Real Madrid, Spanish professional football (soccer) club based in Madrid. Playing in all-white uniforms, which led to its nickname “Los Blancos,” Real Madrid is one of the world’s best-known teams, with fans in many countries.

Real Madrid grew out of Football Club Sky, a team formed in Madrid in 1897. The club was officially founded in 1902 and joined the Royal Spanish Football Federation in 1909. Real Madrid played at a variety of venues until ambitious club president Santiago Bernabéu spearheaded the construction of the stadium that bears his name. Opened in 1947, the Bernabéu holds more than 80,000 spectators and was the venue for the 1982 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup final.