Real Madrid Baloncesto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Real Madrid |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| Leagues | Liga ACB EuroLeague |
||
| Founded | 8 March 1931 | ||
| History | Real Madrid CF (1931–present) |
||
| Arena | Movistar Arena | ||
| Capacity | 15,000 | ||
| Location | Madrid, Spain | ||
| Team colours | White, Purple, Grey |
||
| Main sponsor | Autohero | ||
| President | Florentino Pérez | ||
| Head coach | Sergio Scariolo | ||
| Team captain | Sergio Llull | ||
| Championships | 11 EuroLeague 4 Saporta Cup 1 Korać Cup 1 Eurocup 5 Intercontinental Cup 38 Spanish Championship 29 Spanish Cup 10 Spanish Supercup |
||
| Retired numbers | 1 (10) | ||
|
|||
Real Madrid Baloncesto (which means Royal Madrid Basketball in English) is a professional basketball club from Spain. It started in 1931 as part of the famous Real Madrid CF sports club. The team plays in Spain's top league, the Liga ACB, and also competes in the EuroLeague against other top European teams.
Many people think Real Madrid Baloncesto is one of the best basketball clubs in Europe. They are currently ranked as the number one professional basketball club in Europe. Just like the Real Madrid football (soccer) team, the basketball team has won many championships in Spain and Europe. Real Madrid CF is the only sports club in Europe to have won the European championship in both football and basketball in the same season (this happened in 2017–18).
Real Madrid has won a record 38 Spanish League championships. They even won 7 or 10 championships in a row at different times! They also hold records for winning 29 Spanish Cup titles, 11 EuroLeague Championships, 4 Saporta Cups, and 5 Intercontinental Cups. The club has also achieved the "Triple Crown" three times. This means they won their national league, national cup, and the EuroLeague all in one season. Many famous players have played for Real Madrid, including Arvydas Sabonis, Dražen Petrović, Sergio Llull, and Luka Dončić.
Real Madrid also has a younger basketball team called Real Madrid B. This team plays in a lower, amateur league in Spain, helping new players develop their skills.
Contents
Club History
How it All Began
In March 1931, a person named Ángel Cabrera, who helped make basketball popular in Spain, put an advertisement in a newspaper. He was looking for players to join a new basketball team. The first team was officially formed on March 22, 1931, and was named Real Madrid Baloncesto.
The president of Real Madrid, Luis Usera, wanted the club to play more sports. The football team was already very well known, and he wanted to make the club even bigger.
In their very first season, Real Madrid won a tournament called the Copa Chapultepec. They also played in the regional league for Castilla. Their first official game was on March 22, 1931, against Dumping BC, which they lost 19–5. A month later, they opened their new home court in the Chamartín area.
In the 1930s, Real Madrid won its first regional title in 1933. They also started a women's basketball team. In the years that followed, Real Madrid became very strong in the regional league. This allowed them to play at the national level. They played their first top-level game against Iluro, losing 21–17. Later, talented players from other countries joined the team. These players helped the team win their first three Spanish national championships in 1957, 1958, and 1960.
Years of Great Success: 1950s to 1980s
.jpg)
For many years, Real Madrid has been a leading team in European basketball. They have won a record 11 European titles, with many of these wins happening in the 1960s. Their early success in Spain led to them winning 38 national league titles and 29 national cup trophies. When they weren't playing in Europe's top competition, they often won other European trophies. These included four Saporta Cups, a Korać Cup, and a ULEB Cup. These wins helped them get back to the biggest tournaments.
Players like Emiliano Rodríguez, Clifford Luyk, Wayne Brabender, Walter Szczerbiak, Juan Antonio Corbalán, Dražen Petrović, Mirza Delibašić, Arvydas Sabonis, and Dejan Bodiroga helped make Real Madrid one of the most famous basketball clubs in the world. Real Madrid won 7 EuroLeague titles between 1964 and 1980. This made them a legend in European basketball. Even when it took them 15 years to win the EuroLeague again, they still found success in other European competitions.
Madrid beat Olimpia Milano in the 1984 Cup Winners' Cup. In 1989, Petrović scored an amazing 62 points in the Cup Winners' Cup final against Snaidero Caserta. Madrid also won a 1988 Korać Cup title against Cibona Zagreb.
1990–2010: More Trophies
Real Madrid won the 1992 Saporta Cup against PAOK. The winning shot was made by Rickey Brown at the last second. In 1995, after Arvydas Sabonis joined the team, Real Madrid won its eighth EuroLeague title. They beat Olympiacos in the final. Madrid then won the 1997 Saporta Cup against Verona. However, they didn't win any more European trophies for the next ten years.
Even without European titles, Madrid still won at home. They won Spanish League titles in 2000 and 2005. Things changed in 2007 when Joan Plaza became the head coach. With players like Louis Bullock, Felipe Reyes, and Álex Mumbrú, Madrid won a new trophy, the ULEB Cup. They won 12 of their last 13 games and beat Lietuvos Rytas 75–87 in the 2007 ULEB Cup Final. Madrid also finished second in the 2006–07 Spanish League regular season. They were strong in the playoffs and won their 30th national league trophy. They beat their rivals, Winterthur FC Barcelona, 3–1 in the Spanish League final series in 2007.
