Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (Spanish IPA: [ɾeal maˈð̞ɾið kluβ de ˈfutβol], usually known simply as Real Madrid) is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. It is the most successful team in Spanish football and was voted by FIFA as the most successful club of the 20th century, having won a record thirty-one La Liga titles, seventeen Spanish Cups, a record nine European Cups and two UEFA Cups. Real was a founding member of FIFA and the now-defunct G-14 group of Europe's leading football clubs as well as its replacement, the European Club Association.
Founded in 1902, Real Madrid has since spent all of its history in the top flight of Spanish football. In the 1940s, the club, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and the Ciudad Deportiva were rebuilt following the Spanish Civil War. The club established itself as a major force in both Spanish and European football during the 1950s. In the 1980s, the club had one of the best teams in Spain and Europe (known as La Quinta del Buitre), winning two UEFA Cups, five Spanish championships in a row, one Spanish cup and three Spanish Super Cups.
The club's traditional home colours are all white. Its crest has been changed several times in attempts to modernise or re-brand; the current crest is a modified version of the one first adopted in the 1920. Real's home is the 80,354-person-capacity Santiago Bernabéu football stadium in downtown Madrid, where it has played since 1947. Unlike most European football clubs, Real Madrid's members (socios) have owned and operated the club since its inception. Real is the world's richest football club (€366m) in terms of revenue.
الجمعة، 17 أبريل 2009
Competition format
La Liga follows the usual double round-robin format. During the course of a season, which lasts from September to June, each club plays every other club twice, once at home and once away, for a total of 38 games. Teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, with the highest-ranked club at the end of the season crowned champion. If points are equal between two or more clubs, head-to-head results usually determine their placement. The first tiebreaker used when two teams are even on points is the goal difference resulting from the two matches between the clubs in question. When more than two teams are tied, the points accumulated from the games between those teams are used to rank them, then goal difference if needed. If head-to-head results are not sufficient to separate teams, goal difference over the entire season, then total goals scored in the season may be used.[3]
A system of promotion and relegation exists between the Primera División and the Segunda División. The three lowest placed teams in La Liga are relegated to the Segunda División, and the top three teams from the Segunda División are promoted to La Liga.
[edit] Qualification for European competitions
The top four teams in La Liga qualify for the UEFA Champions League, with the first and second placed teams directly entering the group stage and the third and fourth placed teams entering the third qualifying round. The fifth and sixth placed teams qualify for the first round of the UEFA Cup.
Beginning in 2009 qualification for the Champions League will change slightly, with the top three teams in La Liga qualifying for the group stage directly and the fourth placed team entering the play-off round for non-champions. The UEFA Cup will also be restructured in 2009, with the fifth and sixth placed teams in La Liga entering the play-off round and third qualifying round of the tournament, respectively.
A system of promotion and relegation exists between the Primera División and the Segunda División. The three lowest placed teams in La Liga are relegated to the Segunda División, and the top three teams from the Segunda División are promoted to La Liga.
[edit] Qualification for European competitions
The top four teams in La Liga qualify for the UEFA Champions League, with the first and second placed teams directly entering the group stage and the third and fourth placed teams entering the third qualifying round. The fifth and sixth placed teams qualify for the first round of the UEFA Cup.
Beginning in 2009 qualification for the Champions League will change slightly, with the top three teams in La Liga qualifying for the group stage directly and the fourth placed team entering the play-off round for non-champions. The UEFA Cup will also be restructured in 2009, with the fifth and sixth placed teams in La Liga entering the play-off round and third qualifying round of the tournament, respectively.
Personal life
Figo is married to Swedish model Helen Svedin. They met at a flamenco show and are now married with three daughters - Daniela (born in March 1999), Martina (born in April 2002), and Stella (born 9 December 2004). They are currently expecting their fourth child.
Along with his countryman, now Portugal national team manager and former youth team coach Carlos Queiroz, Figo was briefly joint seat holder for A1 Team Portugal, in A1 Grand Prix, during the 2005-06 season.
Luis runs a glamourous bar in the Algarve region of Portugal attracting lots of attention.
Along with his countryman, now Portugal national team manager and former youth team coach Carlos Queiroz, Figo was briefly joint seat holder for A1 Team Portugal, in A1 Grand Prix, during the 2005-06 season.
Luis runs a glamourous bar in the Algarve region of Portugal attracting lots of attention.
International career
The leader of Portugal's 'Golden Generation', Figo won a FIFA World Youth Championship in 1991, the same year he made his senior debut against Luxembourg, at 16 October 1991, in a friendly match, that ended 1-1, when he was only 18 years old. He has performed at the highest level ever since, making appearances at Euro 96, Euro 2000, and the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cup. He announced his retirement from international football following the UEFA Euro 2004 final defeat by Greece, having won 117 caps and scored 31 goals. However, in June 2005 he reversed his decision and returned for 2006 World Cup qualifying wins against Slovakia and Estonia.
Figo captained the squad during the 2006 World Cup, leading the team to the semi-finals, where they were beaten 1-0 by France. This was the furthest Portugal had reached in the tournament since 1966. A penalty, scored by French captain Zinédine Zidane stood as the winning goal. The third place playoff caused some controversy as Figo did not start; Pauleta captained the team in his place. However, Portugal fell behind 0-2 to hosts Germany and Figo replaced Pauleta in the 77th minute, regaining his captaincy during the substitution. Although Germany scored another goal shortly after Figo's entrance, he ended his final cap for his country on a high note as he set up Nuno Gomes's goal in the 88th minute to help Portugal claw back a marker. Despite having no trophies to show for the "Golden Generation" Figo managed to bring the team to their first World Cup semifinal since the Eusébio era in 1966.
Figo captained the squad during the 2006 World Cup, leading the team to the semi-finals, where they were beaten 1-0 by France. This was the furthest Portugal had reached in the tournament since 1966. A penalty, scored by French captain Zinédine Zidane stood as the winning goal. The third place playoff caused some controversy as Figo did not start; Pauleta captained the team in his place. However, Portugal fell behind 0-2 to hosts Germany and Figo replaced Pauleta in the 77th minute, regaining his captaincy during the substitution. Although Germany scored another goal shortly after Figo's entrance, he ended his final cap for his country on a high note as he set up Nuno Gomes's goal in the 88th minute to help Portugal claw back a marker. Despite having no trophies to show for the "Golden Generation" Figo managed to bring the team to their first World Cup semifinal since the Eusébio era in 1966.
Real Madrid
In 2000 Figo made a hugely controversial move to Barcelona's bitter rivals Real Madrid for a world record fee of £38.7 million, many Barcelona fans felt betrayed by his transfer and turned against him despite Figo having many years of success with Barcelona and having been a fan favorite for over 5 years. When he returned 2 seasons later in the semi final of the 2001-02 champions league, he got a heated reception from the crowd and many started throwing objects at him as he took corners and throw ins.
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