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Who are Real Madrid Owners? A Detailed Look Into Real Madrid Ownership History & Current Leadership

Real Madrid

Real Madrid

La Liga / Spain

Real Madrid is recognised as the most successful club in the history of Football. Real Madrid FC earned a total of 15 UEFA Champions League titles. Every season, they have opportunities to explore and come with full power, boosting fans’ interest in watching them. The 2022/23 season has plenty of opportunities to explore their collection of trophies. This club has secured seven European championships since the beginning of the 21st century. There is no doubt, Real Madrid is the champion club of European football. While clubs globally are being bought at unprecedented prices, Real Madrid has maintained its status like royalty as a ‘not for sale’ club.

Also, it is one of the world’s most successful, valuable, and productive football teams, worth $6.6 billion, and ranked #1 on the Forbes 2024 list. It is one of the highest-ranking football clubs on the list, followed by Manchester United. The Real Madrid football team is different from other football clubs; a single person does not own it. Instead, it belongs to its fans. The supporters, referred to as “Madridistas,” can buy a stake in the club, which is uncommon in today’s financially driven football clubs. Although the successful Spanish businessman Florentino Perez runs the club, he oversees the daily activities of the Real Madrid fanbase. Let's explore Real Madrid owners net worth, who is the owner of Real Madrid football club.

Who are Real Madrid owners?

The question that appears in every mind of any casual football watcher is, who is the owner of Real Madrid football club? As Real Madrid appears to be the best and successful football world, the fanbase expands across countries, who are also sometimes teased with the term ‘gloryhunters’. This Galactico fame club, is a socio-owned club. It means it is not owned by a single person, but a group of members, or referred as fans. Looking at the hindsight of the ownership of this club, these members pay an annual fee to the club, and have the right to vote in presidential and board elections. And hence answer to all your questions about the Real Madrid football club owner, if Florentino Perez is the owner, technically, yes, he is. However, he is elected as the president by the ‘socios’. Florentino Perez directly represents the owner of Real Madrid FC.

Real Madrid Management Personnel

Here we would look at the Real Madrid management personnel, who actually deal with the management of Real Madrid FC, and what does Real Madrid management structure looks like. Florentino Perez serves as the current president of Real Madrid FC, overseeing the footballing and financial operations of the club. Along with that, we have José Ángel Sánchez, the chief executive officer, Emilio Butragueño as the chairman since 2009, and Iker Casillas, since 2020. The coaching staff of Real Madrid comprises assistant manager, team manager, performance and fitness coaches, e.t.c. Let's have a look at the Real Madrid management personnel:

PositionName
PresidentFlorentino Perez
Chairman Emilio Butragueño
Chief Executive Officer José Ángel Sánchez
Vice ChairmanIker Casillas
Board of DirectorsJosé Ángel Sánchez
Honorary PresidentPirri
Real Madrid management personnel

Other Sports Teams Owned by Socios

So, here's a breakdown of the clubs owned by the ‘socios’. You must have come across the term fan-owned clubs, so relatively speaking, the biggest fan owned clubs in the world are FC Barcelona, Manchester United FC, AFC Wimbledon, e.t.c. Usually, Spain is entrenched and dominated with fan owned clubs, it is actually a surprising fact that two of the biggest and successful La Liga clubs in Spain in and around the world are fully and completely owned by fans. The undulating love and obsession with these football clubs is the result of an obsessive fanbase, considering these clubs beyond football, divided between the streams of Catalans and Madridistas. The socios participate in all the democratic processes, like electing the chairman or president of the club. In a nutshell, the clubs' overall control is in the hands of the socios, such as changing the crest or approving the redevelopment of Camp Nou. An intrinsic, passionate bond is developed between the clubs and communities. These fan-operated clubs not only stay rooted but also naturally develop over years.

Other Spanish clubs like Athletic Club and Osasuna are also socio-owned. These clubs have a cultural significance, including the ethnic groups and the support they gain from fans, is what these clubs' popularity stands on. Basically, the socios claim that there is less chance of fiscal or financial irregularities with the club, as democratically elected presidents hold accountability and the members have an equal representation and say, in the matters of club, along with holding the strings of the club with the community.