2011–2022: The Pablo Laso Era
During Pablo Laso's time as coach, Real Madrid Baloncesto had a lot of success. Top Spanish players like Sergio Rodríguez and Rudy Fernández joined the team. Also, ACB Rising Star winner Nikola Mirotić was part of the team. Along with Sergio Llull and Felipe Reyes, these players formed a strong core of local talent. This group helped Real Madrid Baloncesto win 6 Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) titles, 7 Spanish Super Cup titles, 6 Liga ACB (Spanish League) titles, 2 EuroLeague championships, and an FIBA Intercontinental Cup championship.
On May 17, 2015, Real Madrid won the 2015 EuroLeague championship. This was their first EuroLeague title in 20 years. They beat Olympiacos in the final. Madrid's Andrés Nocioni was named the Final Four MVP. This win was called La Novena (The Ninth). After winning the EuroLeague, they also won the 2014–15 ACB season's Spanish League championship. Because Real also won the national Spanish Cup and the national Spanish Supercup that season, the club achieved its first "Quadruple Crown." This means they won four major titles in one season.
On September 27, 2015, Real Madrid won their fifth FIBA Intercontinental Cup trophy. This was 34 years after their last one. They defeated the Brazilian team Bauru. Sergio Llull was named the MVP of the tournament. Real Madrid now holds the record for the most FIBA Intercontinental Cup titles.
On May 20, 2018, Real Madrid won the EuroLeague again. This was their tenth title ever. The main leader of the team that season was a young Slovenian player named Luka Dončić. He was named the EuroLeague MVP at just 19 years old.
On June 5, 2022, Pablo Laso had a heart attack. One month later, Real Madrid decided to part ways with him. They said it was for "medical reasons exclusively" and that keeping him as coach in his health condition would be "a risk that this institution cannot assume." Laso left Real Madrid as one of the club's greatest coaches. He won 22 titles, which ties him with Lolo Sainz for the second-most trophies won with Real Madrid. Only Pedro Ferrándiz won more (27). Laso also coached the most games for Madrid (860), winning 659 of them. His assistant, Chus Mateo, took over as coach.
2022–Present: Post-Laso Era
In the 2022–23 season, Real Madrid won their eleventh EuroLeague title. They beat Olympiacos in the championship game. This win came after they had lost the previous season's final to Anadolu Efes by a very close score of 57-58. In the 2023 final, Sergio Llull made a crucial 2-point shot with just 3.1 seconds left, helping Real Madrid win 79-78.
In the 2023–24 EuroLeague season, Real Madrid finished first in the regular season. They had a great record of 27 wins and 7 losses. They aimed to defend their EuroLeague title. In the Quarterfinals, they swept Baskonia 3-0, becoming the first team to reach the 2024 EuroLeague Final Four in Berlin. In the semifinals, they faced Olympiacos again, winning 87-76. However, in the final, they lost to Panathinaikos AKTOR 95-80. Panathinaikos made a big comeback in the second half, especially in the fourth quarter. Despite this, Real Madrid still won the 2023–24 ACB season by beating Murcia 3-1 in the finals.
Home Arenas
_16.jpg)
Real Madrid Baloncesto has played in several different home arenas over the years:
- Estadio Chamartín (1931–1936): This was an outdoor court under the stands of the Real Madrid football stadium.
- Frontón Recoletos (1939–1952): Their first indoor court, which was a converted basque pelota court.
- Frontón Jai Alai (1952–1965): A larger converted court that became the club's official headquarters.
- Colegio Maravillas (1965): Used temporarily while a new stadium was being built.
- Pabellón de la Ciudad Deportiva del Real Madrid (1966–1986): The first stadium owned by the club, located at their training complex.
- Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid (1986–1998).
- Pabellón Parque Corredor (1998–1999): Used during renovations of their main stadium.
- Pabellón Raimundo Saporta (1999–2004): The renovated and renamed Pabellón de la Ciudad Deportiva.
- Palacio Vistalegre (2004–2010).
- Caja Mágica (2010–2011).
- Palacio de Deportes – Movistar Arena (2011–present): Their current home arena.
Players
Retired Numbers
Real Madrid has honored one player by retiring his jersey number. This means no other player on the team will wear that number again.
| Real Madrid retired numbers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | Nat. | Player | Position | Tenure | |
| 10 |  |
Fernando Martín | C | 1981–1986, 1987–1989 | |
Famous Players in the Hall of Fame
Some former Real Madrid players have been recognized in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. This is a very special honor for basketball players.
