Club History: Established on April 26, 1903, as Athletic Club Sucursal de Madrid, the club has always sported red and white vertical striped shirts, earning them the monikers Los Colchoneros (“The Mattress Makers”) and Los Rojiblancos. Founded by Basque students residing in Madrid, the club initially adopted the name “Athletic” and the colors (blue and white) of Bilbao. However, they later acquired red and white striped shirts, borrowed from Southampton by a former player and a board member for their two sister clubs. These stripes, reminiscent of a traditional Spanish mattress pattern, subsequently earned Atlético (their official name since 1947) the nickname “Mattress Makers.” In 1946, the club became Atlético de Madrid and embarked on a longstanding rivalry with their Madrid neighbors, Real Madrid, famously contesting the El Derbi Madrileño. They also share a fierce rivalry with Barcelona. Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid are clubs with contrasting identities and historical paths. While Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu stands proudly on Paseo de la Castellana in the affluent Chamartín neighborhood of northern Madrid, Atlético’s former stadium, the less glamorous Vicente Calderón, was situated 1.8 km from the city center in the working-class barrio of Arganzuela. Historically, Real Madrid has been perceived as the establishment club, while Atlético Madrid has always embodied a sense of rebellion, though during the early years of Francisco Franco’s regime, Atlético was favored by the regime and associated with the military airforce (renamed Atlético Aviación) until the regime’s preferences shifted towards Real Madrid in the 1950s. Apart from the famous Derbi Madrileño, there exists a historic rivalry between Atlético Madrid and Barcelona, considered one of the “Classics” of Spanish football. Initially skewed in favor of the Catalan club, this rivalry has become more competitive since the early 2010s, marked by events such as the 2016 Champions League knockout phase where Atlético Madrid upset Barcelona, the controversial transfer of French striker Antoine Griezmann from the Madrid club to the Catalan club in 2019 (and his subsequent return in 2021 amid Barcelona’s financial struggles), and the surprising move of Luis Suárez to Atlético in 2020, which saw the Uruguayan star play a pivotal role in the team’s championship run. However, by tradition and current affairs, the most significant rivalry remains with their “merengues” neighbors.
Crest: The club’s badge, initially introduced in 1917 featuring the Coat of Arms of Madrid and later incorporated into the club’s jersey from 1947, underwent a remodeling in 2016. However, a vote on June 30, 2023, revealed that 88.68% of club members desired to reinstate the historical badge, which is set to be reintroduced on July 1, 2024.
