Real Madrid defeated Liverpool in the Champions League final at the Stade de France on Saturday (1-0). This was the White House’s 14th European title, twice as many than AC Milan (7 titles). Here’s a look back at the seven decades of Merengue dominance.
Originally approached by FC Barcelona, Argentinian striker Alfredo Di Stefano joined Real to begin a new chapter in the history of football: the first European golden era of the White House for what was then known as the European Cup of Champion Clubs.
Santiago Bernabeu’s team played Reims in Paris, June 13, 1956. This was the first final. Real, who was 2-0 ahead, finally woke up after Di Stefano, and won 4-3 over Raymond Kopa (France) and his teammates to win his first of five consecutive trophies.
It was the mythical attacking line that won Europe many seasons. The arrival of the Kopa in August 1956, and then the Ferenc Puskas from Hungary in 1958 made Real Madrid the “football team of the 20th Century” according to Fifa. Coronations were held against Fiorentina (2-2) and AC Milan (3-3 a.p. ), Reims (2-0).
Kopa was ejected in 1959. The legendary duo Di Stefano/Puskas offer a fifth crown to Madrid, against Eintracht Frankfurt in Glasgow (7-3). The two players score 3 goals and 4 goals, respectively, on cloud nine! Real will extend this first golden age by adding a sixth trophy in 1966 with Paco Gento, who died in January 2022. He is the only player to have won six consecutive C1s.
In 1998, after 32 years of scarcity and several disappointments in the final in 1962, 1964 and 1981 (at the Parc des Princes against…Liverpool), Real Madrid of Raul, Roberto Carlos and Christian Karembeu won the Champions League (so named since then). 1992) against Juventus de Zinedine Zidane (1-0). The White House began a new winning streak with this seventh major European title, which it won in 1998.
Vicente Del Bosque, who was part of the 1981 team that lost the final, offers to coach Real in 2000 against Valencia (3-0), just as a new president takes office. Florentino Perez was elected to the presidency. This is the start of the “Galacticos” era, which saw the stars of the game acquire their talents at a cost of gold.
Real was reborn by Perez, who made Real a global brand and one of the most expensive transfers ever: Luis Figo, Zidane, Zidane, 43 million euro in 2001, Brazilian Ronaldo, 35 million Euros in 2003, and Luis Figo, 58 million euro in 2000. The famous “Zizou” perfect volley won the Superstars victory in Glasgow against Bayer Leverkusen (2-1).
Carlo Ancelotti is the current coach at Real. He succeeded in his first stint as head of the White House. In 2014, he led Real to the “Decima,” the tenth C1 club. This was achieved in a thrilling final against Atletico Madrid (4-1 a.p.). Zinedine Zidane was then his assistant.
In 2016, the latter took over as sole manager of the team, replacing stars such as Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. He made it a winning machine. First attempt? Masterstroke: Zidane led Real in the Champions League final against Atletico Madrid on penalties.
Rebelote was defeated by Juventus Turin the next season, which was his former club. Real won the final 4-1. In 2018, the treble is achieved against Liverpool (3-1). Zidane is the first manager to win three Champions Leagues consecutively in history.
Last year, the privileged relationship between Madrid’s club and the “Big Ears Cup”, almost ended. Florentino Perez, President of Madrid Club, is one of the major promoters for the Super League. This short-lived tournament was created by the continent’s big cars and aims to replace the Champions League.
Real, however, remained faithful to the C1 – the Super League project had been overturned – and the sequel proved them wrong: carried by a Benzema, in a stateof grace (15 European goals this year, just two goals away from the 2014 record by Cristiano Ronaldo), Ancelotti’s team won a 14th crown.
