Real Madrid Football Club is a multi-sports entity based in Madrid, Spain. Founded on March 6th1902 under the name “Sociedad Madrid Foot-Ball Club”, it participates in the Primera Division of Spain and is one of the teams that has never fallen. It was appointed by FIFA as the Best Club of the twentieth century by readers of FIFA World Magazine in December 2000. According to the annual ranking conducted by the IFFHS clubs, in 2002 it was named the best soccer team.
Statistically, the club has more titles in Spain than any other and at the same time is one of the most successful and recognised clubs in the world. It was the first winner of the European Cup (now Champions League UEFA) and the club has won it more times than anyone else with nine championships.
It has won 5,000 official trophies, 75 of them recognized by the UEFA. Real Madrid was as a founding member of the Association of European Clubs (formerly G-14), an international organization that brought together the most important and influential clubs in Europe.
There are two historic rivals, Athletico Madrid and FC Barcelona, whom Real face in “The Classic”, this being one of the biggest rivalry games in football mundial. It is one of 4 unique professional clubs in Spain (with FC Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao and Osasuna) whose ownership of the club rests with its members, which total more than 85,000. It is also one of the most popular clubs around the world.
It is one of the sporting bodies with the greatest market value and one that gets more revenue annually. They are worth an estimated €951 million (£640 million/$1.285 million) and they have won €351 million (£236 million/$474 million). They have developed different sports such as wrestling, baseball, volleyball and tennis. The basketball team participates in the top flight of in Spain, the ACB and is the club with the most titles of FIBA.