Fronteras

I’m a hero. Or almost a hero. I’m a Real Madrid supporter living in Barcelona, so I’m behind the enemy lines. As a madridista, I’ve lived great moments in this city, Barcelona, that I also feel mine, and horrible moments too. Actually, those horrible moments are more than I’d like to recognize. When Real Madrid plays I connect to Twitter by web, if I’m at home, or by mobile, if I’m away or I cannot watch the match live. I follow a long list of Madridistas around the world that comment the matches live. And I feel good. I know there are a lot of people of every corner of the world that are thinking and feeling the same than me in the same moment, and it’s great. This post is a tribute to all the Madridistas that make bigger the legend of our team, that enjoys the merengue‘s goals thousands of kilometers away without have been in Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, or even in the city of Madrid. Today our team are playing to win a trophy. If we win or if we lose, I will share my emotions with all of you. HALA MADRID!

Name: Monisha

Twitter: @EndlessInfinity

I’m: 18 years old

I live in: Dakka, Bangladesh

I support Real Madrid since: I’m a pretty new Real Madrid fan. I started following club football seriously around the end of the 2009-2010 season. I watched many matches from all the major leagues around the world and Real Madrid and their playing style captivated me from the start. Been a staunch supporter since.

I watch the matches… on television most of the time as the local cable broadcasts all Liga and Champions League games live. I have to catch the Copa Del Rey matches on third-party streams over the internet. I have plans to try and visit Madrid this August after my high school ends and watch some matches live at the Bernabeu. There’s not a great following of international club football where I live but the number of watchers is gradually growing. Most of my family and friends who do follow club football unfortunately support other teams so I have to watch many matches alone. My brother is a Real Madrid supporter though but he’s very busy so I only occasionally get to watch a match with him.

A Real Madrid moment I cannot forget: the first time I saw my current favourite player from my supported national team, Kaka score a goal for Real Madrid.

My favourite player of the History of Real: El Fenómeno.

If we win today... I’ll definitely squeal and jump around and have a song in my heart for quite a while. Here’s hoping our Blancos do win silverware(s) this year. Hala Madrid!

Zidane’s unbelievable goal in Glasgow, at the Champions League finals (2002)

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Name: Nataly

Twitter: @nataly203

I’m: 22 years old

I live in: Valencia, Venezuela

I support Real Madrid since: 2000. The father of one of my friends is spanish and also a Madridista, and we watched the matches with him, and he told us about Alfredo Di Stéfano, the Quinta del Buitre, etcetera, and this is how I started to love this team.

I watch the matches… most of the times on TV with my brother, who’s also a Real Madrid supporter. If it’s an important match, we met in a friend’s house. The schedules are complicated, because of the time difference; the Champions League is played at 2 0r 3 PM, and we are at work or at class.

A Real Madrid moment I cannot forget: The Zidane’s goal in La Novena, and the Tamudazo, in the 2007 season. I shouted so loud that some neighbours come to see what happened.

If we win today... I don’t know what I’ll do, but it’s sure that I’ll finish in a beer bath.

The «Tamudazo», 18 seconds that gave to Real it’s 30th league. 

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Name: Saajid

Twitter: @ILoveReal

I’m: 17 years old

I live in: Port Louis, Mauritus

I support Real Madrid since: 1999-2000 season.  I was 6 and I watched the team beat Manchester United and win the Champions League, I’ve been a Madridista ever since.

I watch the matches… Real Madrid matches are not usually shown on TV here so I have to use live streams. I only missed 4 Real Madrid matches last year as I was travelling. Thank God for the internet! There aren’t many Madridistas in my country (most people support English teams), but I follow every match with my friends on Twitter. 😉 Sometimes, I watch them with my brother (also a Madridista).

A Real Madrid moment I cannot forget: That Zidane goal against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 Champions League final

If we win today...Ideally I’d celebrate it at the Cibeles fountain with the team! Realistically at home on my computer with the Madridistas on Twitter 🙂

Fernando Redondo nutmegging Henning Berg, in one of the best matches of the 2000 Champions League, that the Real finally won. 

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Name: Sabrina

Twitter: @Sabrips

I’m: 24 years old

I live in: Guatemala City, Guatemala

I support Real Madrid since: the first time I watched a Clásico, I remember it perfectly. I was 6 and and it was a Barça-Real Madrid in the semifinals of the King’s Cup, in june of 1993. Real won 1-2.

I watch the matches… usually with my niece, whose has received her Madridismo from me. My family goes to another TV device, because we shout a lot!

A Real Madrid moment I cannot forget: There are a lot of them, I could say the Zinedine Zidane goal in Glasgow, but I choose the day when Raúl hushed the Camp Nou, in 1999.

My favourite player of the History of Real: Raúl, I’m a proud Raulista!

If we win today...We usually burn some fireworks and then go out with Real Madrid flags. I hope this year we have to do something special to celebrate the Décima.

Ssssshhhh (1999)

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Name: Abdulaziz Marzouq

Twitter: @BenMadridsta

I’m: 25 years old

I live in: Kuwait City, Kuwait

I support Real Madrid since: 1998

I watch the matches… on TV, sometimes with my family and sometimes alone.

A Real Madrid moment I cannot forget: When we won La Liga in 2007, with Capello

If we win today...I will be out of my mind. I’m glad to be a Madridista.