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Real Madrid Primary Business/Source of Income

Delving into the ‘socios’ primary business or source of income, the club members or socios, pay an annual subscription fee, i.e €149 for adults and €50 for children in Madrid. It entitles them to the right to vote during presidential and board elections. Also, the benefit is that the socios get cheaper season tickets, or banks grant loans at low interest. However, the club revenue is solely dependent on ticket sales, match day revenue, broadcasting rights sales, sponsorships, and advertisements. Socios cannot raise investments in the club or shares from stock for player purchase and club operations.

Real Madrid Owners Net Worth

It will be little difficult to fathom or scrutinise Real Madrid owners net worth, as it is ‘socio-owned. Real Madrid socios include approximately 90,000 members who collectively own the club. So, estimating the net worth of 90,000 members would be a little impractical. However, Real Madrid's current president, Florentino Perez net worth is $4.2 billion, as of 2025. Perez, as a president, revolutionised the club with the Galacticos strategy, as he is considered to be one of the successful club presidents in football history. Imagine spending less on player transfers and still clinching two UEFA Champions League titles and two La Liga titles.

Real Madrid Owners History: From Past to Present

There is no particular Real Madrid football club owner history of Real Madrid, as the president and board members are elected by the socios. However considering the origin of the club, it was founded by Julián Palacios. He was the founder, as well as first president of Real Madrid FC. The real success of Real Madrid came under Santiago Bernabeu, under whose name, Madrid's home stadium is honoured. But, with the beginning of Florentino Perez's era, Real Madrid saw themselves touching the peak of success mountain. The Galacticos era completely changed, transformed the club, and Real Madrid became the world's richest professional football club. It is not just the socios' ownership, but also Florentino Perez's strategies that revitalised the club to its worth.

NameFromToYears
Florentino PerezJune 2009Present15 years +
Vicente BoludaJanuary 2009May 2009125 days
Ramon CalderonJuly 2006Januray 20092 years & 198 days
Florentino PerezJuly 2000February 20065 years & 226 days
Lorenzo SanzNovember 1995July 20004 years & 203 days
Ramon MendozaMay 1985November 199510 years & 186 days
Luis de CarlosSeptember 1978May 19856 years & 265 days
Santiago BernabeuSeptember 1943June 197834 years & 264 days
Antonio Santos PeralbasNovember 1940September 19432 years & 288 days
Adolfo MelendezAugust 1936November 19404 years & 115 days
Rafael Sanchez GuerraMay 1935August 19361 year & 65 days
Luis Usera Bugallal1930May 19355 years & 150 days
Luis de UrquijoMay 192619303 years & 230 days
Pedro ParagesJuly 1916May 19269 years & 349 days
Adolfo Melendez1908July 19168 years & 152 days
Carlos PadrosJanuray 190419084 days
Juan PadrosMarch 1902January 19041 years & 301 days
Julian Palacios1900March 19022 years & 125 days
List of all previous Real Madrid owner or presidents

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Real Madrid Owners Controversy

There is no such infamous controversy regarding the ownership of Real Madrid FC. However, in late November 2024, Florentino Perez announced that he would bring a new corporate reorganisation of the club and the socio members could decide whether a change in ownership structure would be necessary, for financial safety. Perez, in his speech, stated that their financial assets are being attacked, and necessary steps have to be taken, in order to ensure the club remains in the safer hands of the socio members. The dispute was mainly over the La Liga and CVC investment deal, to which he claimed other clubs received €2 billion in exchange for broadcast income. “I can confirm that we'll bring a corporate reorganisation proposal to an assembly, which guarantees that members are real owners of the club. They wanted to take away our income, to give it away to La Liga.” Perez said in the 90-minute annual assembly.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who owned Real Madrid?
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People think Florentino Perez owns Real Madrid, but this is untrue. Perez is the club’s President and the representative in the public's eyes. Its fan members own Real Madrid, and it’s one of the world's richest clubs.
Who owns Real Madrid, and their net worth?
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The representative in the public’s eye, Florentino Perez, has a net worth of $2.5 billion.
Where does Real Madrid's money come from?
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Real Madrid has vast followers and broadcasting networks. Some significant amount, or most, comes from broadcasting deals.
Who manages Real Madrid?
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Carlo Ancelotti is the current manager of Real Madrid FC.
Is Real Madrid 100% fan-owned?
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Although it's a fan base, as you know, Florentino Perez heads its daily operations on and off the pitch.
Who are the owners of Real Madrid?
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Socios are the owners of Real Madrid FC.

Who is the first owner of Real Madrid FC?

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Julián Palacios is the first owner and president of Real Madrid FC.