NEWS | 28/07/2018
The Whites contested their first-ever game in the United States back in 1927 and this latest trip will be the 12th time that the club has travelled to the US in the 21st century.Ninety-one years have passed since Real Madrid played their first game in the United States. That match took place in 1927 and since then, the ties between the 20th century's greatest club and the North American country have become ever closer. This pre-season sees Real Madrid return Stateside for the club's 19th US visit, 12 of which have come during the course of this century.
Luis de Urquijo was the first man to take Real Madrid to the United States. In 1927, the Whites' president decided that the US would be the final destination of a two-month tour that took in Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Cuba and Mexico. The madridistas played one game in the US, with the contest against Galicia SC in New York ending in a 1-1 draw. The Madrid squad were joined on this trip by several players from other clubs.
Di Stéfano's Madrid
It wasn't until over 30 years later that Real Madrid returned to the States, with the club's next visit coming in 1959. Di Stéfano, Puskas and Gento led a side that had etched its name into the history books after clinching four straight European Cup crowns. That same season saw the side secure the club's fifth continental crown, but not before another visit to the United States. On this trip, Brookyln's Ebbets Field baseball stadium provided the setting for what was a historic occasion.
Two years later, in 1961, the team headed to Los Angeles for the first time, with Madrid bringing the curtain down on a continent-wide tour lasting nearly a month which featured time in Chile, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Canada and the United States. The opponents this time were Los Angeles United and Madrid ran out comfortable 9-0 winners, with Di Stéfano helping himself to a hat-trick. Actress Rita Hayworth (pictured below watching the game) took the honorary kick-off at Los Angeles' Coliseum Stadium
Madrid yeyé
The club's fourth Stateside visit came in 1965, a campaign in which the team lifted the club's sixth European Cup. The yeyé team, featuring Grosso and Zoco, amongst others, played out a 1-1 stalemate against Club Atlético Independiente in New York.
In 1967, Houston played host to Real Madrid. The expectation levels were sky high with 35,000 fans taking in the meeting with West Ham United and two Mexican broadcasters airing the match live. A year later, the same squad returned to the US, this time swapping Houston for the Big Apple, where Madrid overcame the New York General at the Yankee Stadium in a 4-1 triumph.
The Quinta del Buitre
Twenty-two years later, Real Madrid were back in the United States. The Quinta del Buitre side, which had captured five league titles in a row, spent 20 days in Mexico and the US. The team contested four games in Los Angeles, coming out on top in three of these contests.
21st century
The team's first visit to the US in the 21st century came in 2002, which marked the club's centenary year. The Whites travelled to New York, where they played out a goalless draw with Roma. Three years later, with Ronaldo and Beckham in the squad, Real Madrid set off from Chicago on a tour which would see them travel to China, Japan and Thailand. The Whites claimed victories over Chivas de Guadalajara (3-1) and the LA Galaxy (2-0).
In 2006, the team returned to the States for a further two pre-season friendlies. The first of these took place in Seattle against DC United and ended in a 1-1 draw, with the second outing coming in Utah against Real Salt Lake City, a contest that the Whites won 2-0. Some nine summers ago, Washington was the chosen destination for Real Madrid's pre-season tour. The FedEx Field, which played host to the team's second pre-season outing in the US, witnessed a 3-0 win over DC United.
Los Angeles training base
Real Madrid completed the club's first pre-season training camp in Los Angeles in 2010, with the team playing two pre-season matches, against the Galaxy at the Rose Bowl and Mexico's América in San Francisco. Interestingly enough, the madridistas recorded 3-2 triumphs in both games.
Real Madrid's next Stateside stay came the following year, when the team contested three friendlies (against LA Galaxy, Chivas de Guadalajara and Philadelphia Union), whilst this trip also featured the club's first-ever visit to San Diego.
