Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club first participated in a European competition in 1955. The first international cup they took part in was the Latin Cup in which they participated as champions of Spain. The competition lasted from 1949 to 1957 and Real Madrid won both tournaments which they entered, the same number as Barcelona and Milan. Since becoming the first Spanish club to enter the European Cup in 1955, Real has competed in every UEFA-organized competition, except the Intertoto Cup and Conference League. They have missed out on European football entirely only twice in their history, in the 1977–78 and 1996–97 seasons.
Real Madrid has had the most success in the European Cup, winning the trophy for a record fifteen times. Real was the winner of the inaugural edition of the tournament and remains the only club to win the trophy five times in a row (the first five editions). It also holds the distinction of being the only club to defend the title in the Champions League era, as well as to win it three times in a row. The club has also won the UEFA Cup twice, in 1985 and 1986, the Super Cup six times, in 2002, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2022 and 2024, the Intercontinental Cup three times, in 1960, 1998, and 2002, the FIFA Club World Cup five times, in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2022, and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup once, in 2024. Real Madrid, with 32 continental and worldwide trophies, is the most successful team in international club football, five titles ahead of Al Ahly.
Latin Cup In 1949, the football federations of Spain, Italy, France and Portugal launched their own club competition. European clubs could not afford hefty travel costs so the Copa Latina was staged at the end of every season in a single host country. The competition featured two semi-finals, a third place play-off and a final. As La Liga champions in 1955, Real Madrid represented Spain in the 1955 edition of the competition. They defeated Belenenses 2–0 in their semi-final at the Parc des Princes in Paris, before beating Reims 2–0 in the final at the same venue. Real Madrid won the 1957 competition at the Santiago Bernabéu, defeating Milan in the semi-finals and then Benfica 1–0 in the final. After the introduction of the European Cup, the Latin Cup was discontinued and nowadays it is not recognized by UEFA. YearRoundOpposing team Score 1955Semi-final Belenenses2–0 (N) Final Reims 2–0 (N) 1957Semi-final Milan5–1 (H) Final Benfica 1–0 (H)
European Cup / UEFA Champions League The European Cup was inaugurated in 1955 as a tournament for the champions of European national leagues, with Real Madrid winning the first five editions. However, after winning the trophy five times in a row in the 1950s, and again in 1966, the club experienced mixed fortunes until the end of the 1990s. Since then, Real Madrid has won the competition nine times (1998, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2024), and established itself as one of the premier sides in European football. Since the 1997–98 campaign, Real Madrid have qualified for 29 consecutive seasons of the competition.