Futból is absolutely HUGE in Madrid, as with much of the rest of Europe. There are two major teams in Madrid, Atlético and Real Madrid. The teams have a huge rivalry which divides the country, city, and families on gameday. The rivalry was born when Real Madrid was beat to the Spanish championship by Athletic Bilbao in 1903 (Enforex.com, 2021). Miners from Madrid decided their city needed a team like Bilbao had, and the rest is history!

The teams are seen to have juxtaposing ideals, with Real Madrid seen as imperialistic and demanding, while Atlético fans are seen as loyal until the end. Both teams are regularly successful domestically, as well as in European competitions.

Although less recognizable, Madrid is also home to Rayo Vallecano. As of this post, Vallecano is in 6th position in the Segunda Division in Spain, with hopes of returning to the Spanish top flight someday soon.

Real Madrid vs Atlético de Madrid. (2021). Retrieved April 02, 2021, from https://www.enforex.com/culture/madrid-derby-real-vs-atletico.html#:~:text=The%20argument%20goes%20that%20Real,the%20team%20of%20the%20humble.&text=According%20to%20many%20fans%2C%20the,Championship%20of%20Spain%20against%20Madrid.