Spring Break
The real bank-breakers of Real Madrid
Jon-Paul Roche
Issue date: 6/15/09 Section: Sports
Real Madrid is a soccer club whose history is rich with success. Founded over 100 years ago in 1902, "Los Blancos" have won a record 31 league titles in Spain's Liga de Fútbol Profesional, more commonly known simply as La Liga.
The club has also experienced unmatched supremacy in European club competition having secured nine European Cups and Champions League titles, the most recent coming in 2002.
Real Madrid also holds another type of record - which it set in 2000, and since then, its only competitor has been itself.
On June 11th, Real broke their own world football transfer record, when they signed Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo from English club Manchester United for an incredible £80 million (about $130 million) a record they've broken four times since 2000 and twice in the past week. The record is the answer to the question, what happens when a club with a reputation of such eminance as Real Madrid ends a campaign with no hardware to show for it?
The president of Real Madrid, Florentino Perez, is no stranger to spending the club's money extravagently. In the early 2000's, during Perez's first presidency of the club, he set the benchmark when he purchased Portuguese superstar Luis Figo from Spanish rival Barcelona for £37 million (about $60 million).
Other decadent moves included the signings of Brazilian star Ronaldo, Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, and the British heartthrob David Beckham during what was dubbed "the Galactico Era."
Now that Perez is back at the helm of Real, following the dismissal of former President Ramon Calderon, he's marked his return with trademark transfers, spending a combined £139 (about $225 million) million on Brazilian midfielder Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo, and he doesn't plan on putting his checkbook away just yet.
Madrid has already incurred considerable debt and many question the logistics behind the deals. But there are other factors besides the obvious financial concerns that discourage clubs from spending this sort of money.
The club has also experienced unmatched supremacy in European club competition having secured nine European Cups and Champions League titles, the most recent coming in 2002.
Real Madrid also holds another type of record - which it set in 2000, and since then, its only competitor has been itself.
On June 11th, Real broke their own world football transfer record, when they signed Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo from English club Manchester United for an incredible £80 million (about $130 million) a record they've broken four times since 2000 and twice in the past week. The record is the answer to the question, what happens when a club with a reputation of such eminance as Real Madrid ends a campaign with no hardware to show for it?
The president of Real Madrid, Florentino Perez, is no stranger to spending the club's money extravagently. In the early 2000's, during Perez's first presidency of the club, he set the benchmark when he purchased Portuguese superstar Luis Figo from Spanish rival Barcelona for £37 million (about $60 million).
Other decadent moves included the signings of Brazilian star Ronaldo, Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, and the British heartthrob David Beckham during what was dubbed "the Galactico Era."
Now that Perez is back at the helm of Real, following the dismissal of former President Ramon Calderon, he's marked his return with trademark transfers, spending a combined £139 (about $225 million) million on Brazilian midfielder Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo, and he doesn't plan on putting his checkbook away just yet.
Madrid has already incurred considerable debt and many question the logistics behind the deals. But there are other factors besides the obvious financial concerns that discourage clubs from spending this sort of money.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Joel Navarrete
posted 6/15/09 @ 2:01 AM EST
I'm real madrid fan and have been since i was a little kid. I remember the first galacticos era and it was good at first but gradually declined. However i think they will do great this season because the level of talent is immense and with one or two more tweaks in the defence i think they will have a legitimite chance of champions league glory. (Continued…)
cbs5x4
posted 6/15/09 @ 6:25 PM EST
Although Real Madrid is paying a large sum for the two superstar players, the players may soon pay for themselves. Between the two players it is quoted they will make 175 million (U. (Continued…)
VCP-310
posted 7/13/09 @ 9:14 AM EST
I am great fan of real madrid they are great superstars, all players play well.
Zibra
posted 8/16/09 @ 5:30 PM EST
Madrid will compete in the coming season, but beyond the team strength getting better, the income of the team will increase due to the arrival of big stars. (Continued…)
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