Real Madrid Femenino Explained

Clubname:Real Madrid Femenino
Upright:0.7
Fullname:Real Madrid Club de Fútbol Femenino
Nickname:[1]
Founded:CD TACÓN:
Real Madrid Femenino:
Ground:Alfredo Di Stéfano
Madrid, Spain
Capacity:6,000
Chairman:Florentino Pérez
Manager:Alberto Toril
League:Liga F
Season:2023–24
Position:Liga F, 2nd
Website:https://www.realmadrid.com/en-US/football/womens-team/home
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Current:2024–25 Real Madrid Femenino season

Real Madrid Femenino is a Spanish professional women's football club in Madrid who play in the Primera División, the top tier of Spanish women's football. Founded as the independent Club Deportivo TACÓN in 2014, the club later underwent a merger and acquisition process beginning in 2019, and was rebranded to Real Madrid's women's football department in 2020.

History

2014–2019: Club Deportivo TACÓN

CD TACÓN was founded on 12 September 2014 and began playing at senior level in 2016. The name TACÓN (Heel) is an acronym of Trabajo (work) Atrevimiento (dare/bravery) Conocimiento (knowledge) Organización (organisation) Notoriedad (visibility/renown).[2] In their first competitive season, 2015–16, the club only registered an under-14 team. In June 2016, TACÓN announced a merger with CD Canillas for incorporating their women's senior and under-19 teams.[3]

In their first season at senior level, in the 2016–17 Segunda División, TACÓN finished second in their regional group, below Madrid CFF, who won promotion to the Primera División.

Because both Madrid CFF and TACÓN were clubs open to a potential takeover by Real Madrid, a rivalry developed between them.[4] Madrid CFF was founded in 2010 by businessman Alfredo Ulloa, a Real Madrid socio (member)[5] like TACÓN's founder, Ana Rossell. She described the clubs' relations as "cordial" in 2019.[6]

Rossell had petitioned successive Real Madrid presidents, Lorenzo Sanz, Florentino Pérez and Ramón Calderón, to create a women's football section since 1997, but received no official response. According to Rossell, her requests were denied, with club executives citing that a women's section wasn't economically sustainable. In those years, she was a player for Atlético Feminas and CD Canillas.[7] In 2016, Rossell called publicly for Real Madrid to create a women's football section.[8]

In June 2017 Real Madrid's president, Florentino Pérez, claimed that the club would make its own women's team from scratch, and not buy an existing club.[9] Rossell had claimed in 2013 that Pérez was first starting to consider women's football at the club.[10] Real was thus doing so several years or decades later than many other clubs in Europe and in the city of Madrid itself.[11]

On El Larguero in 2017, Pérez said “We will definitely have a women’s team,” he said. “We’re working on it, but it will be from the position of a newly formed club, not a team in which we bring the best player from Germany, Brazil… That is not what Madridismo is all about.”

As late as September 2018, Pérez still ruled out having a women's team, as El Confidencial reported: "Florentino did not want to spend on a section that did not guarantee trophies and his agents lied to him about the expenses necessary for him to create it".[12] Women's football was not mentioned at all by Pérez at the club's annual assembly on 23 September 2018, and Oscar Sanz of El País wrote, "Real Madrid has the dubious honor of being, together with Getafe, the only First Division club that has neither had nor has a women's team."[13]

2019: Takeover by Real Madrid

After three seasons in the Segunda División, on 19 May 2019, TACÓN achieved promotion to the Primera División.[14]

On 25 June 2019, the Real Madrid CF board of directors announced a proposal of integrating TACÓN as their women's football section to be presented to their socios (members).[15] As part of the agreement, TACÓN would play their 2019–20 season matches at Ciudad Real Madrid during the transition, with the merger being officially completed on 1 July 2020.[16] On 15 September 2019, The Extraordinary General Assembly of Real Madrid approved the absorption of the club.[17] Florentino Perez, speaking at the General Assembly after the vote to absorb was passed, cited that TACÓN's youth system was the reason why it was chosen as the base for the women's team, thus striving to stay true to Real Madrid's philosophy of developing Spanish talent.[17]

2019–2020: Transition year

Having been promoted, the club went on to lose a large majority of its playing squad in the summer of 2019. Argentine midfielder Ruth Bravo moved to Rayo Vallecano, while others like Lixy, Marbel Okoye and Yamilla Badell did not have their contracts renewed. In order to strengthen for the coming season, the club saw the arrival of Swedish duo Kosovare Asllani and Sofia Jakobsson; French midfielder Aurélie Kaci from Atlético Madrid, Ainoa Campo from Madrid CFF, English forward Chioma Ubogagu, goalkeeper Ana Valles Nigerian defender Osinachi Ohale, as well as the Brazilian pair Daiane and Thaisa Moreno, who was nominated for best midfielder in her lone year at A.C. Milan Women. The last signing of the summer was versatile defender Babett Peter from VFL Wolfsburg.[18]

