Real Madrid Further Establishes Itself as Dynasty of European Soccer

Nacho Fernandez of Real Madrid hands the UEFA Champions League Trophy to teammate Dani Ceballos during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 Final match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid CF at Wembley Stadium in London on June 1, 2024. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Fans flooded the streets in Spain to celebrate Real Madrid’s latest championship further reinforcing its position as the dominant club in European soccer.

“Los Blancos” won the UEFA Champions League for the sixth time since 2014 with a 2–0 victory over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium in London. It was a record 15th European triumph overall for Real Madrid.

“Real Madrid is about winning, winning and winning,” said Real Madrid captain José Ignacio Fernández Iglesias, known as Nacho. “Never give up until the end and keep moving forward in difficult moments. Now we have to celebrate with the fans, who deserve it. We thank you for your support throughout the year because this wouldn’t be possible without you, Hala Madrid.”

The latest title was a challenge as Borussia Dortmund outplayed the Spanish powerhouse in the first half. However, the German missed several scoring opportunities and Real Madrid made them pay for those miscues.

The game was tied 0–0 until Real Madrid right-back Dani Carvajal scored off a corner kick from fellow longtime Blanco Toni Kroos in the 74th minute. Kroos, who was playing his final club match before retirement, hit a high ball into the penalty area, and Carvajal headed into the corner of the goal for a 1–0 lead.

Carvajal was named MVP of the Champions League final by the UEFA panelists.

“The goal is proof of confidence,” Carvajal said. “When the referee blew the final whistle, I was thrilled to know that my children and my wife were in the stadium. Seeing how I arrived as a kid and here I am, with two children and 21 years defending the shirt of this club and making history with the team. It’s fantastic and we’re going to enjoy it and celebrate, we deserve it.”

“I ran out to celebrate. Inside I felt like there was a kind of scoring rage, a feeling of ‘here I am.’ It’s not all about height, after all, going into the clashes and jumping in with determination often brings you success.”

In the 83rd minute, Vinícius Júnior, a forward from Brazil, broke through alone and provided the insurance goal when he slotted the ball past Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

Carvajal, Luka Modric, Kroos, and Nacho have all been a part of six Champions League crowns. In addition to this year, Real Madrid’s other Champions League titles occurred in 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2022. The other European titles were 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1966, 1998, 2000, and 2002.

“We came here just a few weeks ago with the 36th La Liga title and we promised that this team was going to try with all our might to win the fifteenth European Cup,” Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez said. And we bring it here today. We want to share this latest Champions League with all the madridistas and also with all the madrileños. When people ask themselves how what Real Madrid is doing is possible, the answer lies in these values that have to do with hard work, sacrifice, the desire to improve, humility, respect and solidarity.”

Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 Final match between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid CF at Wembley Stadium in London on June 1, 2024. (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Last month, Real Madrid extended its record, 36th La Liga title with 95 points from their 38 games, finishing 10 points ahead of second-place and archrival Barcelona. Los Blancos also won the Supercopa de Espana in January. Real Madrid had two losses across all competitions this season, both to Atletico Madrid.

However, the Champions League is widely regarded as one of the most esteemed titles in the world, and Real Madrid has been the king of that completion.

“Nights like these are spectacular,” manager Carlos Ancelotti said. “We will all continue to fight, compete, win, and dream with you and for you. This stadium is capable of producing an energy that ensures we don’t give up and think about doing unthinkable things,” said the coach.

There have been many benefits to this success on the pitch. In the most recent Deloitte’s Football Money League 2024, Real Madrid had the highest revenues across the game over 2022–2023. Real Madrid is also the most valuable soccer club in the world worth an estimated $6.6 billion, according to Forbes.

Real Madrid is not showing any signs of slowing down and should be the favorites across all competitions next season.

Several key players will be back in the lineup, including Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo, Eder Militao, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Eduardo Camavinga. All of those players are under the age of 30.

In addition, Real Madrid is poised to make the biggest signing this year with the addition of superstar French forward Kylian Mbappé.

Mbappé, 25, is widely regarded as the best player in the world and helped France win the 2018 World Cup when he scored four goals and was named the Best Young Player of the Tournament as a 19-year-old. In the 2022 World Cup, Mbappé won the FIFA Men’s World Cup Golden Boot after his eight goals. France lost to Argentina in penalty kicks in the final but Mbappé scored all three of France’s goals in regulation and in extra time.

At the club level, Mbappé is Paris Saint-Germain F.C.’s all-time leading scorer with 256 goals since he joined them from Monaco on an initial loan in 2017.