'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
A for Antonio Lamela
Antonio Lamela is one of the main reasons why Real Madrid's home ground is among the most beautiful stadiums in the world. After the stadium was initially built in the mid-1940s, Lamela remodelled it and was the architect when the stadium got its extension in 1988.
B for Barcelona
Just like Real Madrid, Barcelona are also a Spanish super-power in Football and have been Real Madrid's arch-rivals for a long time. Both are not only rivals in Football, but also in politics as Real Madrid are often viewed as representing the Spanish nationalism while Barcelona are viewed as representing the Catalan nationalism.
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In other words, Barcelona is nothing but a small part of Real Madrid's history.
C for Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo, who was signed by the Spanish giants from Manchester United in 2009 for a record-breaking fee, has become the club's leading goalscorer in spite of playing just eight full seasons in the Spanish capital. In the 396 appearances he has made for the club, he has netted 407 goals and has provided 111 assists.
D for Di Stefano
Real Madrid has been the home for a lot of legends in the past and one name that tops this list is Alfredo di Stefano. The Argentine is one of the first and foremost players who put the club on International map. He has scored 308 official goals for the club in all competitions and has won 15 official titles for them. After his retirement, he coached the team for two years from 1982 and was named as the honorary president of the club before he took his last breath in 2014.
E for El Clasico
El Clasico is the name given to any match that is being played between Real Madrid and their arch-rivals, Barcelona. So far, 235 official El Clasico matches have been played with Real coming out on top on 95 occasions while Barcelona managing to win 91.
F for Florentino Perez
Florentino Perez is one of the most influential persons in the world of Football and is the President of the Club. He was first elected as the President in 2000 before announcing his resignation in 2006. He was again elected as the President in 2009 and is still going strong at the helm. He is known for his Galactico policy of buying all the big names in Football.
F, in the history of Real Madrid, also stands for Ferenc Puskas and Francisco Gento, two of the greatest ever players to have played for the club.
G for Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale has been a part of the club for the last four years and has already won three Champions League titles, one La Liga, one Copa Del Rey, three European Supercups, two Club World Cups and one Spanish Super Cup. But, he is not on the list because of these achievements, but because of the fact that he is the club's costliest player. He was purchased from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013 for a fee between €91 million and €100 million.
Apart from Gareth Bale, G also stands for the Galactico policy the club has adopted in the past.
H for Hala Madrid
Hala Madrid, Y Nada Mas means 'Go Madrid, and nothing more' in English and is also the club's official anthem, which is often sung by the Madridistas.
H also stands for Hampden Park in Glasgow where the finals of the 1960 European Cup, a match that is widely regarded as one of the greatest matches of all-time, was played. Real Madrid put on a breathtaking display of attacking Football as they beat Eintracht Frankfurt to win their fifth European Cup title.
I for Iker Casillas
Iker Casillas is considered as one of the greatest and most successful goalkeepers of all time. The Spaniard started his Real Madrid career in 1990 as a nine-year-old before making his first team debut in 1999. He has served the club's first team for 16 years in which he has won every single trophy.
J for Juanito
Juanito might not have scored the number of goals as the likes of Raul, Cristiano and Di Stefano did, but the late Spanish forward has done enough to earn a place in the heart of the Madridistas, thanks to his determination, passion for the club and his never say attitude.
The Spirit of Juanito is something that the Real Madrid fans want the players to show before/during the matches where the team needs to make an unexpected comeback.
Unfortunately, a car accident took away Juanito's life in April 1992 and the Madridistas still sing 'Illa Illa Illa Juanito Maravilla’ in the seventh minute of all their home matches in his honour.
J also stands for Julian Palacios, who served as the first president of the club.
K for King Alfonso III
The club was founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club before King Alfonso III, who was an ardent Football fan, bestowed the word Real (means Royal in Spanish) as a prefix to the actual name in 1920 together with the royal crown in the emblem.
L for La Decima
Real Madrid have won around 90 major tournaments since their inception, including the twelve European Cups. One thing that will be close to the Madridistas will be the 2013-14 UEFA Champions League, their tenth one because it took 12 years after winning their ninth title to take the trophy to Bernabeu again. The tenth Champions League title was referred as La Decima (The tenth).
M for Miguel Munoz
Miguel Munoz, who is regarded as one of the greatest Footballers ever, is one of the Godfathers of the club who has won numerous trophies both as a player and as a manager. He won three European Cups and four La Liga titles as a player and two European Cups, nine La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey championships as a manager.
M also represents Marcelo, the clubs longest serving foreign player.
N for Not just Football
Real Madrid is not just about Football as they also run a Basketball team called Real Madrid Baloncesto. Just like the Football team, the Baloncesto are also successful they have already won 33 Spanish leagues and nine Euro Leagues. Real Madrid athletic association also had a rugby, volley ball and a handball team. Unfortunately, the club does not have a Football team for the women.