Despite the wealth of talent and experience at their disposal, CD TACÓN's start to the season was nothing short of abysmal, with a heavy loss against Barcelona (9–1) in its debut match,[19] and EDF Logroño particularly standing out. After a poor run with just one win in nine games, the team started to gain a sense of stability in November 2019, going on a five match unbeaten run. TACÓN finished the shortened 2019–20 season in 10th place, with many fans unhappy with how the team had thrown away a 3–0 lead with ten minutes to go and ended up losing 4–3 on home soil in the last match before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Real Madrid Women were also the subject of a documentary series in 2020.[20]

2020–present: Real Madrid Femenino

On 1 July 2020, Real Madrid CF released an official communication confirming the completion of the merger, thereby signalling the complete absorption of CD TACÓN, which would then operate as 'Real Madrid' from that date onwards.[21]

The new structure of the section includes a senior team, reserve side similar to Castilla, known as 'Real Madrid Femenino B', an Under-19 team, 'Juvenil' and a 'Cadete' for under-15s and below. The structure already existed under CD TACÓN and has been integrated into Real Madrid's famous La Fábrica.[22] The remaining TACÓN Juvenil and Cadete teams that couldn't be absorbed right away have since been rebranded as 'Fenix Football Club', which in turn merged with CD Masriver in 2021.[23]

Home ground

During the transition season, TACÓN played their home fixtures at Field 11 in Ciudad Real Madrid. The matches were not open to the general public, with only club members, selected away fans and those possessing a membership card, allowed to attend.[24] Following the completion of the merger, and given that the senior men's team was using the Estadio Alfredo di Stéfano, Real Madrid Femenino continued to play their home matches at Field 11. At the start of the 2021–22 season, the women's team have alternated between Field 11 and the Alfredo di Stéfano stadium, initially with a reduced capacity for fan attendance.

Season to season

SeasonDivisionPlaceCopa de la Reina
As CD TACÓN
2016–172nd
2017–181st
2018–191st
2019–2010thQuarter-finals
As Real Madrid Femenino
2020–212ndQuarter-finals
2021–223rdSemi-finals
2022–232ndRunners-up
2023–242ndQuarter-finals

Record in UEFA Women's Champions League

All results (home, away and aggregate) list Real Madrid's goal tally first.

SeasonRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate
2021–22QR2 Manchester City1–11–02–1
Group stage Zhytlobud Kharkiv3–01–02nd
Breiðablik5–03–0
Paris Saint-Germain0–20–4
Quarter-finals Barcelona1–32–53–8
2022–23QR1 Sturm Graz6–0
Manchester City1–0
QR2 Rosenborg3–02–15–1
Group stage Paris Saint-Germain0–01–23rd
Chelsea1–10–2
Vllaznia Shkodër5–12–0
2023–24QR2 Vålerenga Fotball2–13–05–1
Group stage Chelsea2–2 1–2 4th
BK Häcken0-11–2
Paris FC0–11–2
2024–25QR2TBD

Players

Current squad

As of 10 July 2024[25]

Notable players

This section lists players who have appeared in least 100 matches for the club.[26] [27]

FIFA World Cup participants

List of players that were called up for a FIFA Women's World Cup while playing for Real Madrid. In brackets, the tournament played:

Records

All-time Top 10 scorers

width=3% width=20% Namewidth=12% Yearswidth=12% Goals
1 (2021–23) 39
2 Caroline Weir (2022–) 28
3 Athenea del Castillo (2021–) 26
4 (2019–22) 23
Olga Carmona (2020–) 23
6 Caroline Møller (2021–) 21
7 Naomie Feller (2022–) 16
8 (2020–22) 15
(2021–24) 15
10 Signe Bruun (2023–) 14

Coaches

CoachTime period
CD TACÓN
2016–18
2018–20
Real Madrid Femenino
David Aznar 2020–21
2021–present

Current coaching staff

PositionStaff
Head coach Alberto Toril
Assistant coach Irene Ferreras
Goalkeeping coach Óscar Gaspar
Fitness coach Marcos Chena

