Sport in Madrid

Last updated
The Santiago Bernabeu, a FIFA elite stadium Estadio Santiago Bernabeu 05.jpg
The Santiago Bernabéu, a FIFA elite stadium

Madrid is home to a number of football teams and other sports teams.

Contents

History

Jai Alai fronton in Madrid (1891) 1891-07-16, La Ilustracion Nacional, El Jai-Alai madrileno, Mendez Bringa, Vela (cropped).jpg
Jai Alai fronton in Madrid (1891)

As in most of the rest of Spanish cities, the sport in Madrid was restricted by the second half of the 19th century to the upper classes, who enjoyed, unlike the bulk of the population, spare time, [1] thus the active sportspeople by the last third of the 19th century accounted for a limited number. [2] Those sport practices included horse racing, hiking, polo, hunting, Basque pelota and fencing. [2] No physical education was taught at schools. [2]

The settling in Madrid of the Basque industrial and trading bourgeoise in the late 19th-century and the subsequent opening of several frontones led to the city becoming the world capital of pelota for a brief spell. [3]

The importance of gymnastics and sports grew in line with regenerationist postulates spread after the disaster of 1898. [4] Institución Libre de Enseñanza's pedagogue Manuel Bartolomé Cossío was reportedly the first to bring a football ball to Madrid. [5]

Unlike other previous elite sport practices, football had more potential to spread among the rest of social classes. [6] The parallel development of Sports journalism also helped to consolidate the sport in the city. [7]

Football

Atletico de Madrid players in 1911 Atletico madrid 1911.jpg
Atlético de Madrid players in 1911

Real Madrid, founded in 1902, compete in La Liga and play their home games at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. The club is one of the most widely supported teams in the world and their supporters are referred to as Madridistas or Merengues (Meringues). Real's supporters in Madrid are mostly upper-class citizens and conservatives. The club was selected as the best club of the 20th century, being the fifth most valuable sports club in the world and the most successful Spanish football club with a total of 104 official titles (this includes a record 15 European Cups and a record 36 La Liga trophies).

Atlético Madrid, founded in 1903, also compete in La Liga and play their home games at the Metropolitano Stadium. The club is well-supported in the city, having the third national fan base in Spain and their supporters are referred to as Atléticos or Colchoneros (The Mattressers). Atlético draws its support mostly from working class citizens. [8] The club is considered an elite European team, having won three UEFA Europa League titles and reached three European Cup finals. Domestically, Atletico have won eleven league titles and ten Copa del Reys.

Rayo Vallecano are the third most important football team of the city, based in the Vallecas neighborhood. They currently compete in La Liga, having secured promotion in 2021. The club's fans tend to be very left-wing and are known as Buccaneers .

Madrid hosted five European Cup/Champions League finals, four at the Santiago Bernabéu, and the 2019 final at the Metropolitano. The Bernabéu also hosted the Euro 1964 Final (which Spain won) and 1982 FIFA World Cup final.

Basketball

Madrid Arena exterior Exterior tocada24oct03-f.vidrio-miguel de guzman.jpg
Madrid Arena exterior

Real Madrid Baloncesto, founded in 1931, compete in Liga ACB and play their home games at the Palacio de Deportes (WiZink Center). Real Madrid's basketball section, similarly to its football team, is the most successful team in Europe, with a record 10 EuroLeague titles. Domestically, they have clinched a record 36 league titles and a record 28 Copa del Reys.

Club Baloncesto Estudiantes, founded in 1948, compete in LEB Oro and also play their home games at the Palacio de Deportes (WiZink Center). Until 2021, Estudiantes was one of only three teams that have never been relegated from Spain's top division. Historically, its achievements include three cup titles and four league runners-up placements.

Madrid has hosted six European Cup/EuroLeague finals, the last two at the Palacio de Deportes. The city also hosted the final matches for the 1986 and 2014 FIBA World Cups, and the EuroBasket 2007 final (all held at the Palacio de Deportes).

Tennis

Madrid hosts the Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open. The tournament is classified as an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event on the Association of Tennis Professionals tour, and a Premier Mandatory event on the Women's Tennis Association tour. Caja Mágica (The Magic Box, and also known as the Manzanares Park Tennis Centre) is a tennis structure located at Manzanares Park, used for the Madrid Masters tournament, Caja Mágica is also home to the Spanish F1 team HRT F1 Team.