O for Oxbridge graduates
Though the club was founded in 1902, Real Madrid's origin goes back to the time when the sport was introduced in the city of Madrid by the students 'Institución Libre de Enseñanza' that included a lot of Oxbridge university (composite of Oxford and Cambridge universities) graduates. They formed a team called Sky Football aka La Sociedad and it was the only Football club based in Madrid, playing on Sunday mornings.
A conflict led to few of the members leaving the club and create a new one for themselves. In 1900, they formed a new team called 'Nueva Sociedad de Football' (means 'new society of Football in English') which was later changed to Madrid Football Club and then to Real Madrid.
P for Pena
Pena (peña) refers to the official supporters groups of Real Madrid. At present, there are over 1800 Penas around the world.
Q for Quesada
Though there are no official records, Felix Quesada is believed to be the first ever captain of Real Madrid and the first captain to lead the side to a title in a senior major competition.
R for Raul
Raul Gonzalez Blanco is one of the greatest players to have worn the Real Madrid shirt. The striker holds the record for most overall appearances for the club as he has played 741 matches for Real Madrid from 1994 to 2010 and has scored 323 goals during his time at the Bernabeu, the second most by any player after Cristiano.
Adding to this, he has won Six La Ligas, three Champions League titles, four Spanish Super Cups, one UEFA Super Cup and two Intercontinental Cups.
S for Santiago Bernabeu
Most of the Football fans know Santiago Bernabeu as Real Madrid's home ground. Why was the stadium named as Santiago Bernabeu? Santiago Bernabeu Yeste had numerous roles to play at Real Madrid during his time and is widely regarded as the one to whom most of the credits can be given for transforming the club into the most successful football club.
He was a player, director of Football, manager at the club before becoming the President in 1943 and remained as one till his death in 1978. In 1955, the members of the board also decided to name the stadium after the legend himself for his contributions to the club.
T for Twelve European Cups
Earlier this year, Real Madrid won their twelfth European Cup by defeating Juventus 4-1 in the final. Real Madrid won the first ever edition way back in 1955-56 and went on to win the next four editions before winning one each in 1965-66, 1997-98, 1999-00, 2001-02, 2013-14, 2015-16 and 2016-17.
They are the only club to have won the title ten times as the club that is second in the list, AC Milan, has won the title seven times.
U for Ultras
Ultras (Ultras Sur) are referred to Real Madrid's hardcore supporters, who are known for their extreme right-wing politics. On several occasions, they have racially abused opposing players and have been investigated by UEFA for doing so. Prez Perez banned the Ultras from entering the Bernabeu and decided to allot their seats to the general public. Since then, the Ultras have held protests outside the Bernabeu demanding their ban to be reinstated.
V for Valdebebas
Valdebebas is the place where Ciudad Real Madrid, Real Madrid's training ground is located. Ciudad Real Madrid has been nicknamed and is known to the players and the club staff as Valdebebas. It also has the home ground for Real Madrid Castilla (the youth team), Alfredo di Stefano stadium.
W for Whites
Real Madrid's home kits have traditionally been in white colour. Real Madrid are also called as Los Blancos, which means 'The Whites'. They are called so because the club has worn a white home kit since its inception in 1905.
X for Xabi Alonso
To be frank, the only player/thing that starts with the letter X associated with Real Madrid is Xabi Alonso. But, Xabi is someone who deserves to be on the list as he is one of the best midfielders of his time and has won almost all the trophies one could win with Real Madrid.
He joined Real Madrid from Liverpool in 2009 and made 236 appearances before leaving the club in 2014.
Y for Ye-Ye
The Real Madrid team that dominated the world in the late 1950s and early 1960s is referred to as 'Ye-Ye'. The name "Yé-yé" came from the "Yeah, yeah, yeah" chorus in one of The Beatles' songs after few members of the team posed for Marca and impersonated the Beatles.
The Ye-Ye generation had the likes of Manuel Sanchis, Puskas, Gento, Amancio Amaro, Di Stefano wtc. in their ranks playing under Real Madrid's legendary manager Miguel Munoz.
Z for Zinedine Zidane
In simple words, Zinedine Zidane is God's own gift to Real Madrid. After he was signed from Juventus in 2001, the French midfielder took the club to a whole new level with his magic that saw him win every single trophy as a player.
When the club was in a crisis in 2015, Zidane, without any prior experience, was appointed as the manager and the rest is History. He went on to win two Champions league titles, one La Liga title, two European Super Cups, one Club World Cup and one Spanish Super Cup, all in less than two years. In fact, he has won seven trophies with Real Madrid, the same number as the losses the club has suffered during his tenure as a manager.
