The contribution of Real Madrid's five European Cups to the emergence of a European football space
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The contribution of Real
Madrid’s five European Cups to the
emergence of a European football space
Borja García, Loughborough University
Ramón Llopis Goig, University of Valencia
Agustín Martín, Diario AS
FREE – Football Research in an Enlarged Europe (www.free-project.eu)
is an FP7 project funded under Socio-Economic Sciences and Humanities
Today’s presentation
Introduction
Research questions and methodology
Data presentation and analysis
– Overview: A common ‘micro public space’?
– The football integration of Spain in Europe
» Overcoming international isolation
» Local politics and the European Cups
– Contrasting heroes: Di Stéfano, Gento and Puskás
Conclusions
2
Introduction
4 3 2 0 3 2 2 0 7 3
3
Research questions
Evident connections between European Cups and
European integration processes?
Why was R. Madrid so keen on European Cups?
Was sporting success perceived as political
success as well?
What were the key factors in these triumphs?
Who were the heroes?
4
Methodology
1955/56 1956/57 1957/58 1958/59 1959/60
18/04/1956 10/04/1957 01/04/1958 22/04/1959 20/04/1960
Semifinal 19/04/1956 * 11/04/1957 * 02/04/1958 * 23/04/1959 * 21/04/1960 *
(1st leg) 20/04/1956 12/04/1957 03/04/1958 24/04/1959 22/04/1960
21/04/1956 13/04/1957 04/04/1958 25/04/1959 23/04/1960
30/04/1956 24/04/1957 15/04/1958 06/05/1959 26/04/1960
Semifinal 01/05/1956 * 25/04/1957 * 16/04/1958 * 07/05/1959 * 27/04/1960 *
(2nd leg) ** 02/05/1956 26/04/1957 17/04/1958 08/05/1959 28/04/1960
03/05/1956 27/04/1957 18/04/1958 09/05/1959 29/04/1960
12/06/1956 29/05/1957 27/05/1958 02/06/1959 17/05/1960
Final 13/06/1956 * 30/05/1957 * 28/05/1958 * 03/06/1959 * 18/05/1960 *
14/06/1956 31/05/1957 29/05/1958 04/06/1959 19/05/1960
15/06/1956 01/06/1957 30/05/1958 05/06/1959 20/05/1960
5
Methodology
6
Results and analysis:
Overview
Two very different stories
8
Modest English coverage
Guardian Times Mirror Total
Semifinal 1956 0 0 0 0
Semifinal 1956 1 0 0 1
Final 1956 1 0 0 1
Semifinal 1957 5 3 3 11
Semifinal 1957 9 4 3 16
Final1957 1 2 1 4
Semifinal 1958 1 1 0 2
Semifinal 1958 1 2 1 4
Final 1958 1 2 2 5
Semifinal 1959 2 1 0 3
Semifinal 1959 0 0 0 0
Semifinal replay 1959 1 1 1 3
Final 1959 1 1 2 4
Semifinal 1960 2 1 0 3
Semifinal 1960 1 1 0 2
Final 1960 2 2 8 12
Total 29 21 21 71
9
Modest English coverage
10Real Madrid –
Real Madrid –
Manchester
Eintracht, 1960
United, 1957
11English coverage
Admiration for Real
Madrid’s economic and
sporting prowess
The stars: Di Stéfano, Kopa,
Gento and Puskás
Tension and anxiety towards
a perceived decline of the
English game
Definition of the ‘continental
style’ of football
12Results and analysis: Spain, Real Madrid and the European Cup
Slowly overcoming Spain’s
international isolation (I)
Spain’s isolation and RM’s interest in the
creation of European Cup in the 40s and 50s
What was going on during those years in Spain?
US noticed the geo-strategic importance of Spain
and the Cold War increased Franco’s value
1950: pressure from US caused the UN to lift the
boycott imposed after the WW2
1953: agreement with US, Concordat with the
Vatican, 1955: Spain entered the UN
14Slowly overcoming Spain’s
international isolation (II)
The image of a backward country gave way to
that of a touristic country
Disdain and public negativity from the
government towards Europe (Common Market),
but Europeanism had entered the Spanish public
opinion by the end of the 1950s
Conviction installed among the elites and among
the middle classes and more active groups;
the directors of Real Madrid were not strangers
to this process of cultural change
15RM’s enthusiasm for the
creation of the Europe Club (I)
At the end of 1954, RM was a club with a pretty
mediocre sports record. So, what were the
reasons for RM’s interest in the Europe Cup?
2 events were
decisive:
– The entrance of
Bernabéu as
president (1944)
– The arrival of Di
Stéfano (1953)
16RM’s enthusiasm for the
creation of the Europe Club (II)
The reconstruction of Chamartín: a stadium for
120,000 people (finished in 1947).
Development of professional football and the
economic and social needs that surpassed the
possibilities generated by national
tournaments.
