The times of a pandemic can bring about significant changes to the entire world. Perhaps we will witness this firsthand once the current situation with the coronavirus, which has rapidly overturned the lives of all of us, comes to an end.
However, is it possible for a pandemic to have positive consequences? Undoubtedly, one obvious outcome is that when all of this is over, we will value things that we previously took for granted much more – a stroll in the park, dining at a restaurant, gathering with friends to watch a game, and so on.
We have seen examples of positive outcomes following the horrors of past pandemics in the 20th century. A few days ago, we shared the story of the Spanish flu, a deadly pandemic that took the lives of nearly 50 million people.
But did you know that the tragedy that unfolded between 1918 and 1920 is directly connected to the most successful football club in history – Real Madrid, the record holder of 13 European titles?
How did this come to be?
The Spanish flu, the deadliest influenza outbreak in modern history, affected approximately 40% of the global population. This happened at a time when humanity was just recovering from the aftermath of World War I. Astonishingly, the pandemic claimed even more lives than the war itself.
Among those affected was King Alfonso XIII of Spain, who managed to overcome the virus.
Once the pandemic was finally contained, the king was convinced of one thing – the population needed to engage in more sports to maintain good health. As a known football enthusiast, it should come as no surprise that one of the measures he took to promote the sport was to establish a team with a “royal” title.
His choice fell upon FC Madrid, a club founded in 1902 that had already secured its first trophy, the Spanish Cup, in 1905 – the sole competition in Spain at that time.
In 1920, King Alfonso XIII bestowed the title “Real” (Royal) upon the team. The club’s emblem was adorned with a royal crown, instantly garnering a significant number of supporters who were loyal to the king.
There was a subsequent period when the royal honors were removed from the club’s name and emblem. However, following the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the club reclaimed its identity as Real Madrid.
It remains uncertain whether FC Madrid would have become the renowned institution we know today without this royal distinction. However, it is a factual testament that the most significant pandemic in modern history played a role in the creation of the most successful football team.