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jess. Houwen. A Brief Intro To Las Blancas. Managing Madrid. 23 July 2019. 26 July 2019.
  2. Web site: Club: Historia del CD TACON. CD TACÓN. es. 26 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190608042408/http://www.clubdeportivotacon.com/es/club. 8 June 2019. dead.
  3. Web site: René Ramos entrará en la directiva del CD TACON femenino. Diario AS. es. 24 June 2016. René Ramos will enter the board of the Women's CD TACON.
  4. News: Garrido . Jesus . Guerra abierta entre los dos aspirantes a ser el Real Madrid femenino [Open war between the two applicants to be the female Real Madrid] ]. El Confidencial . 30 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170830071554/https://www.elconfidencial.com/deportes/futbol/2017-08-30/futbol-femenino-madrid-tacon-torneo-amistoso_1435595/ . 30 August 2017.
  5. News: Alexander . María . No es el Real Madrid, es el Madrid CFF [It's not Real Madrid, it's Madrid CFF] ]. El País . 24 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180324235324/https://elpais.com/deportes/2018/03/24/actualidad/1521901683_607840.html . 24 March 2018.
  6. Web site: La lucha de Ana Rosell, la gran gestora del futuro Real Madrid femenino. El Confidencial. es. 22 June 2019.
  7. News: Roldan . Isabel . "Nadie entiende que el Madrid no tenga equipo femenino" ["Nobody understands that Madrid does not have a women's team"] ]. 28 November 2021 . AS.com . October 15, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210119155910/https://as.com/futbol/2013/10/15/primera/1381860992_005365.html . January 19, 2021.
  8. Web site: Historia por Hacer. Primavera Blanca. es. 10 May 2016.
  9. News: El Real Madrid creará un femenino de base y descarta el fútbol sala [Real Madrid will create women's grassroots team and discard futsal] ]. Palco23.com . 20 June 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211128232109/https://www.palco23.com/clubes/el-real-madrid-creara-un-femenino-de-base-y-descarta-el-futbol-sala . 28 November 2021.
  10. Web site: Ana Rossell fights for Women’s Real Madrid. VAVEL. es. 16 October 2013.
  11. News: Menayo . David . ¿Un Real Madrid femenino? Sí, pero no [A female Real Madrid? Yes but no] ]. 28 November 2021 . AS.com . 22 March 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180328103550/https://www.marca.com/futbol/futbol-femenino/opinion/2018/03/22/5ab3cf5e268e3e73298b4622.html . 28 March 2018.
  12. News: de la Calle . Fermín . Por qué Florentino Pérez descartó un Real Madrid femenino [Why Florentino Pérez ruled out a female Real Madrid] ]. El Confidencial . 9 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180909083932/https://www.elconfidencial.com/deportes/futbol/2018-09-09/real-madrid-futbol-femenino-florentino-perez_1613237/ . 9 September 2018.
  13. News: Sanz . Oscar . El inexistente Real Madrid femenino [The non-existent female Real Madrid] ]. El País . 30 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180930173325/https://elpais.com/deportes/2018/09/30/actualidad/1538317148_857947.html . 30 September 2018.
  14. Web site: El CD TACON, nuevo equipo de la Liga Iberdrola. . es. CD TACON, new team of Liga Iberdrola. 19 May 2019.
  15. Web site: Comunicado Oficial. Real Madrid CF. es. Official Communication . 25 March 2019. 25 March 2019.
  16. Web site: Real Madrid to have women's team after buying Deportivo TACON. 25 June 2019. .
  17. Web site: The Extraordinary General Assembly approves the absorption of Club Deportivo TACON. Real Madrid CF. en. 15 September 2019.
  18. Web site: Real Madrid [Women] - Transfers 2019/2020 ]. worldfootball.net . 17 September 2023 . en . 14 February 2023.
  19. News: Train . Rob . Barça show TACON a clean pair of heels in nine-goal rout . 14 December 2019 . . 7 September 2019.
  20. Web site: de la Fuente . Anna Marie . Exile Content, Newtral Co. Producing Docuseries on Real Madrid’s Female Soccer Team (EXCLUSIVE) . Variety.com . PMC . 12 February 2020.
  21. Web site: Comunicado Oficial. Real Madrid.com. es. 1 July 2020.
  22. Web site: El Real Madrid Femenino tendrá tres equipos de cantera. adnblanco.com. es. 2 August 2020.
  23. Web site: La Federación Madrileña ya ha hecho efectiva la fusión entre Real Madrid y CD Tacón . adnblanco.com. es. 2 August 2020.
  24. Web site: Quejas al TACON por no vender entradas a público en general. Diario AS. es. 5 November 2019.
  25. Web site: Plantilla de Jugadoras del Real Madrid . Real Madrid CF . 1 July 2022. es.
  26. Web site: Claudia Zornoza se une al 'Club de las 100' en el Real Madrid . MARCA . 10 March 2024 . es . 24 January 2024.
  27. Web site: Jiménez . Mireia . Møller, 100 partidos con el Real Madrid . Realmadrid.com . 6 May 2024 . es . 5 May 2024.