Santiago Bernabéu

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Bernabéu was born in Almansa, province of Albacete, Spain. His family moved to Madrid when he was very young, and he joined the Real Madrid junior ranks in 1909 at age 14, after being a regular spectator at their matches for years. He wore the captain's armband for years. In 1920, he withdrew from Real Madrid and joined Atlético Madrid, but he played no official games for them. He returned to Real Madrid in 1921, playing as a striker before retiring in 1927. He continued with the club until 1935, first as manager, then as a director, and later as assistant manager. During the Spanish Civil War, Bernabéu's wartime activities remain a subject of debate among historians, with some sources claiming he fought on the side of Francisco Franco's Nationalists under General Agustín Muñoz Grandes, though this is not universally confirmed. After the war, he spent months finding and contacting former players, directors, and club members, eventually restructuring the club. In 1943, he was elected president. Under his oversight, the stadium that today bears his name was constructed, and it was the largest in Europe when it opened in 1947. He also built the Ciudad Deportiva for training. He signed world-class players, most prominently Alfredo Di Stéfano. Under his presidency, Real Madrid won five consecutive European Cups and numerous domestic titles.

In Their Own Story

In 1955, acting on an idea from L'Équipe journalist Gabriel Hanot and building upon the Latin Cup, Bernabéu met in the Ambassador Hotel in Paris with Ernest Bedrignan and Gustav Sebes. They created what was at first a loosely constructed tournament among invited teams, which over time developed into what is today the Champions League. Bernabéu also helped Manchester United rebuild its team following the Munich air disaster in 1958. At the time of his death, Bernabéu had been president for nearly 35 years. His club had won 6 European Cups, 2 Latin Cups, 1 Intercontinental Cup, 16 league titles, 6 Spanish Cups, and 1 Copa Eva Duarte. He died in 1978 while the World Cup was being played in Argentina. In his honour, FIFA decreed three days of mourning during the tournament. In 2002, he was posthumously awarded the FIFA Order of Merit.

Reader's Guide

Bernabéu's presidency saw Real Madrid win 16 La Liga titles: 1953–54, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1975–76, and 1977–78. The club also won 6 Copa del Generalísimo titles: 1946, 1947, 1961–62, 1969–70, 1973–74, and 1974–75. They won the Copa Eva Duarte in 1947. In Europe, they won the European Cup six times: 1955–56, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, and 1965–66. They also won the Latin Cup in 1955 and 1957, and the Intercontinental Cup in 1960. Under his presidency, Real Madrid's basketball team won 19 Liga Española de Baloncesto titles, 18 Copa del Rey de Baloncesto titles, 6 FIBA European Champions Cups, and 2 FIBA Intercontinental Cups. The volleyball team won 4 División de Honor titles and 8 Copa del Rey de Voleibol titles. The handball team won 1 Primera División title in 1952–53.

Did You Know?

• Bernabéu joined Real Madrid's junior ranks in 1909 at age 14 after being a regular spectator for years.
• In 1920, he briefly left Real Madrid to join city rival Atlético Madrid, but he played no official games for them before returning in 1921.
• Bernabéu's role during the Spanish Civil War is disputed; some sources claim he fought for Franco's Nationalists, but this is not universally confirmed.
• Claims that Bernabéu helped Manchester United rebuild after the Munich air disaster are unverified and disputed by historians.
• At his death, FIFA decreed three days of mourning during the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.