On a day like today, the 26th of April, 110 years ago the Spanish Football Club Atletico de Madrid began its long Sporting life till today. Original from Basque students living in Madrid - thus the similarity & closeness to Athletic Club Bilbao - in 1904 they were joined by dissidents of Real Madrid to set the foundations of the Madrid Club.
So today its HAPPY BIRTHDAY, 110 years old.
Since then the Club currently has 61.000 paying members & 715 groups ( peñas ) spread around Spain & the World.
The Clubs Honours list is:
Regional Campeonato Regional Centro Winners (4): 1920–21, 1924–25, 1927–28, 1939–40 Domestic Competitions La Liga Winners (9): 1939–40, 1940–41, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1995–96 Runners-up (8): 1943–44, 1957–58, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1973–74, 1984–85, 1990–91 Copa del Rey Winners (9): 1959–60, 1960–61, 1964–65, 1971–72, 1975–76, 1984–85, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1995–96 Runners-up (9): 1921, 1926, 1956, 1963–64, 1974–75, 1986–87, 1998–99, 1999-00, 2009–10 Supercopa de España Winners (1): 1985 Runners-up (3): 1991, 1992, 1996 Copa de Campeones de España (Predecessor to the Supercopa de España) Winners (1): 1940[63] Copa Eva Duarte (Predecessor to the Supercopa de España) Winners (2): 1940, 1951[64] Runners-up (1): 1950 Copa Presidente FEF Winners (1): 1947 Segunda División Winners (1): 2001–02 Runners-up (2): 1932–33, 1933–34 European UEFA Champions League Runners-up (1): 1973–74 UEFA Europa League Winners (2): 2009–10, 2011–12 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup Winners (1): 1961–62 Runners-up (2): 1962–63, 1985–86 UEFA Super Cup Winners (2): 2010, 2012 UEFA Intertoto Cup Winners (1): 2007 Runners-up (1): 2004 World Intercontinental Cup Winners (1): 1974
The icing on the cake will be if Atletico de Madrid can defeat tomorrow in Liga arch city rival Real Madrid, a team they have´nt been able to beat in the last 14 years.
Two years ago exactly on this day 11th of JuneSPAIN won its first ever FIFA WORLD CUP title defeating Holland 0-1 in extra-time with a now historical goal from Andres Iniesta. To live some of those memories again watch this video tribute to SPANISH FOOTBALL & its NATIONAL TEAM.
Regular readers will know that my heart in Football ( Soccer ) matters is with Atletico de Madrid. However, here there is no fanatical devotion with the only solid support being to Sports, all Spanish Football & the fans around the World.
Many millions of those mentioned fans & daily readers of Spanish Football Sports Blog are supporters of Real Madrid. Today the 6th of March of 2012 SPANISH FOOTBALL Club REAL MADRID CF celebrates its 110 years of existence as Football & Sporting institution.
Throughout this long period the Club has been honoured & named by FIFA the "Best Club in World Football of the 20th Century", has won 9 European Cups, 2 UEFA Cups, 31 Spanish League titles, 18 Spanish Cup titles ...along with many others. The Club has also had in its ranks as players World & Spanish Football legends Alfredo Di Stefano, Puskas, Gento, Figo, Zidane, Raul, Ronaldo & now Cristiano Roanldo; just to mention a few names.
To Real Madrid & to all their fans around the World, HAPPY 110 YEAR BIRTHDAY
Spanish Football Today is exactly 1 year ago when SPANISH FOOTBALL reached its highest level in World Football & Sports history, recognition, prestige & winning its first ever FIFA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. The SPAIN FOOTBALL NATIONALTEAM defeated 1 - 0 HOLLAND in the FIFA WORLD CUP Final in SOUTH AFRICA thanks to the ANDRES INIESTA extra-time (116 min) goal the 11th of June 2010.
Spain today via all its Sports media is celebrating this first year anniversary , & the full year that the Spanish Football Team has been wearing that World Champions star on its shirt. To remember last years South African World Cup competition along with the various qualifying games & Spain's victory to claim the World Title, this video help will bring back some marvellous memories & strong emotions.
Already a year & how time flys. Here is a tribute to that wonderful historical Spanish team & players who are still doing things right.
Real Madrid 1960 Team: Standing left - right: Domínguez, Marquitos, Santamaría, Pachín, Vidal y Zárraga; Below left - right: Canario, Del Sol, Di Stéfano, Puskas y Gento with the 5th straight European Cup
Tomorrow REAL MADRID CF will attempt to turn around a very difficult CHAMPIONSLEAGUE return tie against French team OLYMPIQUE LYON. The French won the home leg 1-0 & Madrid has to make sure that the visitors do not score & they win by at least 2 goals. This feat is not beyond the Spanish side that if anything has plenty of fire power upfront as the team is currently the highest goal scoring side in Europe.
To help serve them as an example, this year is the 50th anniversary of another great goal scoring REAL MADRID team which is legendary as the date 18th of May coincides with the European Cup match the many consider the “Greatest of all European Cup matches”. This date 50 years ago Real Madrid defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 in the Final to secured its 5th straight European Cup title.
Although this current Real Madrid team will have to go a long way to even get relatively close to the 1960 side they can take a leaf out of their book to find inspiration, the motivation & the winning spirit to get the job done tomorrow against Lyon. Let’s think that the spirit of the magnificent & possibly unrepeatable 1960 Real Madrid team will hover over the “Santiago Bernabeu Stadium” for the good of Spanish Football in its quest to reaffirm the local competition as the “Best League in the World”. Good luck!
Here is the VIDEO of the Real Madrid 7 – Eintracht Frankfurt 3 1960 Final …
Putting my grain of sand to help contribute in expanding Spanish Football - Soccer | Sports abroad. An ex-amateur Footballer long ago - alias Striker - is now a fan that has the game embedded in his Football - Soccer Sports heart.
