Real Madrid CF in the context of "1955–56 European Cup"

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (Portuguese pronunciation: [kɾiʃˈtjɐnu ʁɔˈnaldu duʃ ˈsɐ̃tuʃ aˈvej.ɾu] ; born 5 February 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for, and captains, both Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team. Nicknamed CR7, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, and has won numerous individual accolades throughout his career, including five Ballon d'Ors, a record three UEFA Men's Player of the Year Awards, four European Golden Shoes, and was named five times the world's best player by FIFA. He has won 34 trophies in his career, including five UEFA Champions Leagues and the UEFA European Championship. He holds the records for most goals (140) and assists (42) in the Champions League, goals (14) and assists (8) in the European Championship, and most international appearances (226) and international goals (143). He is the only player to have scored 100 goals with four different clubs. He has made over 1,300 professional career appearances, the most by an outfield player, and has scored over 950 official senior career goals for club and country, making him the top goalscorer of all time.

Born in Funchal, Madeira, Ronaldo began his career with Sporting CP before signing with Manchester United in 2003. He became a star player at United, where he won three consecutive Premier League titles, the Champions League, and the FIFA Club World Cup. His 2007–08 season earned him his first Ballon d'Or at age 23. In 2009, Ronaldo became the subject of the then-most expensive transfer in history when he joined Real Madrid in a deal worth €94 million (£80 million). At Madrid, he was at the forefront of the club's resurgence as a dominant European force, helping them win four Champions Leagues between 2014 and 2018, including the long-awaited La Décima. He also won two La Liga titles, including the record-breaking 2011–12 season in which Madrid reached 100 points, and became the club's all-time top goalscorer. He won Ballon d'Ors in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, and was runner-up three times to Lionel Messi, his perceived career rival. Following issues with the club hierarchy, Ronaldo signed for Juventus in 2018 in a transfer worth an initial €100 million, where he was pivotal in winning two Serie A titles. In 2021, he returned to United before joining Al-Nassr in 2023.

The 2000 FIFA Club World Championship was the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup, the world club championship for men's club association football teams. It took place in Brazil from 5 to 14 January 2000. FIFA as football's international governing body selected Brazil as the host nation on 8 June 1999 as the bid was found to be the strongest among four candidates. The draw was made at the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro on 14 October 1999. All matches were played in either Rio de Janeiro's Estádio do Maracanã or São Paulo's Estádio do Morumbi.

Eight teams, two from South America, two from Europe and one each from North America, Africa, Asia and Oceania entered the tournament. The first Club World Cup match took place in São Paulo and saw Spanish club Real Madrid beat Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr 3–1; Real Madrid's Nicolas Anelka scored the first goal in Club World Cup history in the 21st minute. Later the same day, Corinthians goalkeeper Dida kept the first clean sheet in the tournament as his team beat Moroccan side Raja Casablanca 2–0.

Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team. His individual achievements include five Ballon d'Or awards. His exceptional goal-scoring ability, explosive speed, powerful knuckleball shots, and dribbling skills cemented his legacy as one of the greatest and most iconic footballers in history. In recognition of his record-breaking goalscoring success, Ronaldo received special awards for Outstanding Career Achievement by FIFA in 2021 and Champions League All-Time Top Scorer by UEFA in 2024.

Ronaldo joined Sporting CP's youth academy and made the first team in August 2002. A sought after player, Manchester United signed Ronaldo for £12 million in August 2003, an England record for a teenager. After an individually and collectively successful six-year period where Ronaldo evolved into a world class attacker, he transferred to his "dream club" Real Madrid in 2009 for a then world record £80 million. He spent nine seasons in Madrid, enjoying tremendous success and setting numerous records, including becoming the club's record goalscorer with 450 goals and being integral to the club winning four Champions League titles in a five-year span. Tensions with the hierarchy of Real Madrid resulted in Ronaldo joining Juventus in 2018 for €100 million, where he went on to win all the major honours in Italian football. He returned to Manchester United in 2021, before signing with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr in January 2023, reportedly receiving the highest football salary in history. Ronaldo's move increased the popularity of the Saudi Pro League, attracting other high-profile players.

The 2014 UEFA Champions League final was the final match of the 2013–14 UEFA Champions League, the 59th season of Europe's premier club football tournament organised by UEFA, and the 22nd season since it was renamed from the European Champion Clubs' Cup to the UEFA Champions League.