Bullfighting

Alcala Gate's bullring by Eugenio Lucas Velazquez (1853) La Plaza partida Eugenio Lucas Velazquez.jpg
Alcalá Gate's bullring by Eugenio Lucas Velázquez (1853)
Las Ventas bullring LasVentas view01.jpg
Las Ventas bullring

The first big bullring in the city, built in 1749 during the reign of Ferdinand VI, was located next to the puerta de Alcalá. [9] It lasted until the 1870s, and it was replaced in 1874 by the bullring of Goya, located in the plot currently occupied by the Palacio de los Deportes. [9]

Madrid currently hosts the largest plaza de toros (bullring) in Spain, Las Ventas, established in 1929. Las Ventas is considered by many to be the world centre of bullfighting and has a seating capacity of almost 25,000. Madrid's bullfighting season begins in March and ends in October. Bullfights are held every day during the festivities of San Isidro (Madrid's patron saint) from mid May to early June, and every Sunday, and public holiday, the rest of the season. The style of the plaza is Neo-Mudéjar. Las Ventas also hosts music concerts and other events outside of the bullfighting season.

Cycling

Historically, the city serves as the final stage of the Vuelta a España cycling event, in the same way Paris serves as the conclusive stage of the Tour de France.

Formula 1

Formula 1 Announced that Madrid will be hosting the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix around the IFEMA complex which includes the F1 Exhibition Centre and is close to the Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano as well as the Ciudad Real Madrid. [10] [11]

Events hosted

San Silvestre Vallecana (31 December 2005) MADRID 051231 MXALX 088.jpg
San Silvestre Vallecana (31 December 2005)

The city has two major annual road running events – the Madrid Marathon and the San Silvestre Vallecana 10 km (6 mi) run – tens of thousands of runners take part in these races each year. [12] As reported by Olympic news outlet Around the Rings, [13]

The 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup Final at the Palacio de Deportes Final del Campeonato del Mundo de Baloncesto 2014 en Madrid.jpg
The 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup Final at the Palacio de Deportes

Spain hosted the 1982 FIFA World Cup and the final was held in Madrid. It has also hosted the UEFA Champions League finals (1957, 1969, 1980 and 2010); UEFA Cup finals (1985 and 1986); FIBA EuroBasket finals (several times); 1974 EuroHockey Nations Championship; European Judo Championships (1965, 1973, 1981); 2005 UCI Road World Championships; European Karate Championships (1983, 1986); 2005 World Taekwondo Championships; 2002 World Cup in Athletics; Intercontinental Cup (1960, 1966, 1974); 2004 European Aquatics Championships; UEFA Euro 1964; 2003 FIVB Volleyball World League; European Athletics Indoor Championships (1968, 1986, 2005); UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (every year); WTA Tour Championships (2006, 2007); Spanish International Badminton Tournament (every year); 1986 World Aquatics Championships and several other. In addition, Spain hosted the 1986 FIBA World Championship and the 2014 FIBA World Cup, with the final matches of both tournaments held at the Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid in Madrid.

Olympics bids

The history of Madrid's bid to host the Olympic Games dates back to December 29, 1965 when the Spanish government presented a joint bid Madrid-Barcelona to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to host the 20th edition of the Games in 1972. The Spanish candidature was however ruled out at the IOC session held in Rome on 26 April 1966, where Munich was ultimately elected.

Many years later, Madrid's council presented a bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics. The candidate city logo was designed by Javier Mariscal, a Spanish artist who also designed the mascot for the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games. [14] On May 18, 2004 the IOC selected in Lausanne (Switzerland) the five official candidate cities for the organization of the Olympic Games of 2012: Madrid, Paris, London, New York and Moscow. On July 6, 2005, the IOC announced the result of the election of the city that would host the 2012 Olympics: the choice was London, and the city of Madrid finished third. Later, an IOC member told reporters he made a mistake when marking his vote, so Madrid was eliminated in the penultimate voting. [15] During the selection process for the 2012 Summer Olympics, there was among Madrid citizens a minority social movement of opposition to the nomination, which was accused of favoring real estate speculation and increase the already high indebtedness of the council.

The Spanish Olympic Committee renewed on May 30, 2007 the Madrid bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. On June 4, 2008 Madrid was shortlisted as one of the candidates to host the 2016 Games, along with Chicago, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro. The project presented was based on the prior application with improvements, which allowed him to be the second city with the highest rating, slightly behind Tokyo. Finally, on October 2, 2009 the city of Rio de Janeiro won the election, despite having initially a general technical assessment below that of the other three cities.

