Real Madrid, or Los Blancos (“the Whites”) are a Spanish football club based in the capital, Madrid. Madrid play in La Liga and are the most successful football club in the world, and trying to find Real Madrid tickets is a quest all its own in football.
They have won no less than thirty La Liga championships, seventeen Copa del Rey and, most notably, been European Champions a record nine times. Real Madrid’s stadium, the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, is a sight that must be seen by every football supporter, with its many tiers and distinguished atmosphere. Since 1902, Real Madrid has been owned and operated only by its members, an amazing feat for a gargantuan football club. On December 23, 2000, the Los Blancos were awarded the title of the “Best Club of the 20th Century” by FIFA. Their endless ocean of silver prizes spans the decades, way back to 1905, when they won their first major title. Today, their huge cauldron of a stadium is weekly packed with the adoring fans, many of them owners of season-round Real Madrid tickets.
The Real Madrid story is not as straightforward as those of many other football teams. Football was introduced to Madrid by the scholars and academics of the Institución Libre de Enseñanza including several Oxbridge graduates. The English had played a role in introducing football to other regions of Spain, and in Madrid they did the same. They founded a club called Football Sky in 1895, and played on Sunday mornings. In 1900 the club split into two different clubs New Foot-Ball de Madrid and Club Español de Madrid. This latter club split yet again in 1902, to form Sociedad Madrid FC in 1902. In 1920 the club’s name was changed into Royal (Real) Madrid after the King granted the “Royal” title to the club.
Santiago Bernabéu is the most famous president to take the helm at Madrid, and it was under Santiago Bernabéu’s guidance that Real Madrid were to find their feet as a globally renowned force in football. Madrid won the European Cup a phenomenal five consecutive times between 1956 and 1960, including the 7–3 final against Eintracht Frankfurt at Hampden Park in 1960. This earned Real permanent ownership of the original cup as well as the right to wear the UEFA badge of honour. They captured the European Cup a sixth time in 1966, beating FK Partizan 2–1 in the final with a team composed entirely Spanish-born players. They also finished runners-up in 1962, 1964 and 1981. Additionally, Madrid have won the UEFA Cup twice and have been twice runner-up in the European Cup Winners Cup. Real Madrid tickets are like the golden fleece in the streets of the Spanish capital, and the army of fans means that their home is a big one.
A new stadium was built in 1947. This was to become the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium when it acquired the name in 1955. The capacity of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium has frequently fluctuated, peaking at 120,000 in 1953. More recently, the few remaining standing sections were removed in 1998–99, in response to UEFA standards forbidding standing at football matches in the UEFA competition. In 2003, an increase of around five thousand took the capacity to 80,400. This is good news for people who need Madrid football tickets. A plan to construct a retractable roof has also been discussed. Real Madrid holds the highest average attendance record in Spanish football, with regular crowds of over 65,000 packed into the Santiago Bernabéu. The club has a long-standing rivalry with FC Barcelona, the contest between the two being called El Clásico.
Full name Real Madrid Club de Fútbol
Nickname Los Blancos
Founded 1902
Ground Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain
Capacity 80,400
England
Spain
Italy
Rest of Europe