In 2012, the Whites visited Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York and Philadelphia, whilst in 2013 they travelled to Phoenix, Saint Louis and Miami, where the Whites lifted the International Champions Cup crown after seeing off Chelsea in the tournament showpiece. Los Angeles, Dallas and Michigan, a state the team visited for the first time in the club's history and where the Whites set a US attendance record for a football game (over 108,000 spectators), were the club's destinations in 2014. Following a one-year absence, in 2016 the team returned to the US to play games in Ohio, Michigan and New Jersey.Last pre-season saw the staging of the first-ever Clásico to have been played outside Spain, with Miami playing host to the blockbuster bout. Prior to that clash, the team travelled to Santa Clara and Los Angeles, where the madridistas squared off against Manchester United and Manchester City respectively. Real Madrid rounded off their pre-season tour against an MLS All-Stars team.
Current visit
The tale of the team's 19th Stateside visit is yet to be written. Miami, Washington and New Jersey will welcome the European champions, who certainly feel right at home in the US.
Luis de Urquijo was the first man to take Real Madrid to the United States. In 1927, the Whites' president decided that the US would be the final destination of a two-month tour that took in Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Cuba and Mexico. The madridistas played one game in the US, with the contest against Galicia SC in New York ending in a 1-1 draw. The Madrid squad were joined on this trip by several players from other clubs.
Di Stéfano's Madrid
It wasn't until over 30 years later that Real Madrid returned to the States, with the club's next visit coming in 1959. Di Stéfano, Puskas and Gento led a side that had etched its name into the history books after clinching four straight European Cup crowns. That same season saw the side secure the club's fifth continental crown, but not before another visit to the United States. On this trip, Brookyln's Ebbets Field baseball stadium provided the setting for what was a historic occasion.
Two years later, in 1961, the team headed to Los Angeles for the first time, with Madrid bringing the curtain down on a continent-wide tour lasting nearly a month which featured time in Chile, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Canada and the United States. The opponents this time were Los Angeles United and Madrid ran out comfortable 9-0 winners, with Di Stéfano helping himself to a hat-trick. Actress Rita Hayworth (pictured below watching the game) took the honorary kick-off at Los Angeles' Coliseum Stadium
Madrid yeyé
The club's fourth Stateside visit came in 1965, a campaign in which the team lifted the club's sixth European Cup. The yeyé team, featuring Grosso and Zoco, amongst others, played out a 1-1 stalemate against Club Atlético Independiente in New York.
In 1967, Houston played host to Real Madrid. The expectation levels were sky high with 35,000 fans taking in the meeting with West Ham United and two Mexican broadcasters airing the match live. A year later, the same squad returned to the US, this time swapping Houston for the Big Apple, where Madrid overcame the New York General at the Yankee Stadium in a 4-1 triumph.
The Quinta del Buitre
Twenty-two years later, Real Madrid were back in the United States. The Quinta del Buitre side, which had captured five league titles in a row, spent 20 days in Mexico and the US. The team contested four games in Los Angeles, coming out on top in three of these contests.
21st century
The team's first visit to the US in the 21st century came in 2002, which marked the club's centenary year. The Whites travelled to New York, where they played out a goalless draw with Roma. Three years later, with Ronaldo and Beckham in the squad, Real Madrid set off from Chicago on a tour which would see them travel to China, Japan and Thailand. The Whites claimed victories over Chivas de Guadalajara (3-1) and the LA Galaxy (2-0).
In 2006, the team returned to the States for a further two pre-season friendlies. The first of these took place in Seattle against DC United and ended in a 1-1 draw, with the second outing coming in Utah against Real Salt Lake City, a contest that the Whites won 2-0. Some nine summers ago, Washington was the chosen destination for Real Madrid's pre-season tour. The FedEx Field, which played host to the team's second pre-season outing in the US, witnessed a 3-0 win over DC United.
Real Madrid completed the club's first pre-season training camp in Los Angeles in 2010, with the team playing two pre-season matches, against the Galaxy at the Rose Bowl and Mexico's América in San Francisco. Interestingly enough, the madridistas recorded 3-2 triumphs in both games.
Real Madrid's next Stateside stay came the following year, when the team contested three friendlies (against LA Galaxy, Chivas de Guadalajara and Philadelphia Union), whilst this trip also featured the club's first-ever visit to San Diego.
Current visit
The tale of the team's 19th Stateside visit is yet to be written. Miami, Washington and New Jersey will welcome the European champions, who certainly feel right at home in the US.