- Real Madrid has played in white since its founding in 1902.
- The color was chosen as a tribute to Corinthian FC, an English club.
- This London club embodied elegance and fair play at the time.
- For over 120 years, the home jersey has never changed color.
- White has given the club its nicknames: the "Merengues" and "La Casa Blanca."
It's one of the most recognizable jerseys in the world, but few know its origin. Real Madrid plays in white because of an English club now forgotten. The story is amazing. Let's start at the beginning, in 1902.
It all started in 1902
The club was founded on March 6, 1902, under the name Madrid Football Club. From the very first weeks, its founders, the Padrós brothers, had to choose a color. They opted for white, and this choice would never change.
At the time, every young club had to choose a color to distinguish itself from other local teams. In concrete terms, white became Real Madrid's visual identity from its birth.
A tribute to Corinthian FC
Why white? Because the founders admired an English club, the Corinthian Football Club, founded in London in 1882. This amateur team played in white and embodied, at the time, an ideal of elegance and fair play that fascinated all of European football.
The club's first coach, Englishman Arthur Johnson, shared this admiration. White therefore established itself as a tribute to this British model. It's a great example of how a color tells a story, much like we explore in our article on the Real Madrid 2026 jersey.
For over 120 years, Real Madrid's home jersey has never been any color other than white. A unique consistency in world football.
A legend built in white
The jersey became entirely white, including shorts and socks, in the mid-1950s. This was the era of the club's first great European nights, where the white kit shone under the floodlights and on black and white televisions, contributing to building Real's global renown.
This color forged the club's nicknames: the "Merengues," in reference to the white pastry, and "La Casa Blanca," the White House. Purple, meanwhile, remains a secondary color, often used on away jerseys. To see how a color can become a jersey's identity, also read our article on Vinicius' jersey and his number 7.
Sawa Football designs limited editions with a Madrid theme in France, exclusive and unobtainable elsewhere. The mythical white revisited with style.
See Madrid jerseys →Frequently Asked Questions
How long has Real Madrid played in white?
Since its founding on March 6, 1902. White was chosen in the very first weeks by the Padrós brothers, founders of the club, and has never been abandoned as the color of the home jersey in over 120 years.
Why did Real Madrid choose white?
As a tribute to Corinthian FC, an English amateur club founded in London in 1882. This team played in white and embodied elegance and fair play, a model that inspired the founders of Real Madrid.
Why is Real Madrid called the "Merengues"?
This nickname comes from the immaculate white color of the kit, which is reminiscent of meringue, the white pastry. The club is also nicknamed "La Casa Blanca," the White House, also in reference to its jersey.
Has Real Madrid's jersey ever been another color?
No, never at home. Since 1902, the main jersey has remained white without interruption. Only the away and third jerseys have taken on other colors over the seasons, including purple, the club's secondary color.
Behind its apparent simplicity, Real Madrid's white jersey hides a history spanning more than a century, born from admiration for an English club. It's anything but a coincidence. And if you're keen on a white kit, always check the origin of your jersey before buying.
