HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CELEBRATION
Ninety. Minutes. For ninety minutes, Madridistas around the globe sat is awe, in shock, at the edge of chairs and on the arms of couches, biting their nails and squeezing flags nervously in their hands. For ninety minutes, an all-too-familiar sense of déjà vu periled Los Blancos as the game ceased to fall into their hands, until Sergio Ramos' miraculous injury time header, and the whimsical period of extra time to follow. Bale. Marcelo. Cristiano. One by one, the stoic heroes ended twelve years of waiting, and at the full time whistle, the raw emotions of Real supporters, players, staff, and television announcers captured the extent of the journey, and the meaning of the arrival; La Décima is finally here.
| FINAL 2014 | LISBON On matchday morning, Lisbon is in preparation. Temperatures are mild and chatter is growing as a footballing fervor brushes over the city's limestone-faced skyline, nestling in between it's iconic terracotta rooftops. The Atlantic Ocean creates a backdrop, a surrealist's blue, and the civilians bustling into the city's ports, train stations, and airports dot this picturesque metropolis with assortments of color: the gold and scarlet tails of the Spanish flag intermingling invitingly with the forest green and bold red of the Portuguese, while royal white banners keep their distance from the rojiblancos gear. Lisboa, as it falls more-familiarly on local tongues, is a truly cosmopolitan city on May 24, 2014, charming each and every supporter along its sweeping streets and enchanting them with the Iberian air and promises of the possibility of glory: La Primera for Atlético, and the legendary Décima, for Real. From the architecture to the people, the capital of the Ballon d'Or winner's nation is a beautiful one, proving fit to embrace last week's women's and men's Champions League finals, the latter being the mighty showdown between city rivals: the illustrious Derbi Madrileño. |
| XABI: SEÑOR DE SUAVE Before leaving Estádio da Luz on Saturday night, Xabi Alonso has one more task to fulfill. Wearing his training top and a dressed down version of his Versace ensemble, he descends the steps of the stadium alone, with the European Cup in one hand and his iPhone in the other. It's been a stressful night for the Spaniard, relegated to the stands due to suspension, and he capped it with one of the match's most memorable celebrations, leaping over the restraint bars of the stadium's supporter seating, much to the horror of the teammates and medical staff nearest to him. From there, Alonso sprinted in a surprisingly James Bond-like fashion around an obstacle course of sideline hazards, in full suit, to celebrate Gareth Bale's game-winning goal with his teammates. Xabi Alonso's tasteful sense of style was on fine display for the watching audience on Saturday night, but his usual coolness was lost in the dog-pile celebrations, much to the enjoyment of watching Madridistas. The midfield stalwart returned to the emptying stadium before the team's departure to take one last photograph, in a pose especially familiar to his social media following. Alonso is known for the unique virtual documentation of his life in pictures - from injuries, to matchday preparations; photos of the Bernabéu to Saturday's Estádio da Luz - in a sporadic series that features him cross-legged with some number of magnificent views in the background. On Saturday night, with La Décima perched alongside his shined shoes, his photo proved to be no exception to the wonderful tradition, and ignited a wave of Internet re-sharing amongst Madridstas enjoying the celebrations around the world. |
LA DIOSA, CIBELES Cibeles is a poised woman. Named for the Anatolian goddess Cybele, she is a woman of regality, and majesty, sitting high atop her plaza in the Spanish capital, enhancing and being enhanced by the beauty of her city below. Every few years, Spain's Lady covets a fine new prince, one donned in haphazard outfits of Royal white, complemented by golden and scarlet Castilian flags, and from her knight in blanco armor does she receive a kiss. A kiss of prosperity and longevity, of spirit and goodwill. The kiss of the champion. The man of the hour is Iker Casillas. The night in question is Saturday, May 24. And the occasion is the long-sought tenth European Cup - La Décima. He dons the same ensemble he did during another of his visits to The Lady Cibeles, after the 2011/2012 La Liga victory, on his promise, to return with The Tenth. Tonight, he lets Sergio Ramos adorn the waiting lady and deliver the champion's kiss, as the game-saver and vice captain, but he quickly follows, soaked in celebration glory. With the pride and passion of the city of Madrid, Madridistas' most-beloved San Iker lifts glory high above the goddess and her neo-classical charm, in the form of the Champions League trophy. | |
| PILGRIMAGE TO EL ESTADIO BERNABÉU It's a traffic-laden, ten-minute car drive between the Bernabéu and Plaza de Cibeles. The celebrations in the city's square won't begin for a few hours, or at least until the royal white soldiers return to town, hauling their gold medals and Champions League trophy in tow. For now, the 80,000 in the stadium are hyped on victory, ticking away on their Mediterranean Siesta body clocks at midnight as if it were early afternoon: eating, drinking, relaxing, and reliving the victory of their beloved 112-year old institution from within its most sacred walls. Illuminated by spotlights and projectors that lay in an arc around it, a massive cubical contraption has come to life, transformed into four-sided a screen that details Los Blancos' grueling 90-minute journey against an impeccable, albeit imperfect, performance from their metropolitan rivals, Atlético. Fixated centrally, and surrounded entirely by swarms of white-tailed flags, gold-lined kits, confetti, streamers, hats, and other merchandise in honor of La Décima, the entire spectacle resembles the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca through any birdseye photography lens, the screen playing the role of the sacred Kaaba, the faithful Madridistas the devoted Mecca-bound pilgrims. It's an inspiring sight and visual analogy. It is Madrid. |
GRACIAS, MISTER! He is the epitome of "all business:" the pinnacle of "not so easily impressed." But on Saturday, Carlo Ancelotti, who has now held the European Cup a total of five combined times in his career, reminded us that the 29-year-old from Reggiolo who lifted Milan's third European Cup high above his head with a grin on his face in 1989 still remains beneath the stern glare and fixated eyebrow we've become so accustomed to seeing. After a whirlwind season of near-perfect tactics, positioning, and understanding of the delicate, magnificent football machine of Madrid, Ancelotti made Los Blancos' road to La Décima seem relatively easily, recalling certain aspects of flair and style to Real Madrid's play that had lain dormant since the wave of Galácticos of the early 2000s. With one of the men of that era, Zinedine Zidane, along side him for the duration of the season as his second-in-command, Ancelotti maximized players like Ángel Di María and Luka Modrić, signed the wonderboy, Gareth Bale, found a functional balance in the ongoing goalkeeper debate, allowed growing time for new additions from Castilla, and ended the 12-year wait for the coveted Tenth Cup. During Sunday's festivities at the Bernabéu, Ancelotti walked out to center field amidst a lightshow within the stadium and began to - sing. In a deep voice, slightly wavering key, and with the backing vocals of his European champions, Ancelotti delivered an endearing karaoke version of Real Madrid new song, "Hala Madrid y Nada Más" to thousands of Bernabéu faithful. Carlo Ancelotti has taken Spain by storm with his quiet, reserved sort of charisma; and Madridistas couldn't be happier. | |