Madrid resubmitted an application to host the games in 2020. The IOC selected Madrid as candidate city on May 23, 2012. [16] On September 7, 2013 the candidate cities were Madrid, Istanbul and Tokyo. On the first ballot Madrid and Istanbul yielded the same votes after Tokyo. In the runoff vote, Madrid was eliminated [17] and in the final vote, Tokyo won by a large number of votes.

Following Madrid's failure to secure the 2020 Summer Olympics, it was confirmed the city would not be bidding for the 2024 Games. [18]

Teams

ClubLeagueSportVenueEstablishedCapacity
Real Madrid CF La Liga Football Santiago Bernabéu 190285,454
Atlético Madrid La LigaFootball Wanda Metropolitano 190367,703
Rayo Vallecano La LigaFootball Estadio de Vallecas 192415,500
Real Madrid Castilla La LigaFootball Alfredo di Stéfano 19306,000
Real Madrid Baloncesto Liga ACB Basketball Palacio de Deportes de Madrid 193117,453
CB Estudiantes Liga ACBBasketballPalacio de Deportes de Madrid194817,453

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlético Madrid</span> Spanish professional football club

Club Atlético de Madrid, S.A.D., known simply as Atleti in Spanish-speaking countries and commonly referred to at the international level as Atlético Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid that plays in La Liga. The club play their home games at the Metropolitano, which has a capacity of 70,460.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys</span> Stadium at Barcelona, Catalonia

Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys is a stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Originally built in 1927 for the 1929 International Exposition in the city, it was renovated in 1989 to be the main stadium for the 1992 Summer Olympics and 1992 Summer Paralympics. It is the home stadium of FC Barcelona for the 2023–24 season, due to the renovation of their regular ground, the Camp Nou.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sergio Rodríguez</span> Spanish basketball player

Sergio Rodríguez Gómez is a Spanish professional basketball player for Real Madrid of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague. Standing at 1.91 m, he plays at the point guard position. Rodriguez, nicknamed "El Chacho", won the EuroLeague title in 2015, and was an All-EuroLeague First Team selection, as well as the EuroLeague MVP the year before.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in Mexico</span> Overview of sports traditions and activities in Mexico

The most popular sport in Mexico currently is association football followed by boxing. However, there are regional variations: for example, baseball is the most popular sport in the northwest and the southeast of the country. Charrería is the national sport of Mexico. American rodeo is also popular in Mexico, but primarily in the northern half of the country. Basketball, American football and bull riding are also popular. Other sports followed by Mexicans are ice hockey, mixed martial arts, motorsports, taekwondo, and cycling. The tradition of bullfighting remains strong in Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baloncesto Málaga</span> Spanish basketball team

Club Baloncesto Málaga, S.A.D., for sponsorship reasons named Unicaja Málaga, is a Spanish professional basketball team that is based in Málaga, Spain. The team plays in the Liga ACB and the Basketball Champions League. The team is sponsored by the Spanish bank Unicaja.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CB Estudiantes</span> Spanish basketball club

Club Baloncesto Estudiantes, S.A.D., known simply as Estu and as Movistar Estudiantes for sponsorship reasons, is a basketball team based in the city of Madrid, Spain. It is a member of the Asociación de Clubes de Baloncesto (ACB). Founded in 1948, it is one of the most recognized basketball teams in Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Real Madrid Baloncesto</span> Professional basketball club in Madrid, Spain

Real Madrid Baloncesto is a Spanish professional basketball club that was founded in 1931, as a division of the Real Madrid CF multi sports club. They play domestically in the Liga ACB, and internationally in the EuroLeague.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teledeporte</span> Public Spanish sports television network

Teledeporte (TDP) is a Spanish free-to-air television channel owned and operated by Televisión Española (TVE), the television division of state-owned public broadcaster Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE). It is the corporation's sports television channel, and is known for live broadcast of major Spanish and international sporting events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid</span> Multipurpose venue in Madrid

Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid, officially WiZink Center since November 2016 for sponsorship reasons, is an indoor sporting arena located in Madrid, Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felipe Reyes</span> Spanish basketball player

Felipe Reyes Cabanás is a Spanish former professional basketball player. He represented the senior Spain national team. Standing at a height of 2.06 m tall, and weighing 120 kg (265 lbs.), he plays at the power forward and center positions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in Spain</span> Overview of sports traditions and activities in Spain

