This is the best time to be a fan of Madrid soccer. Just in the last season, Real Madrid CF won both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. A lot of the talk revolves around the two young stars of the team, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham. While young, neither of Real Madrid’s stars are new to the limelight. Jude Bellingham had previously won the German Cup with his previous team, while Vinícius Júnior won Real Madrid a UEFA Champions League finals back in the 2021-2022 season.

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Accompanying them were other dynamic and excellent players like Dani Carvajal, Antonio Rüdiger, and Rodrygo. On top of that, they also had one of the greatest managers in Carlo Ancelotti. The whole team overflowed with star talent and came into the 2023-2024 season ready to be crowned as the best team in the world.

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La Liga: Real Madrid As Spain’s Best

Real Madrid’s latest La Liga title was all about managing through adversity. David Alaba and Éder Militão were both injured for a majority of La Liga, but the team found a way to consistently win regardless of the setbacks. The key factor here is the team’s mentality. Carlo Ancelotti and the team did not break under pressure and rose above it. No matter how close things got, Real Madrid came out on top.

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With only one loss during the entire league, Real Madrid looked unstoppable. Boasting one of the best attack and defense in the world, it was difficult to stop the team and tough to score on them. They allowed 17 goals less than the second best defense in Atletico Madrid, but they also scored the most. Their 87 goals led La Liga, making Real Madrid the premier threat on both ends.

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The adjustments and defense anchored Real Madrid through La Liga despite all of the setbacks. This win energized the team and proved that Real Madrid was the top threat heading into the UEFA Champions League. 

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UEFA Champions League: The 15th Crowning

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The path to Real Madrid’s 15th UEFA Champions League title was never guaranteed. While the team was able to dominate their group stage, things changed in the quarter-finals. Facing them was Manchester City. Former Real Madrid coach Jorge Valdano dubbed this matchup as “a modern Clasico.” The two teams vying to prove which country’s brand of soccer is the best.

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The game came down to the wire. With the score tied up, it came down to a penalty shootout, and even that was close. Andriy Lunin stepped up with key saves to deny both Mateo Kovačić and Bernardo Silva, but it was still 3-3. With the game on the line, Antonio Rüdiger sunk a decisive goal at the bottom corner and sealed it for Real Madrid. This was the pivotal moment for the team. It energized all the players and reinforced their ability to win it all.

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All that remained were two of the best soccer clubs from Germany, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. The semi-final match against Bayern Munich could’ve been the end of Real Madrid’s run. Bayern Munich held the lead, but Joselu’s late goals were able to pull Real Madrid out of the hole to meet Borussia Dortmund in the finals. With so many hurdles cleared, the team made sure there was no chance they would collapse near the end. In dominant fashion, Vinícius Júnior and Carvajal scored the only goals of the finals, crowning Real Madrid CF with their 15th UEFA Champions League title.

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The Rest Of Madrid: A Strong Surge From Atletico Madrid, Getafe CF, Rayo Vallecano, and CD Leganes 

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While Real Madrid kept the spotlight firmly on them, it didn’t stop other Madrid clubs from making some noise, especially Atletico Madrid. They were the only team to beat Real Madrid during La Liga’s group stage. More than that, they were able to get as far as the quarter-finals of UEFA Champions League.

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This isn’t even mentioning CD Leganés’ Segunda División win, promoting them to La Liga. Rayo Vallecano and Getafe CF also were consistent throughout the year and pulled off dramatic wins that allowed them to solidify their  positions in the division.

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This was a strong showing for Madrid soccer. The city should feel proud that the culture and spirit of Madrid was represented at the highest level. There is no other city in the world that loves soccer and dominates the beautiful game more than Madrid.

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