Atlético de Madrid

Club History

Atlético de Madrid was founded on April 266, 1903, by Basque students in Madrid as Athletic Club de Madrid, a branch of Athletic Bilbao, adopting the red-and-white stripes and later becoming independent in 1921. Early success included back-to-back La Liga titles in 1939–40 and 1940–41 under coach Ricardo Zamora, with the iconic Metropolitano Stadium opening in 1923. The 1970s “Mattress Makers” era, led by Luis Aragonés, won the 1974 Intercontinental Cup and reached the 1974 European Cup final, while Diego Simeone’s arrival in 2011 transformed the club into a powerhouse, securing La Liga titles in 2013–14 and 2020–21, two Europa League trophies (2012, 2018), and two Champions League finals (2014, 2016). With 11 La Liga titles, 10 Copas del Rey, and the state-of-the-art Cívitas Metropolitano (68,456 capacity, opened 2017), Atlético remains renowned for its gritty, defensive identity and fierce rivalry with Real Madrid.