Why is Madrid so dominant in European football?

Why Are Madrid so Dominant in European Football

A few days ago, the world's eyes were glued to the events unfolding at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Real Madrid faced Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final. 

Both sides had played out a draw in the first leg, and Bayern came to the Spanish capital looking to reach the final at Wembley to avoid the prospect of a trophyless season for the first time in 12 years. 

With the game set in a battle arena, the Bavarians rode their luck, choosing to depend on Manuel Neuer's heroics within the post and the pace of their forwards to win. 

To their luck, their tactics worked wonderfully. Neuer made a string of fine saves before pacy left back Alphonso Davies crashed an unstoppable shot past Andriy Lunin in the Real Madrid net, sending the Bayern Munich fans and Madrid's enemies into celebration mode. 

Sensing that they had won the game, Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel made a raft of changes to see off the game and become the first manager to reach three Champions League finals with different clubs.

But Tuchel and everyone who thought Madrid was dead and buried were wrong. 

Real Madrid weren't done. They still had life in them, so with a few tactical changes and sheer grit, Los Blancos came back to win 2-1, with a little-known player like Joselu making the difference.

With that win, Real Madrid qualified for the European Cup/Champions League final for the 18th time. AC Milan and Bayern Munich, with eleven European Cup final appearances, are the clubs closest to them in this category. 

Even more interesting and somewhat embarrassing is that Madrid has won twice the number of European Cup/Champions League titles won by AC Milan, the club with the second-highest number of European Cup/Champions League titles. 

La Liga Dominance 

Interestingly, Real Madrid has not only been dominant in Europe, but they have also dominated Spanish football.

Carlo Ancelotti's side were recently crowned La Liga champions for the 36th time in history. Their most recent title win means that they have won almost 40% of the total titles won in La Liga's history. 

Their closest challengers, Barcelona, have won 27 titles, amounting to about 30% of the total titles won in La Liga. 

Madrid also boasts an incredible collection of other domestic trophies like Copa del Rey (20) and Spanish Supercup (13). They have over 100 trophies in total and are currently the first and only club across all of Europe's top-five leagues to win 100 trophies in all competitions.

European Powerhouse 

Although other clubs like Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have dominated their leagues, none can match Real Madrid’s record in all competitions and Europe.

Unlike some other clubs, Real Madrid is not just local; it has proven to be a force in Europe, successfully maintaining its pedigree over a long period. 

Liverpool, for example, was the top team in England and Europe for several years, but their place at the top has never truly stretched for more than ten or 15 years. 

The same can be said of Bayern Munich, who have consistently been at the top of German football but have never truly consistently ruled Europe. AC Milan also had their heydays but have since fizzled out. 

But there has never been a time when Real Madrid tickets were out of fashion, both in Europe and domestically. Los Blancos’ class has remained eternal, and even when they were not consistently playing in the Champions League final, they held their heads up domestically.

But how exactly does Real Madrid do it? How have they remained so good over 100 years? 

We look at six factors that have kept them competitive for this long.

Financial Strength 

We start with the most obvious reason–Money.

Part of the reason Real Madrid has been hugely successful over the years is its almost endless supply of money. 

Despite not being one of those clubs owned by a filthy rich American businessman or a Middle Eastern monarch flowing with oil money, the Spanish club has remained financially capable over the years. 

Earlier this year, the 27th edition of the Deloitte Football Money League placed them as the richest club in world football. 

Their recent ranking isn't just a fluke, as Los Blancos have consistently stayed among the top three richest clubs and most valuable clubs in the world.

From the days of legendary club president Santiago Bernabeu, who rebuilt the club after the Spanish Civil War, to this current tenure of Florentino Perez, Real Madrid has been able to spend lavishly on club development and on attracting and signing the best players. 

Zinedine Zidane, Kaka, David Beckham, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo are a few examples of players they signed for huge sums. They recently redeveloped the Santiago Bernabeu into a truly remarkable sporting complex and, as far back as 2005, built a training base that rivals that of any club in the world.

They have done all of these things because they could afford it. Although the question of how they are so rich is a story for another day, it is safe to say that Madrid's eternal success is partly powered by money and lots of it.

Proper Management 

Although money does a lot of good for football clubs, football is not a financial institution, so money alone cannot guarantee success. 

Real Madrid has been helped by their ability to generate funds, but their intelligent management of resources and outstanding leadership have been even more helpful. 

The club has been blessed with good leadership over the years, with the likes of Juan Padrós, Santiago Bernabeu and Florentino Perez, who have proven themselves to be astute managers and leaders. 

These men have been great managers and attracted great players like Alfredo di Stefano, Ferenc Puskás, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zidane, Luis Figo, Kaka and others.

Over the years, Real Madrid presidents have been influential men with strong ties outside of football. This has made access to funds and the ears of football decision-makers possible. 

For example, Los Blancos were ridden with debt when Perez became president in the early 2000s, but he completely turned things around and made Real Madrid the most valuable club in the world. 

Shared Vision

Nothing lasts forever that is not conceived or powered by a shared vision. On the outside, Real Madrid's success for several years may be assumed to be powered by money and the glamorous players their presidents have been able to attract to the club, yet at the core of their eternal class is a lasting vision shared by a community.

Unlike clubs owned by one person or a group of few people, Real Madrid is owned by a community of fans called ‘socios'. As of 2010, the club had 60,000 socios, which has increased to at least 90,000, with reports claiming the number to be over 100,000.

So, Madrid is not a product of one man's vision. It's a club with a collective goal that has been passed down through generations as some of these socios have been part of the club for over four decades, making it easy to keep the shared vision alive.

Winning Football Culture

One of Real Madrid's greatest fuels for success is their rich football culture. Los Blancos have a never-say-die attitude that has stayed with them for years. 

It is almost like a mantra or formula: success or nothing. It is practically a rule that you can't play for Madrid unless you're a winner. From the outside, we see it, and those inside have confirmed it–Madrid means winning.

That attitude has resulted in a strong culture of winning and excellence that makes even average players turn into winning machines when they sign for Madrid. Every player is a winner in Real Madrid, and this has translated to long-lasting success.

Rich Football Heritage

One may wonder why the best players in the world want to play for Madrid. What about them made players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Zidane long to wear their jerseys? 

Why is it that almost all the best players have either played for Madrid or once dreamt of wearing their all-white kit? Is it the Madrid weather or the Spanish city's marvellous architecture and rich scenery?

The best players want to play for Madrid because of its history. No club in Europe can rival Madrid’s history. Although it is not like Madrid was born with this rich football heritage, having history has helped to keep it thriving.

Innovation

A winning formula is good. Money makes things happen, and strong leadership is needed, but innovation and adaptability to change keep you winning.

Real Madrid’s greatest weapon is its ability to innovate. The club has been innovating since the early 1950s. 

Although their tendency for innovation has often landed them in trouble, as we saw with their recent attempt at forcing the European Super League down our throats, Madrid has kept themselves fresh by constantly innovating and looking for ways to make things better.

They were at the table when the European Cup was formed, leading to their early dominance in the competition. They were one of the first clubs to embrace a data-driven approach to recruitment and football philosophy. 

The Spanish giants opened the Global Sports Innovation Center in Madrid in 2015. The data science lab is a three-way collaborative initiative between private, public, and academic partners and is co-sponsored by Real Madrid. 

Through such collaborations and ongoing technical investment, the club has been able to use data analytics across all its key processes.