`The Contribution of Real Madrid`s 5 European Cups to the

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
Semifinal
(1st leg)
18/04/1956
19/04/1956 *
20/04/1956
21/04/1956
10/04/1957
11/04/1957 *
12/04/1957
13/04/1957
01/04/1958
02/04/1958 *
03/04/1958
04/04/1958
22/04/1959
23/04/1959 *
24/04/1959
25/04/1959
20/04/1960
21/04/1960 *
22/04/1960
23/04/1960
Semifinal
(2nd leg) **
30/04/1956
01/05/1956 *
02/05/1956
03/05/1956
24/04/1957
25/04/1957 *
26/04/1957
27/04/1957
15/04/1958
16/04/1958 *
17/04/1958
18/04/1958
06/05/1959
07/05/1959 *
08/05/1959
09/05/1959
26/04/1960
27/04/1960 *
28/04/1960
29/04/1960
12/06/1956
13/06/1956 *
14/06/1956
15/06/1956
29/05/1957
30/05/1957 *
31/05/1957
01/06/1957
27/05/1958
28/05/1958 *
29/05/1958
30/05/1958
02/06/1959
03/06/1959 *
04/06/1959
05/06/1959
17/05/1960
18/05/1960 *
19/05/1960
20/05/1960
Final
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Methodology
6
Results and analysis:
Overview
Two very different stories
8
Modest English coverage
Semifinal 1956
Semifinal 1956
Final 1956
Semifinal 1957
Semifinal 1957
Final1957
Semifinal 1958
Semifinal 1958
Final 1958
Semifinal 1959
Semifinal 1959
Semifinal replay 1959
Final 1959
Semifinal 1960
Semifinal 1960
Final 1960
Total
Guardian
Times
Mirror
Total
0
1
1
5
9
1
1
1
1
2
0
1
1
2
1
2
29
0
0
0
3
4
2
1
2
2
1
0
1
1
1
1
2
21
0
0
0
3
3
1
0
1
2
0
0
1
2
0
0
8
21
0
1
1
11
16
4
2
4
5
3
0
3
4
3
2
12
71
9
Modest English coverage
10
Real Madrid –
Manchester
United, 1957
Real Madrid –
Eintracht, 1960
11
English 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
12
Results 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
14
Slowly 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
15
RM’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)
16
RM’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.
17
The 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:
18
The 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
19
Results 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
21
A 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
(1960)
tiers of Chamartin.
(The Times, 12/4/57, p.4)
22
Di 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, anticommunist 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]
23
A 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)
24
A 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.
Gento, the only player to have won 6
European Cups
(The Times, 26/4/57, p. 4)
25
Conclusion
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.
27
Concluding 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?
29
Concluding 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
31
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
32