This increase in expenses could only be
compensated by going from the regional to the
national sphere.
17The Spanish authorities and the
European Hegemony of RM (I)
The 5 victories of RM contributed to the
improvement of the image of Spain in the 1950s
At the same time the image of the Spanish
national team languished
The regime was completely aware of the
importance of RM’s triumphs in those years
Secretary Minister of the Movement, José Solís,
during a dinner the club offered to its players and
the members of the Luxembourg Jeuneusse
d’Esch club, told to the players:
18The Spanish authorities and the
European Hegemony of RM (II)
You have done more than many embassies strewn
across God’s country. People who hated us, now
understand us, thanks to you, because you broke down
a lot of walls… Your victories are a true source of pride
for all Spaniards, inside and outside of our country.
When you go to your dressing rooms at the end of each
match, know that all the Spanish people are with you
and proudly accompany you in your victories, which
set the Spanish standard so high
José Solís, October 1959 19Results and analysis: The heroes of the five European Cups
Di Stéfano and Puskás: the
heroes of the 5 Europe Cups (I)
8 of the 36 players were foreigners
Di Stéfano played 35 of the 37 matches
– Ability, speed,
technical skill,
resistance, tactical
intelligence and team
spirit
– Top goalscorer: 36 of
the 112 goals
– Golden Ball winner in
1957 and 1959
21A British view: Di Stéfano
Di Stefano, a footballer
almost from another planet
and at times speaking a
language quite unknown to
those he faced. Everytime
he was in possession a
feeling of expectation
surged over the packed
Di Stéfano scores against Eintracht
tiers of Chamartin.
(1960) (The Times, 12/4/57, p.4)
22Di Stéfano and Puskás: the
heroes of the 5 Europe Cups (II)
Puskás arrived to Real Madrid in 1958
Emigration of Hungarian players
Hungarian uprising: nationalist, anti-
communist and largely Catholic
insurrection
Captain of the lgendaryvHungarian
national team that defeated England in
1953
Puskás made an outstanding tandem with Alfredo Di
Stéfano until 1964
He became an even more important anti-communist
symbol than Ladislao Kubala [FC Barcelona]
23A British view: Puskás
The remainder of the match
was really an exhibition of
how superb a footballer
Puskás really is. When the
likes of Di Stéfano, Gento,
and Canario are put in the
shade some idea of Puskás’
performance can be
Puskás scores a penalty (1960 final).
gathered. (The Manchester
Guardian, 19/5/60, p.4)
24A British view:
Francisco Gento
But the man who gave real
point to all this combined
pattern was the lithe little
Gento down the left wing.
He moved like greased
lightning, a dagger pointed
at United’s heart every time
he was on the move.
(The Times, 26/4/57, p. 4)
Gento, the only player to have won 6
European Cups
25Conclusion
Concluding thoughts (I)
The presence of Eastern European footballers in
Spain contributed decisively to the configuration
of a transnational football space in the European
setting.
Real Madrid became internationalized with the
presence of Puskás, and it strengthened its
European prestige at a sports level and as a club.
27Concluding thoughts (II) Thus, a public opinion space on a European scale started to emerge at a time when the political circumstances still did not allow an institutional structure to be observed. Spain found a pretext to rehabilitate its image during the Cold War, showing its liberal nature by taking in and granting nationality to refugees from communist countries. 28
Concluding thoughts (III)
No mention of the European integration process
in relation to the European Cup.
The analysis has shown that there was a climate
favourable to the creation of the European Cup,
which materialized when the objective
conditions were ready.
Neofunctionalist elites (Haas 1968) or an
intergovernmental football competition?
29Concluding thoughts (III) A public opinion space emerged that, thanks to the recognition of Real Madrid’s superiority, transcended national borders. The victories of RM contributed to structure a European football space by converging Southern and Eastern Europe in a scenario created from Central Europe. Revision of the initial hypothesis and wonder whether the European football space contributed more than other agencies or institutions to the development of the ‘European emotional wiring’.30
Defining a common
micro-space?
Anglo-Spanish ‘football dialogue’
– 1960 Final is a ‘lieux de memoire’ for Brits?
– Exchange between English and ‘continental’ football
– Recognition of a need to learn in England, yet some
resistance is also found
Real Madrid and Manchester United friendship
– European Cup fostered exchange?
– 1958 Munich tragedy solidified relationship
– Real Madrid contributed to fundraising 31Defining a common
micro-space?
Anglo-Spanish ‘football dialogue’
– 1960 Final is a ‘lieux de memoire’ for Brits?
– Exchange between English and ‘continental’ football
– Recognition of a need to learn in England, yet some
resistance is also found
Real Madrid and Manchester United friendship
– European Cup fostered exchange?
– 1958 Munich tragedy solidified relationship
– Real Madrid contributed to fundraising
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