"Bro, do you even Madridismo?" - A Historical, Cultural & Philosophical Primer of Real Madrid CF

With Real Madrid's victory yesterday for the 15th time in a Champions League final, the Spanish team and its players have achieved numerous records:

AT TEAM LEVEL

- Real Madrid has managed to win its 6th Champions League in just 11 seasons (2014-2024), equaling the historical record that Real Madrid had in the 50s and 60s (1956-1966). It is an incredible achievement since in 11 seasons 6 Champions Leagues have been won twice. The other teams that have at least 6 Champions Leagues took a while to get the sixth:

* 41 seasons: Milan 1963-2003
* 43 seasons: Liverpool 1977-2019
* 47 seasons: Bayern Munich 1974-2020

- It is the first time in history that Real Madrid finishes a "long-term" European competition (Champions, Cup Winners' Cup or UEFA Cup) without losing a game. Until now they had only reached the final undefeated on one occasion, but they lost in extra time 1-2 against Aberdeen (1983 Cup Winners' Cup).

- Real Madrid won their 9th final in a row (although in alternate years). A few days ago I read that in the entire world only one team surpasses this streak in top-level tournaments, the legendary Boston Celtics of the NBA with 14 consecutive final wins. In long-term European tournaments, Real Madrid's streak is 11 consecutive finals without losing (to the 9 champions we must add the Uefa Cups of 1985 and 1986).

- 5th final against a German team and 5th victory (Eintracht 1960, Köln 1986, Leverkusen 2002, Eintracht 2022 and Dortmund 2024). The finals in 1960, 2002 and 2024 were in the Champions League.

- For the 5th time in history, Real Madrid achieves the League-Champions double (57, 58, 17, 22 and 24). FC Barcelona is equal at the top of this European classification (92, 06, 09, 11 and 15).

- Real Madrid has won its last 9 Champions Leagues in 27 seasons (1998-2024). To win the first 9 it took 47 seasons (1956-2002).

- With the 15th Chmapions League, Real Madrid now has more than double the number of titles than the second placed team, which is AC Milan with 7 trophies.

- Only English football equals Real Madrid's 15 Champions League titles (Liverpool 6, Manchester United 3, Nottingham Forest 2, Chelsea 2, Aston Villa 1 and Manchester City 1). The rest of the Countries are clearly below Real Madrid.

- For the first time, Real Madrid wins a Champions League at the legendary Wembley Stadium. At Wembley, 8 finals of the top European competition have been played between the old and the new stadium, which is a record.

- During this competition, Real Madrid has eliminated the current European champion for the 10th time (record). Of the 10 times he has been proclaimed champion on 7 occasions.

AT THE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL

- Florentino Pérez is the first president in history to win 7 Champions Leagues, surpassing the 6 of another Real Madrid president, the legendary Santiago Bernabéu. Behind them, with 5, is Silvio Berlusconi (all with AC Milan).

- Modric, Carvajal, Nacho and Kroos have achieved what seemed impossible, equaling the 6 Champions Leagues won by another Real Madrid legend, Paco Gento. Gento has always been the leader in this classification, first in the company of other players (the Cantabrian is a member of the team that won the first 5 editions of the European Cup) and later, since 1966, alone. Now he is once again accompanied at the top and again by Real Madrid players.

- Kroos retires as the player with the most Champions League + Intercontinental Cup + Club World Cup with 12 titles (6 Champions League + 6 Club World Cups).

- Nacho and Modric have become the two players with the most titles in the history of Real Madrid with 26. With 25 left are Benzema, Carvajal and Marcelo.

- Carlo Ancelotti increases his lead as coach with the most titles in history by winning his 5th trophy. Behind with 3 are Paisley, Zidane and Guardiola.

- Ancelotti also becomes the first player-coach with 7 titles (2 as a player of AC Milan, 2 as coach of AC Milan and 3 as coach of Real Madrid).

- Vinicius is the youngest player in history to score in two finals in the “Champions era”, surpassing Messi. In the entire competition (since 1956) he is the second youngest after the Portuguese Eusebio.

AT CLUB LEVEL

- For the 6th time in the same year, Real Madrid has managed to get its two sections (football and basketball) to the final of the European Cup in the same year. Only once were both won (2018), once were both lost (1962), once only the basketball team won (1964) and on three occasions only the football team won (2014, 2022 and 2024).

 

I upload three ideal XIs from the history of Real Madrid according to my criteria.

1- NATIONAL PLAYERS

The one who offered me the most doubts was Luis Regueiro, a Real Madrid legend in the 1930s. Another option I considered was putting Ramos at center back instead of Quincoces and putting Gordillo at right back.



2- FOREIGN PLAYERS

Panucci is nowhere near the level of the other 10 because of what he did at Real Madrid, but I can't think of another foreign right back who could fill that position. For the rest, the only doubt was putting Casemiro or Stielike in Redondo's place.



3- IDEAL XI IN THE HISTORY OF REAL MADRID

6 foreigners and 5 Spaniards make up my historic Real Madrid XI. I have hesitated to put Santamaría as central defender instead of Hierro. Another doubt has been to put Cristiano at right winger instead of Figo in order to be able to introduce Benzema up front alongside Puskas (I know that some people would put Benzema instead of Puskas but for me it is impossible to leave the Hungarian out of a Historical XI of Real Madrid). And of course I was close to putting Amancio in place of Figo as the right winger since the Galician has a longer career at Real Madrid than the Portuguese.

Postscript: It is evident that Benzema has performed at a higher level at Real Madrid than Figo, but I wanted Cristiano to be up front since that is where he has achieved his best numbers with Real Madrid.

 

On second thought, yesterday I made a mistake, the starting right winger of Real Madrid's historic XI should be Amancio and not Figo, so I am raising the lineup again.

Furthermore, I put Santamaría at the same level as Hierro since it is difficult for me to decide between the two.

 

I listen to a podcast called It Was What It Was which is for football history, and last week they had a 2 parter where Rafa Benitez was a guest. I've only listened to part 1 so far and that was Benitez talking about his time in the youth system at RM

 

Real Madrid knowledge Quiz: name everyone in this picture (except the guy with the mic in the back left).

 

Standing: Chendo, Aragón, Villarroya, Aldana, Hierro, Di Stéfano, Míchel, and I think Losada.

Crouching: Maqueda, Buyo, Solana, Sanchís and Hugo Sánchez.

The photo, as can be seen from the trophy, corresponds to the final of the Spanish Super Cup in the 1990/91 season, the only title that Alfredo di Stéfano won as coach of Real Madrid.

The match is also famous for the goal from almost the middle of the field that Santi Aragón scored against Andoni Zubizarreta.