General Franco’s Real Madrid? Debunking the Myth of “Regime’s Club”

Real Madrid is occasionally called a “crowns club” or “regimes club”. Particularly when they win titles or sign superstar players. Many factors contribute to this perception, such as using “Real” (Royal) in the club’s name and the crown in its logo, which may hint at royal patronage. However, this seems unlikely to be the main reason behind the myth because more than 28 football clubs in Spain from different regions have received royal patronage, including the Basque country and Catalunya. The predominant reason for this perception is the narrative that Real Madrid has always been favoured by Francisco Franco, the dictator who ruled Spain from 1936 to 1975. We often see social media debates among fans of various football clubs, where facts are frequently taken out of context to disparage one another. In this text, I aim to examine the historical context, from the origins of the Spanish Civil War, to provide a fairer perspective.

In 1931, King Alfonso XIII, who had ruled Spain since his birth in 1886, faced significant political challenges. He was trying to restore the constitutional monarchy. The King approved elections to decide the government, and voters overwhelmingly chose to abolish the monarchy in favour of a liberal republic. Alfonso subsequently went into exile, and the Second Republic was proclaimed. During the first five years of the republic, organised labourers and leftists forced widespread liberal reforms, while regions like Catalonia and the Basque provinces achieved virtual autonomy.

The landed aristocracy, the church, and a large military faction increasingly employed violence in their opposition to the Second Republic. In July 1936, General Francisco Franco led a right-wing army revolt in Morocco, dividing Spain into Nationalists and Republicans. As one of the main epicentres of resistance against the Francoist Army, Madrid City and Real Madrid stood strong until 1939. Real Madrid as a club and the players and staff members also donated money to the Republican war effort to fight against Franco. Real Madrid’s Chamartín stadium and club facilities are named the “Sports Battalion” and were used by “the Reds” (the Republicans) as a military training ground during the war.

In 1939, the city fell to Franco’s two-and-a-half-year siege. Rafael Sánchez-Guerra, Real Madrid’s president before the civil war and a republican councilman for Madrid City Hall, was sent to prison at the end of the war. During the war, Antonio Ortega took over as acting president from another Republican, Juan Jose Vallejo. Together with Gonzalo Aguirre and Valero Rivera, Madrid Vice President and Treasurer, respectively, he was among several Real Madrid board members captured and executed by Franco’s Nationalists following Madrid’s fall. 

Former Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabeu described those years as a tragic era for the club. In his documentary, he mentioned that at the end of the Spanish Civil War and the beginning of Franco’s reign, Real Madrid was in a critical condition. Its headquarters were destroyed by bombing, its trophies were stolen, and the stands of the old chapel stadium were destroyed to obtain wood. Only five players from the previous squad remained, as the rest were either exiled or detained by the pro-Franco victors. After the Viejo Chamartín was destroyed, construction of the new stadium began in 1944. Bernabéu issued mortgage obligations to finance the work, and they were covered mostly by Real Madrid’s club members. After the Spanish War, by its very nature, a centralised regime was built on the power of its capital, and the Franco regime was centred, politically and economically, around Madrid. For this reason, Real Madrid, as the most successful team in the city and the most prestigious team of entirely Castilian identity, was always likely to be the preferred team of the dictator. 

The widespread belief is that Real Madrid was great because Franco supported them. However, it would be more accurate to say that Franco supported them because they were great. Real Madrid symbolized everything that Franco stood for: the power of a centralized Spain, the power of Madrid, and the strength of traditional Castilian values. Real Madrid was a diplomatic and political tool for the dictator in more ways than one. The club’s success, especially on the European stage, presented an idealized image of Spain that differed from the prevailing perception of the country in Europe. Franco’s regime, though primarily inward-looking, was greatly concerned with how it was perceived by the rest of Europe. Real Madrid served as the perfect public relations tool, projecting an image of a wealthy, happy, and unified Spain that contrasted with reality. The belief in the strong connection between Real Madrid and the Franco regime is certainly exaggerated. While it’s true that Franco aligned himself to some extent with the club, it would be a considerable leap to suggest that their success is owed to this connection. 

So, how did this discussion come about? The role of Barcelona FC and their public relations in perpetuating the myth should not be underestimated. Last year, Barcelona FC president Joan Laporte randomly accused Real Madrid of always being favoured by referees and attacked the club by referencing General Franco during a press conference that was originally intended to defend Barcelona against the Negreira Scandal allegations. Following this press conference, although Real Madrid did not respond directly, they shared a four-minute video on their social media handles as a response. By responding to this issue, Real Madrid helped Barcelona shift the media focus away from the Negreira scandal and towards topics of little relevance to the current scope of the world.

In short, Laporte got what he wanted. The video from Real Madrid highlights several historical points. It asserts that Camp Nou was inaugurated by General Franco’s Secretary General, José Sols Ruiz and that the construction of the stadium was favoured by Franco through a special reclassification of land. The video also mentions that Barcelona presented General Franco with a gold and diamond badge, appointed him as an honorary member in 1956, and honoured him three times. Additionally, it claims that Franco saved Barcelona from bankruptcy on three occasions by paying off their debts. During Franco’s reign, Barcelona reportedly won eight La Liga championships and nine cups, while Real Madrid had to wait 15 years to achieve a La Liga title. The video also states that Real Madrid was dismantled during the Civil War, with many players being assassinated, arrested, or exiled, and that the club went 15 years without a league title during Franco’s reign. The video concludes by questioning which club truly had the regime’s support, implying that it was Barcelona rather than Real Madrid.

The story of Real Madrid’s connections to Franco aligns with Barcelona’s preferred narrative, which portrays Real Madrid as symbolic of the established order and conservative, centralized Spain. In contrast, Barcelona sees itself as a symbol of democracy and an independent Catalonia – the plucky underdogs who succeeded despite intense persecution from the regime. Without a doubt, Clubs like Barcelona and Athletic Club, representing Catalonia and the Basque Country, respectively, suffered during the regime due to their regions’ demands for recognition of their languages, cultures, and identities. Franco’s Spain was based on centralization and homogenization of ethnic, cultural, and linguistic identities, and anyone who challenged this was suppressed. Real Madrid may have seemed to receive preferential treatment compared to teams like Barcelona and Bilbao, which implicitly rejected the regime and were seen as a threat to Spanish national identity by Franco. In contrast, Real Madrid symbolized the power of centralization and traditional Spanish language and culture.

Those who understand the Franco regime know all too well how every club was brutally affected, including Real Madrid. These allegations are nothing more than an egregious exaggeration of Barcelona’s interest. I despise Barcelona FC for their perceived hypocrisy and their deliberate involvement in historical facts to depict Real Madrid as Franco’s club. Despite being repeatedly debunked by historians, this conspiracy theory persists. As one matures, it becomes clear that Franco had no genuine allegiance to either club. His focus was purely on bolstering his image and interests, and he would support anyone who furthered his agenda.