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Name: Pamela

Twitter: @Pamela___

I’m: 16 years old

I live in: Lebanon

I support Real Madrid since: 2006. I was watching them play against Lyon in Champions League, with my brother and father. I used to hate French teams back then, so I wanted Real Madrid to win that game, but it ended with the 2-2 draw with goals from Diarra and Van Nistelrooy. I’ve been a Real Madrid supporter ever since, but my passion for the club starting growing after I started following them and understanding the role of each player a couple of years ago.

I watch the matches… always on TV, with my dad and sometimes my brother. I watch them with friends as well (only Madridistas, I can’t handle Cules next to me while watching a Madrid game). I’m lucky my country has channels that broadcast the games, unlike others who have to watch them on streams online.

A Real Madrid moment I cannot forget: Winning the Liga 2006/2007. It was the first season after I started supporting the team. Unforgettable.

My favourite player of the History of Real: Guti. The guy is magical. He is the best passer in the history of the game IMO and I would’ve been the happiest girl in the world if he had stayed with us until he retired. Best part of all, he’s a canterano.

If we win today... I don’t really have any celebration planned for when (if) we win a trophy. I’ll probably end up going out with some Madridista friends.

The «Pasillo» (corridor) tribute of F.C. Barcelona to Real Madrid after the whites won the 2008 league. The match finished 4-1 for the Real

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Sophie and Guayi are the editors of Confesiones de unas madridistas (confessions of a pair of Madridistas), their Tumblr where they publish every single thing that passes for their heads, related with Real (or not). 

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Name: Tanuj

Twitter: @realmadrid_rock

I’m: 22 years old

I live in: New Delhi, India

I support Real Madrid since: I remember watching the Champions League final of 2002 and the spectacular volley by Zizou and be amazed at how he managed to do what he did! It was probably the first time I saw Real Madrid play and I loved the attacking play.

I watch the matches… The time difference between Spain and India is such that by the time most games start, it’s bed time here. Besides, I don’t have many Real Madrid fans in my city (or not that I know of) else it would have been fantastic to watch a game together.

A Real Madrid moment I cannot forget: There have been good moments and there have been bad moments too. Watching Real Madrid lift the Champions League was fantastic but I feel the celebrations after winning La Liga in 2006/07 was just breathtaking.

My favourite player of the History of Real: Favourite player has to be Zinedine Zidane. His master class and technique was just superb to watch. He could score and create chances both.

If we win today... I wish I could go out and celebrate with other Madridistas but since I don’t have that option, I would be overjoyed and pretty much go crazy on the Internet.

Tanuj is he editor of one of the best fanpages I’ve ever seen, Therealmadridfan.com, One of its sections,  Know thy Madridista, inspired me some of the questions of this post. So thanks a lot, Tanuj. 

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Name: Fidel

Twitter: @fidelgabriel

I’m: 18 years old

I live in: Puerto Cortés, Honduras

I support Real Madrid since: I watched Zidane and Raúl in the 2001-2002 Champions League final. That moment made to grow a great feeling about Real in me.

I watch the matches… Usually at home in TV.

A Real Madrid moment I cannot forget: The league championship of 2007, the goals of Roberto Carlos and Van Nistelrooy, or the Higuaín one against Espanyol in the Bernabéu.

My favourite player of the History of Real: The two Ronaldos, Roberto Carlos, Raúl and Higuaín.

If we win today... I’ll celebrate it in Twitter and later with some madridistas that are close friends.

Higuaín scores with the match almost finished to give Real the victory against Espanyol (2007)

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Name: Susie

Twitter: @orionstorm

I’m: 27 years old

I live in: Gaines, Michigan, USA

I support Real Madrid since: I became a fan after the 2010 World Cup. Prior to it, I had never seen a club match. The commentators talked a lot of Real Madrid, about the players, (Cristiano, Xabi Alonso, Kaká, etc.), and their newest transfers. I was intrigued by them. The first match I watched of theirs was the friendly with the LA Galaxy near the end of July. Hooked since then.

I watch the matches… When the matches are on TV, I watch them at home. If I’m at work, I try to record them. But so often lately, they are on channels I don’t get, so I have to go to a bookstore with free wifi and watch them on my laptop. I generally watch them alone, but chatting with friends online (twitter and tumblr). My family doesn’t understand the love I have for the team, nor do they understand the game itself. 😛

A Real Madrid moment I cannot forget: Best moment…there’s so many! The Copa Del Rey match vs Levante in December was amazing. 8-0 win. But I feel most proud of them when they win after a hard fought match, when everything seems to be against them, but they still get the win; like one of the first matches this season vs. Sevilla.

My favourite player of the History of Real: Mesut Özil is my favorite player, even outside of Madrid. Since this is my first year being a fan of the team, I don’t know much of the history. He (Özil) and Xabi Alonso are my favorites, but I love everyone on the team. 🙂

If we win today... I’ll probably celebrate online, with other people who understand and have the same love for the team as I do. Where I live, there aren’t many places that even show football/soccer matches, and most people have no clue about the beautiful game. Also might buy myself another jersey. Higuaín, possibly. Already have an Özil, and still waiting on my Alonso jersey to come in the mail.

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If we reach the Champions League final, I’ll do another tribute like this one, despite I’ve not slept for two nights. So, come on, Madrid. Make me go freakin’ crazy. Hala Madrid!