madrid CF club titles:

Spanish Liga Champions (34): 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, 2007/08.2012/13; 2017/18   2019-20  2021-22  2023-24 .

Vice Champion of the Liga  (23): 1928/29, 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. 2011/12   2013/14 2015/16; 2016/17.

Copa del Rey or Kings Cup or Spain (19): 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1917, 1934, 1936, 1946, 1947, 1962, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1980, 1982, 1989, 1993.2011. 2014.2022-23

Vice Champions of the Kings Cup or Spain (20): 1903, 1916, 1918, 1924, 1929,1930,1933,1940,1943,1958, 1959/60, 1960/61, 1967/68, 1978/79 , 1983, 1990, 1992, 2001, 2003. 2013.

Super Cup of Spain (11): 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2008. 2012.2017.2020.  2022  2024

vice Champion Super Cup of Spain (5): 1982, 1995, 2007, 2011; 2014.

League Cup (1): 1985.  vice Champion League Cup  (1): 1983.  Eva Duarte Cup (1):1947.

Regional Championships and Community trophies (23) 1904/05, 1905/06, 1906/07, 1907/08, 1909/10, 1912/13, 1915/16, 1916/17, 1917/18, 1919/20, 1921/22,1922/23,1923/24, 1926/26, 1927/28 ,1929/30,1930/31, 1932/33, 1933/34, 1934/35, 1935/36.

On the International scene just the same as good thank you!

Champions League  (13): 1955-56, 1956-57, 1957-58, 1958-59, 1959-60, 1965-66, 1997-98, 1999-00, 2001-02. 2013/14 ; 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18.2021-22  2023-24

vice Champions Champions League (3) 1962 , 1964 ; 1981

 UEFA Cup (2): 1984/85, 1985/86.

Super Cup of UEFA (4): 2002, 2014;2016; 2017. Vice Champions Super Cup of UEFA (3) 1998 , 2000, 2018.  2022  2024

Intercontinental Cup (3): 1960,1998,2002.  Vice Champion Intercontinental Cup  (2): 1966,2000

World Club Champions FIFA (4) 2014 2016 2017 2018 2023  2024

Vice Champion European Cup of Cups  (2): 1971,1983

Ibero American Cup  (1): 1994. Latin Cup(2): 1955, 1957.  Club Small World Cup  (2): 1952, 1956.

if you want to be part of the family, and the best, then become a Madridista fan: https://madridistas.com/en-US/madridistas/landing

if you want to shop online ,and I know they deliver to many countries check Boutique: https://shop.realmadrid.com/

For on site stores there is of course, the stadium store on Avenida Concha Espina or the one we like as well on Calle Carmen 3 near Sol in city center, metro Sol.  I like to add my wandering in the stadium over the years as with the new modern stadium been built all will change and gone. Here for the memories of always.

When I go , (and this will change with the new renovations) always go for the Fondo Sur (south) bleechers by the avenida Concha Espina, you can have the Fondo norte (north) by the calle Rafael Salgado, lateral Este (East) by calle Pedro Damiàn, and lateral Oeste (West) by Paseo de la Castellana. A quick walk around of the stadium before buying your ticket will give an idea.  There are four towers around the stadium with tower A between fondo sur and lateral este , tower B  between fondo sur and lateral oeste,tower C between lateral oeste and fondo norte and tower D between fondo norte and lateral este. You then have zones, in each section divided in six levels from those in the fondos closest to the field, to tribuna, and antitheater’s or theaters three laterals and four fondo with the fourth fondo the most far away from the field. Of course, this is all nostalgia as with the new modern stadium all will be different, stay tune……..  To read your ticket see the numbers : you have the puerta or gate to get in, then the color to show the section ,like mine are Red for fondo sur.Green is fondo norte, Purple for laterals and Blue for the tribunes and preferential seating.  Then the ticket show the vomitorios or exit lanes, this is the passage that takes you to the bleacher’s and tribunes, antitheater etc by which you walk to leave the stadium once the game is over. Then, you go for your sector seating, this is a 3 digit number on your ticket usually with a letter. Once you reach inside passing before reaching the bleacher’s you need to go to your sector; these are divided in lanes or aisles so the even numbers are on your right and the odd numbers on your left; easy up to now ::) The first number means your level up the ladder in the stadium zone you purchase, the second number  and third pinpoint the seat so the first number may means high level, the second number tribune, and the third number a antitheater. If a first time, can be confusing but there is always personnel around to help you find your seat at all times.  Finally, there is your seat number indicated on the ticket and on each chair! Again, this info is for my nostalgia as with the new modern stadium it will change, Hoping for the better,,,,

The Liga F, or Spain women’s first division:https://www.realmadrid.com/es-ES/futbol/primer-equipo-femenino/inicio

The Spanish La Liga first division :https://www.laliga.com/laliga-easports

The RFEF or Real Federacion Española de Fùtbol federation on the first division : https://rfef.es/es/competiciones/primera-division