Sport in Spain in the second half of the 20th century has always been dominated by football. Other popular sport activities include basketball, tennis, cycling, padel, handball, rugby, rally, motorcycling, judo, Formula One, water sports, rhythmic gymnastics, bullfighting, golf, and skiing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007–08 Euroleague</span> EuroLeague season

The 2007–08 Euroleague was the 8th season of the professional basketball competition for elite clubs throughout Europe, organised by Euroleague Basketball Company, and it was the 51st season of the premier competition for European men's clubs overall. The 2007–08 season featured 24 competing teams. The Euroleague Regular Season draw was held on 30 June 2007, in Jesolo, Italy, during the inaugural Euroleague summer league. The official inauguration was held on October 22, at Hala Olivia in Gdańsk, Poland, before the season's opening game between Prokom Trefl Sopot and CSKA Moscow. The 2008 Final Four was held on May 2–4, 2008, at the Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid in Madrid, Spain. Russian power CSKA Moscow became the champion for the sixth time, placing them second in all-time European championships to Real Madrid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup</span> 2014 edition of the FIBA Basketball World Cup

The 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup was the 17th edition of the FIBA Basketball World Cup, the tournament previously known as the FIBA World Championship. The tournament was held from 30 August to 14 September 2014. Hosted by Spain, it was the last tournament to be held on the then-current four-year cycle. The next FIBA World Cup was held five years later, in 2019, to reset the four-year-cycle on a different year than the FIFA World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitano Stadium</span> Stadium in Madrid, Spain

Metropolitano Stadium, also referred to as Cívitas Metropolitano for sponsorship reasons, is a stadium in Madrid, Spain. It has been the home stadium of Atlético Madrid since the 2017–18 season. It is located in the Rosas neighbourhood, in the San Blas-Canillejas district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madrid bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics</span> Entry by the Spanish city in the competition to host the sporting festival

Madrid 2020 was a bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics by the city of Madrid and the Spanish Olympic Committee.

Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is the second largest city and metropolitan area in Spain and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union. It has hosted many major international tournaments and has professional teams in different sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Facundo Campazzo</span> Argentine basketball player (born 1991)

Facundo "Facu" Campazzo Avedano is an Argentine professional basketball player for Real Madrid of the Spanish Liga ACB and the EuroLeague. At a height of 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) tall, he plays at the point guard position. He is also a member of the senior Argentina national basketball team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dani Carvajal</span> Spanish footballer (born 1992)

Daniel Carvajal Ramos is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a right-back for La Liga club Real Madrid and the Spain national team. He is regarded as one of the greatest right-backs of his generation.

Football is the most popular sport, both in terms of participants and spectators, in Madrid. Madrid is the only city that had derby matches in the UEFA Champions League finals.

BEX Banco Exterior or Toledo'92 was a Spanish women's basketball team from Toledo and Madrid. It competed 4 seasons in the Spanish top-tier league from 1988 to 1992.

References

  1. Polo del Barrio, Jesús (2002). El fútbol en Madrid: de actividad lúdica a espectáculo de masas (1898–1945) (PDF). Madrid: Ediciones Complutense. p. 1–2. ISBN   978-84-8466-116-0.
  2. 1 2 3 Polo del Barrio 2002, p. 2.
  3. Fraguas, Rafael (12 April 2013). "Del juego de pelota". El País .
  4. Polo del Barrio 2002, pp. 3–4.
  5. Polo del Barrio 2002, p. 7.
  6. Polo del Barrio 2002, p. 9–10.
  7. Polo del Barrio 2002, p. 18.
  8. "Madridista or Colchonero?, reference to the team's jersey colours". goal.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
  9. 1 2 López Trujillo, Noemí (10 June 2012). "Las desconocidas plazas de toros de Madrid". ABC .
  10. "Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix 2026 | F1 MADRID". www.ifema.es. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  11. "Madrid to join Formula 1 calendar from 2026". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  12. Valiente, Emeterio (25 April 2010). Course record for Cherogony, while Gebrselassie 'jogs' to 10 km (6.21 mi) victory – Madrid Marathon report. IAAF. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  13. "Madrid Advances 2020 Olympics Ambitions; Doha Still Considering Bid". Aroundtherings.com. 13 July 2011. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
  14. "Javier Mariscal – Drawing Life". Egodesign.ca.
  15. "'Voting error' gave London Games". BBC Sport.
  16. IOC selects three cities as Candidates for the 2020 Olympic Games
  17. "Madrid knocked out in first round of voting for 2020 Olympics"
  18. "Madrid should not seek to host 2024 Games, says Mayor"