The match took place on Saturday, 24 May 2014, at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal, between Spanish sides Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid. It was the fifth tournament final to feature two teams from the same association, the second all-Spanish final and the first between teams from the same city. Real Madrid won the match 4–1 after extra time, a wonder 93rd-minute header by Sergio Ramos, which cancelled out Diego Godín's first-half goal saved Real Madrid CF from defeat. In extra time with goals from Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo they won the Champions league. In doing so, Real Madrid secured a record 10th title (La Décima), 12 years after their ninth title.

The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known as the Primera División or La Liga, and officially known as LaLiga EA Sports for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Spain and the highest level of the Spanish football league system. It is controlled by the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional and is contested by 20 teams over a 38-matchday period.

Since its inception, 62 teams have competed in La Liga, with nine teams crowned champions. Real Madrid and Barcelona have dominated the competition, winning 36 and 28 titles respectively. In the 1940s, Valencia, Atlético Madrid, and Barcelona emerged as the strongest clubs. Real Madrid and Barcelona led the charge in the 1950s, each winning four titles. During the 1960s and 1970s, Real Madrid dominated with fourteen titles, with Atlético Madrid winning four. During the 1980s and 1990s, Real Madrid remained prominent, while the Basque clubs of Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad enjoyed success, each winning two titles. From the 1990s onward, Barcelona have been the most successful club, winning seventeen titles, with Real Madrid close behind. La Liga has seen other champions, including Valencia and Deportivo La Coruña.

The 2011–12 La Liga season (known as the Liga BBVA for sponsorship reasons) was the 81st season of the top level Spanish association football competition. The campaign began on 27 August 2011, and concluded on 13 May 2012. Real Madrid won a record 32nd title following victory over Athletic Bilbao on 2 May 2012.

Real Madrid broke a number of league records, including most points in a single season (100), most goals scored (121), best goal difference (+89), most away wins (16), and most overall wins (32). This season also saw Lionel Messi score a record 50 league goals in 37 games. Behind Messi was Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored 46 goals; the pair's combined tally of 96 goals was the most ever by two players playing in the same major European league in the same season.

Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish professional association football club based in Madrid. The club was formed in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, and played its first competitive match on 13 May 1902, in the Copa de la Coronación semi-final. Real Madrid currently plays in the Spanish top-tier La Liga, having become one of the founding members of that league in 1929, and is one of three clubs, the others being Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, to have never been relegated from the league. They have also been involved in European football ever since they became the first Spanish club to enter the European Cup in 1955, except for the 1977–78 and 1996–97 seasons.

This list encompasses the major honours won by Real Madrid and records set by the club, their managers and their players. The player records section includes details of the club's leading goalscorers and those who have made most appearances in first team competitions. It also records notable achievements by Real Madrid players on the international stage, and the highest transfer fees paid and received by the club.

The Messi–Ronaldo rivalry, or Ronaldo–Messi rivalry, is a sporting rivalry in football propelled by the media and fans that involves Argentine footballer Lionel Messi and Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, mainly for being contemporaries and due to their similar records and sporting successes. They spent nine seasons in the prime of their careers facing off regularly while playing for rival clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Together, they have achieved various historical milestones, coming to be considered as two of the best footballers of all time. They are two of the most decorated players ever, having won 82 official trophies in total (Messi 48, Ronaldo 34) during their senior careers thus far, and have regularly broken the 50-goal barrier in a single season. According to IFFHS, they are the only two players to score over 800 goals each in their careers for club and country. Ronaldo holds the record for most official goals in a career.

Futbol Club Barcelona is a professional association football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Founded by a group of Swiss, German, English and Catalan footballers led by Joan Gamper, the club has become a symbol of Catalan culture and Catalanism, hence the motto "Més que un club" (More than a club). The official Barça anthem is the "Cant del Barça", written by Jaume Picas and Josep Maria Espinàs. Unlike many other football clubs, the socis, who are the members and supporters of the club, own and operate Barcelona. It is the world's fourth richest football club in terms of revenue, with an annual turnover of €800.1 million in the 2022–23 season.

Barcelona played its first friendly match on 8 December 1899 against the English colony in Barcelona in the old velodrome in Bonanova. Initially, Barcelona played against other local clubs in various Catalan tournaments. In 1929, the club became one of the founding members of La Liga, Spain's first national league, and has since achieved the distinction of being one of only three clubs to have never been relegated, along with Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao. Barcelona is also the only European club to have played continental football every season since 1955. They hold a long-standing rivalry with Real Madrid, with matches between the two teams referred to as "El Clásico" (El Clàssic in Catalan). Matches against city rivals Espanyol are known as the "Derbi barceloní".