The official Real Madrid CF: https://www.realmadrid.com/en

I was updating and condensing old posts and figure is appropiate to include this part of me here, always a Madridista! I was just a young kid that was introduced to the organisation by a baseball umpire to play for their junior baseball team (sponsored by the Real Madrid in league of 8 teams which included the old US air base at Torrejon de Ardoz) at the parque de la Elipa,(see post) from my home at Calle Alcala, 331 Quintana neighborhood or barrio (district Ciudad Lineal) it was just a bus P13 to it (now EMT bus 113). While there, friends used to go to see the team different sports  played,  Ciudad Deportiva (the old one by the paseo de la Castellana now has four skyrises call towers as torre Espacio, torre Repsol, torre de la Mutua and torre Sacyr). While going to these games, some kids who were already on the different sports organisations and had played football with me in parks like parque Calero and Retiro ,asked me to come to the Ciudad Deportiva installations for a tryout that was open. With the help of my baseball contacts that included the parents of member “socios” of the Real Madrid football team I got my first tryouts. Before long, I too, was wearing the white shirt of the football team, and move up from benjamin to alavin status. Those were wonderful memories even if just what is left is memories. Never forget that day in 1972 when I first enter the Real Madrid CF .

I lived in Madrid for four years between 1970 to 1974, and played for the Real Madrid in baseball, volleyball ,and football /soccer in the infantil (12-13 yrs) division. Once a Madridista, always a Madridista to the grave. There is no other team club alike in the history of the game of football/soccer. Unfortunately, times were different then and me poorer so no camera no pictures just memories in my mind forever. Leaving Madrid was of necessary for my parents, but been fortunate enough to come back almost every year since 1990,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. I am honorary member of five peñas or supporting group of the Real Madrid from Xove (Lugo) ,Albaicin,( Granada), Getafe, and Malaga. From those years on it has been a love affair whenever I may be living, trying for all means to obtain news of the team, and enjoying every second of my visits to the city from 1977 on to today. I am active in several forums that talks about the team, and go to the stadium often in season to see football and basketball games from Vistalegre to Caja Magica ,Ciudad Deportiva, WiZink Center, Valdebebas to Santiago Bernabeu.

A bit of condense history I like on the most famous, greatest football/soccer/calcio team in history, The team was born out of educators who sat around and found a club in 1897 around the Vallecas barrio or neighborhood. Quickly it became more organised by several of the members of the team in 1901 and eventually  Julian Palacios as first President officially  registered the club in 1902 as the Madrid Foot-Ball Club in 1902. By 1920 the king Alfonso XIII give it the royal rank of Real or royal as he was a follower too ::) ,and honorary member =socio. From June 1920 it became the Real Madrid CF that we know today. The team participated in the first Spanish league organised in 1929 finishing in second place.  The first league came on this period in the 1931-32 season, the first title !

The greatest period came after the war when on September 15 , 1943 when ex player and ex coach ,Santiago Bernabeu was named President of the club. After organising an international tournament in Colombia in 1952, they saw what was in 1953 their greatest signing that of Alfredo Di Stefano( Argentina) , considered by many the world’s greatest player , as well as the Spanish Francisco “paco” Gento from Santander and the league championship came back to the Real Madrid in the 1953-54 season.  Also, little refugee Ferenc Puskas of Hungary having left his country after the Soviet invation and took refuge in Spain where he signed for the club. They were the start of an amazing run of Five European Cups in a row (record) .  With player like Amancio and Velazquez the club again wins the European Cup in 1966 while continuing to pile up Ligas and Cups at home, these were the Ye-Ye years . The sad news came in June 2nd 1978 with the passing of Don Santiago Bernabeu, the greatest president ever, and today the stadium bears his name as well as the metro stop to it on line 10.

The team follow with the 80’s “la Quinta del Buitre” nickname given to Emilio Butragueño as well as Mexican Hugo Sanchez (Hugol), and many more Ligas however no European Cup. The team from the farm system delighed many and remains one of the most popular periods in the club history even without winning an European championship.  The team continue to wins Ligas in the 90’s with the incorporation of perennial and crowd favorite Raul Gonzalez Blanco, probably the best player ever from the farm system. Finally in 1998  the team came back to win again its trophy , the European Cup now call Champions league. In 1999 the great coach and former player Vicente del Bosque arrive promoting to the first team the legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas ,and with it winning again the Champions league in 2000. With the election of 2000, a new president came into being the entrepreneur Florentino Perez, (those who follow me know he is not of my liking possibly guilty of the lack of titles of the club in the last few years) ;this was the so call Galactic era, where millionaires dotting shorts and representing the Real Madrid razzle dazzle the world without any title in Europe but huge paychecks from uncle Florentino. Ligas were won but not sufficient due to the expenditures made and another Champions league was won in 2002 with player like Figo, Zidane,Ronaldo, and Beckham. The chosen succesor made it look like an election was Ramon Calderon who created many administrative problems for the club,and was made to resigned in 2009. Florentino Perez came back and he is still there as of 2026,

There you go folks, a dandy memorable ultimate fun within the Santiago Bernabeu stadium of my Real Madrid CF , A visit or tour to the stadium will make your life better for sure, and if into football/soccer  is a must for all fans and those looking into history of the best footaball/Soccer club of all time, Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Real Madrid CF, simply the best !!! as I,

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!