7: Real eventful centenary season

Zinedine Zidane strikes Real Madrid's second goal in the Champions League final. AP

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Zinedine Zidane's wonder goal in May's Champions League final, and a string of late saves from substitute keeper Iker Casillas, ensured that Real Madrid would not celebrate its 100th season without success.

Zidane's spectacular volley a few seconds before halftime helped earn a 2-1 victory against Bayer Leverkusen and a ninth Champions Cup crown.

Madrid, which was voted FIFA's team of the last century, has won the European title four more than its closest rival AC Milan.

It has now lifted two UEFA Cups and two Toyota Cups. In Spain, it has 17 Copa del Rey trophies, one league cup and four Super Cups to go along with 28 league titles.

Madrid was founded as "Madrid Foot-Ball Club" on March 6, 1902. The Spanish soccer federation selected that day to hold last season's Copa del Rey final at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

Although Vicente del Bosque's side reached the final, its celebrations were dampened when it lost 2-1 to Deportivo de La Coruna.

Despite losing the Cup to Depor and the league to Valencia, Madrid did fulfill president Florentino Perez's desire to gain several trophies during the centennial year.

In addition to the Champions League, it won the European Super Cup in August and the World Club Cup against South American champion Olimpia in December, with Ronaldo scoring the opener.

Perez, who had ousted Lorenzo Sanz in elections in 2000, broke the transfer record before the 2001-02 season for the second time in 12 months to bring in Zidane for US$66 million to play alongside Luis Figo, a US$56 million capture the previous year.

With clubs all over Europe reeling from widespread financial difficulties in the summer of 2002, Madrid bucked the trend of a slow transfer season by signing World Cup MVP Ronaldo from Inter Milan.

Real paid more than $46 million for the 26-year-old striker and also gave up a player to be named, whom Inter will select at the winter transfer window.

Ronaldo's move smacked of ingratitude given that Inter had supported him throughout an odyssey of injuries.

Even after the convoluted transfer was completed -- minutes before the European transfer deadline on August 31 -- Ronaldo continued to hog the headlines as he battled against a series of niggling injuries that delayed his debut.

It was more than a month before he made his first appearance for Real, although true to form he scored with almost his first touch against Alaves and even grabbed another before the 5-2 rout was complete.

Despite his sporadic play for Inter and Real Madrid, Ronaldo swept the end-of-year awards from FIFA, World Soccer and France Football on the strength of his World Cup-winning performance with Brazil.

Compiled from CNNSI.com wire services.

 

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