Real Madrid were the best team in Spain in the 80’ and one of the best European clubs in these years despite Los Blancos weren’t able to win the European Cup. The reason of this success were five young players grown in La Fábrica, able to stay several years at Real Madrid conquering many titles. They were ‘La Quinta del Buitre’.
Actually, La Quinta del Buitre won 16 trophies: 2 UEFA Cup, 6 La Liga titles, 3 Spanish Cups and Four Spanish Super Cups, among other trophies. Five of these six La Liga titles were obtained in a run from 1986 to 1990. The team was able to score 107 goals in La Liga, setting a record until Mourinho’s side broke it in 2012 with 121 goals.
The only title this generation couldn’t win was the European Cup -now known as the Champions League-. They played two semifinals in 1988 and 1989 but PSV and Milan, trained by Arrigo Sacchi, knock out the Spanish giants. Manolo Sanchís was the only one able to win the trophy, in 1998. La Quinta del Buitre won two UEFA Cups in 1985 and 1986 after beating Videoton and Koln.
The journalist Julio César Iglesias created this nickname after Butragueño, the best player of the generation. Surprisingly these five players only played one game together in the World Cup, in Italy 1990, with the Spanish national team. Before making their debut with Real Madrid CF, they won the Second Division of La Liga in 1983 with Castilla -the second team of Los Blancos-, being the only time a second team of a big club has ever won the second division.
Members of La Quinta del Buitre
Miguel González ‘Míchel’, Manuel Sanchís, Rafael Martín Vázquez, Miguel Pardeza and Emilio Butragueño were the members of this amazing generation. All of them were raised in La Fábrica, Real Madrid school for young children and they all made their debut with the first team between 1982 and 1984, being Butragueño the last one to wear the white t-shirt.
They played together until 1987, when Pardeza left the club to play with Real Zaragoza. Later on, in 1990, Rafael Martín Vázquez signed with the Italian team Torino. It was a shock for Real Madrid fans, who never forgave the midfielder. He went back in 1992 to win another Copa del Rey and La Liga. Míchel and Butragueño left the club in 1995, leaving La Liga to play in Mexico.
This generation was known by these great five players grown up at Real Madrid. However, at that time, there were other great footballers who helped them to win all these titles. Jorge Valdano, Hugo Sánchez, Bernd Schuster, Fernando Hierro or Gordillo were also part of the history of the time at that time.
Di Stéfano, Amancio Amaro, Luis Molowny, Leo Beenhakker or John Benjamin Toshack were some the managers of this great generation, being Alfredo di Stéfano the one who allowed them to make their debut with Real Madrid.