Dražen Dalipagić, Guard, played 1982–1983, entered Hall of Fame in 2004- Antonio Díaz-Miguel, Forward, played 1958–1961, entered Hall of Fame in 1997
- Pedro Ferrándiz, coach, coached 1959–1962, 1964–1965, 1966–1975, entered Hall of Fame in 2007
Dražen Petrović, Guard, played 1988–1989, entered Hall of Fame in 2002
Arvydas Sabonis, Center, played 1992–1995, entered Hall of Fame in 2011
Top Scorers and Most Games Played
Here are some of the players who have scored the most points and played the most games for Real Madrid:
| Top scorers | Most official matches | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sergio Llull |
|
1. | Sergio Llull |
1084 matches |
| 2. |  Wayne Brabender |
|
2. | Felipe Reyes |
1046 matches |
| 3. | Felipe Reyes |
|
3. | Rudy Fernández |
757 matches |
| 4. |  Jaycee Carroll |
|
4. | Jaycee Carroll |
709 matches |
| 5. | Rafael Rullán |
|
5. | Sergio Rodríguez |
580 matches |
| Show complete list | Show complete list | ||||
Honours and Achievements
Domestic Titles in Spain
Real Madrid has won many titles in Spain:
- Spanish League
- Winners (38): They have won the Spanish League 38 times, including in 1957, 1958, 1959–60, and recently in 2023–24 and 2024–25.
- Spanish Cup
- Winners (29): They have won the Spanish Cup 29 times, including in 1951, 1952, 1954, 1956, and recently in 2024.
- Spanish Super Cup
- Winners (10): They have won the Spanish Super Cup 10 times, including in 1984–85, and from 2018 to 2023.
European Titles
Real Madrid is also very successful in European competitions:
- EuroLeague
- Winners (11): They have won the EuroLeague 11 times, making them the most successful club in this competition. Their wins include 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1994–95, 2014–15, 2017–18, and 2022–23.
- Runners-up (10): They have also been runners-up 10 times.
- FIBA Saporta Cup (a past competition)
- Winners (4): They won this cup 4 times.
- FIBA Korać Cup (another past competition)
- Winners (1): They won this cup once in 1987–88.
- EuroCup
- Winners (1): They won this cup once in 2006–07.
- Latin Cup
- Winners (1): They won this cup once in 1953.
Worldwide Titles
Real Madrid has also won international competitions:
- FIBA Intercontinental Cup
- Winners (5): They have won this cup 5 times, including in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, and 2015.
Unofficial Awards
- Triple Crown
- Winners (3): They achieved the Triple Crown in 1964–65, 1973–74, and 2014–15.
Individual Player Awards
Many Real Madrid players have won important individual awards:
ACB Most Valuable Player
- Arvydas Sabonis – 1994, 1995
- Felipe Reyes – 2009, 2015
- Nikola Mirotić – 2013
- Sergio Llull – 2017
- Luka Dončić – 2018
- Facundo Campazzo – 2024
ACB Finals MVP
- Arvydas Sabonis – 1993, 1994
- Felipe Reyes – 2007, 2013
- Sergio Llull – 2015, 2016
- Rudy Fernández – 2018
- Facundo Campazzo – 2019, 2025
- Edy Tavares – 2022
- Džanan Musa – 2024
All-ACB First Team
- Felipe Reyes – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015
- Sergio Llull – 2012, 2015, 2017
- Rudy Fernández – 2013, 2014
- Nikola Mirotić – 2013, 2014
- Sergio Rodríguez – 2013, 2014, 2016
- Luka Dončić – 2018
- Facundo Campazzo – 2019, 2020, 2024
- Edy Tavares – 2019, 2021, 2023
- Džanan Musa – 2023
- Mario Hezonja – 2025
Spanish Cup MVP
- Sergio Llull – 2012, 2017
- Nikola Mirotić – 2014
- Rudy Fernández – 2015
- Gustavo Ayón – 2016
- Facundo Campazzo – 2020, 2024
Spanish Supercup MVP
- Rudy Fernández – 2012
- Sergio Rodríguez – 2013
- Sergio Llull – 2014, 2018, 2021
- Facundo Campazzo – 2019, 2020, 2023
- Edy Tavares – 2022
EuroLeague MVP
- Sergio Rodríguez – 2014
- Sergio Llull – 2017
- Luka Dončić – 2018
EuroLeague Final Four MVP
- Arvydas Sabonis – 1995
- Andrés Nocioni – 2015
- Luka Dončić – 2018
- Edy Tavares – 2023
FIBA Intercontinental Cup MVP
- Walter Szczerbiak – 1977
- Sergio Llull – 2015
All-EuroLeague First Team
- Rudy Fernández – 2013, 2014
- Sergio Rodríguez – 2014
- Felipe Reyes – 2015
- Sergio Llull – 2017
- Luka Dončić – 2018
- Edy Tavares – 2021, 2022, 2023
- Džanan Musa – 2023
- Facundo Campazzo – 2024
EuroLeague Rising Star
- Nikola Mirotić – 2011, 2012
- Luka Dončić – 2017, 2018
- Usman Garuba – 2021
EuroLeague Best Defender
- Edy Tavares – 2019, 2021, 2023
Matches Against NBA Teams
Real Madrid has played several exhibition games against teams from the NBA. These games are exciting chances to see how European and American basketball styles compare.
See also
In Spanish: Real Madrid Baloncesto para niños
- Real Madrid–FC Barcelona rivalry
- Real Madrid–Estudiantes rivalry
