The Football Fan's Guide to Madrid

Madrid is the football capital of the world – and this is the essential guide for every fan heading there in search of an authentic futbolero experience.

Do you have your eye on a trip to Real Madrid’s iconic Santiago Bernabeu to cheer on stars like Karim Benzema, Vinicius Junior and Luka Modric? Or will you take in a game at Atletico Madrid’s boisterous Metropolitano, where legendary manager Diego Simeone whips the crowd – and his team – into a frenzy? Maybe you’d rather stand up with Rayo Vallecano’s Bukaneros Ultras or sit alongside the locals at Leganes’ Butarque or Getafe’s Coliseum. Or are you following your own team to the Spanish capital in UEFA competition?

The Football Fan’s Guide to Madrid covers every last detail

• How to get a ticket
• Great places to eat and drink pre- and post-match (including Simeone’s preferred steakhouse and Thibaut Courtois’ favourite nightclub!)
• A list of city-centre bars which show LaLiga and Premier League games
• Best hotels for lovers of the beautiful game
• A football-themed walking tour
• How to play a pick-up game of six-a-side with locals
• Shopping tips, including where to buy the best football gear in the city

About Dermot Corrigan

Dermot joined The Athletic in 2020 and is their main La Liga Correspondent. Irish-born, he has spent more than a decade living in Madrid and writing about Spanish football for ESPN, the UK Independent and the Irish Examiner.