Originally posted by Adrian Wallace:
Real Madrid are the richest soccer team in the world
Incorrect. According to offical data, Manchester United are the richest football club in the world purely by income. Real Madrid are not even near them, hence the signing of David Beckham to boost their image in Asian and American markets.
About 50% of Spanish football fans support Real Madrid. They are one of the most successful teams in the world, along with the likes of AC Milan.
They are also a member of the G9 - the worlds most powerful football clubs. The biggest teams in the world are all in Europe, since they attract the best by offering lots of money. The main teams in Europe who make the most money by competing in what is known as the "UEFA Champions League" - the most prestigious football tournament for football clubs in the world (watched by around 200+ counties and worth �30M for the winning team on TV revenue alone), are (in no particular order):
Real Madrid (Spain), Bayen Munich (Germany), Manchester United (England) and AC Milan (Italy). These teams usually qualify for the Champions League every year (played every year on qualification by finishing in the top 2-4 in their countries top league). They are usually seeded, which means they avoid each other in the preliminary rounds of the competition.
[ July 17, 2005: Message edited by: John K. Smith ]