As a soccer player myself, I strive to emulate soccer greats such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but with my favourite soccer team being Real Madrid, my true favourite player is one that many have not heard of, James Rodriguez. Soccer has long been known as the world’s sport, one that brings nations all over the world together. Outside of Canada, the United States, Ireland, Southern Africa, Japan, Oceania, and parts of the Philippines, soccer is commonly known and referred to as football.
On March 6, 1902, in Madrid, Spain, a group of soccer fans founded the Madrid Foot Ball Club. Soon, from 1905 to 1907, the newly formed team won three consecutive championships in the Spanish League, La Liga. This set the stage for what would become the most successful European soccer team in the 20th century, who would go on to win 32 titles until 2016, including five consecutive titles from 1986 to 1990. The team who holds the record for second-most La Liga titles, FC Barcelona, has 23, still nine behind Real Madrid.
This success was propelled by Santiago Bernabeu, who has the Real Madrid stadium named after him. He is so involved with the team that he started playing for Real Madrid at age 14 and ended his not-so-storied career 15 years later. He got a degree of law in 1943 and became the Real Madrid president. He won six consecutive European Cups with the team, as well as numerous other awards. Soon, the team named their stadium after him and every year they hoist the Santiago Bernabeu Cup.
Not surprisingly, FIFA, the world’s governing body for soccer, selected Real Madrid as the best soccer club of the twentieth century, just two years before the team celebrated its centennial season. And guess what? On that season, in 2002, the team won a Champions League title, aka the top European championship, which they are playing Atletico in Madrid. Real Madrid has won nine of these titles, setting a record that no other team has accomplished. Their current coach Zinedine Zidane was playing on the 2002 team that won. Today, this team is even better and is setting the stage for a great future underneath the leadership of Cristiano Ronaldo, who is a record-breaking player that has two Ballon d’Ors.
In conclusion, Real Madrid is arguably the best European soccer team because of the number of La Liga titles and European Cups they have won. In those aspects, they have surpassed every other team. Real Madrid is truly a remarkable team, and it is clear that they will dominate for years to come, due to a crop of rising young stars such as Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, James Rodriguez, and, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Works Cited
"Real Madrid Founded." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016.
"Real Madrid History." Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016.
