First Team Locker #18: The Real Madrid Santiago Bernabéu Stadium 2001/02 - 2021/22 | Gareth Bale, Luka Jović, Marcos Llorente, Mariano Díaz, Lucas Vázquez, Nacho Fernández, Raúl Albiol, Julien Faubert, Rubén de la Red, Javier Saviola, Antonio Cassano, Jonathan Woodgate, Javier Portillo

This locker has come directly from Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. This locker was removed during the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium renovation following the conclusion of the 2021/22 season.

Sotheby’s is proud to present Real Madrid First Team Locker #18. This lot includes the individual locker, which was disassembled during the 2022 renovation of Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, and reassembled following its removal. The locker features a replica jersey and life size photo of the player that most recently used the locker during the 2021/22 season. 

The players that used this locker are as follows:

-Gareth Bale (2021/22)

-Luka Jović (2019/20 - 2020/21)

-Marcos Llorente (2017/18 - 2018/19)

-Mariano Díaz (2016/17)

-Lucas Vázquez (2015/16)

-Nacho Fernández (2013/14 - 2014/15)

-Raúl Albiol (2009/10 - 2012/13)

-Julien Faubert (2008/09)

-Rubén de la Red (2008/09)

-Javier Saviola (2007/08)

-Antonio Cassano (2005/06 - 2006/07)

-Jonathan Woodgate (2004/05 - 2005/06)

-Javier Portillo (2001/02 - 2002/03)

The Real Madrid First Team Locker Room was organized by squad number. While not traditionally reserved for a specific position, the #18 jersey has been worn by a mix of players over the years. 

Nacho Fernández (2013/14 - 2014/15)

Nacho Fernández has had a remarkable career at Real Madrid, spending nearly his entire professional journey with the club and becoming a symbol of loyalty, versatility, and dependability. A product of Madrid’s youth academy, La Fábrica, Nacho rose through the ranks and made his first-team debut in 2011. Over more than a decade, he has established himself as a crucial utility player, able to play across the backline—whether at center-back, left-back, or right-back—with consistent quality.

Nacho’s adaptability and experience have contributed to Real Madrid’s trophy-laden era, as he has helped the club win 6 UEFA Champions League titles, 4 La Liga titles, 5 FIFA Club World Cups, 4 UEFA Super Cups, 2 Copa del Rey titles, 5 Supercopas de España. In addition to #18, Fernández wore #6 from 2015/16 through 2021/22, and wore #24 in 2012/13. 

Gareth Bale (2021/22)

Gareth Bale had a remarkable, though often polarizing, career at Real Madrid from 2013 to 2022. He joined the club from Tottenham Hotspur for a then-world record fee of €100 million, and his pace, power, and finishing ability quickly made him a fan favorite at the Bernabéu. Bale made an instant impact in his debut season, where he scored key goals, including the famous solo run against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final, where he sprinted down the sideline, outpacing Marc Bartra to score a game-winning goal. Bale also scored in the 2014 Champions League final against Atlético Madrid, helping Madrid secure their 10th European title, "La Décima." His success continued, as he developed a potent attacking trio with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, known as "BBC," which became one of the most feared forward lines in Europe.

One of Bale's crowning achievements was his performance in the 2018 Champions League final against Liverpool, where he scored twice, including a stunning overhead kick that is regarded as one of the greatest goals in the tournament's history. Over the course of Bale’s career with Madrid, he helped them capture 5 UEFA Champions League titles, 3 La Liga titles, 1 Copa del Rey (2013–14), 3 Spanish Super Cups, 4 FIFA Club World Cups, 3 UEFA Super Cups. In addition to wearing #11, Bale wore #11 from 2013/14 to 2019/20.

A portion of the proceeds from this sale will go to The Real Madrid Foundation - committed to encouraging the education of children and teenagers; promoting the social inclusion of the most vulnerable members of society, and building a world-class memorabilia programme for the club and its fans. 

Going Deeper - Real Madrid 

Among European club football royalty, Real Madrid reigns as king. Born in 1902, this Spanish powerhouse has transcended the world of football, not just as a team but as a global symbol. Nicknamed Los Blancos for their pristine white kits, Real Madrid is synonymous with grandeur. Throughout the club’s storied history, Real Madrid has dominated football domestically and across Europe - their 36 La Liga titles are the most of any Spanish club and 15 Champions League (formerly known as the European Cup) crowns stand as a European record. Today, Los Blancos is the most widely supported club football team in the world, as well as the most valuable. 

Real Madrid’s dominance on the pitch is attributed to era-defining superstars, or Galacticos. Club heroes like Alfredo di Stefano of Argentina and Ferenc Puskás of Hungary brought international acclaim to the Spanish side when the two legends started winning European Cups in the 1950s. Real Madrid is credited with shaping the modern European club footballing landscape, largely due to the man at the helm during that time, former club President and player Santiago Bernabéu. Under his leadership, Real Madrid became the powerhouse that would dominate European football for decades. He spearheaded the construction of the now-iconic Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, a colossal arena that would become the fortress of dreams.

Opened in 1947, the Santiago Bernabéu was the brainchild of the visionary club president, Bernabéu himself. He envisioned a stadium that would reflect the ambition of the club, a football cathedral capable of housing the passion of Real Madrid’s ever-growing legion of fans. Originally named the Nuevo Estadio Chamartín, it was soon renamed in honor of the man who transformed it into a symbol of the club’s ambition.

With a seating capacity of over 80,000, the Bernabéu is more than just a place to watch football—it’s a cauldron. The roar of the crowd feels almost mythical as if the very soul of Madrid reverberates through every chant. Under its floodlights, Real Madrid has won countless titles, from domestic triumphs to European conquests, with 15 Champions League titles etched into its walls. Walking into the stadium is like stepping into a living museum of football, a hallowed ground that has felt the boots of legends—Di Stéfano, Zidane, Ronaldo, Ramos, and countless others.

And yet, the Bernabéu is always evolving, a fitting metaphor for a club that never stands still. With recent renovations, it’s being transformed into a venue on the razor’s edge of football for the modern era—complete with a retractable roof, new technology, and increased capacity to further cement its place as one of the greatest stadiums in the world.

As the Bernabéu transitioned to its most recent iteration, the old first-team changing room was removed, but preserved as a reminder of the greatness that stood within it. The lockers were used continuously for 2 decades, from the 2001/02 season through the 2021/22 season. From Figo, Zidane, Beckham to Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, and Karim Benzema, these lockers spanned the two modern Galacticos eras and arguably one of the most successful continuous periods of any football club. Over the course of the locker room's use, Real Madrid clinched 7 La Liga championships, 6 Champions League titles, 2 Copa del Rey victories, and 7 Supercopas de España - one of the most dominant runs in club football history.

The Galacticos 

Central to Real Madrid’s success in the 21st century is their aggressive transfer and spending strategy known as the ‘Galacticos Policy’, which was implemented by Club President Fiorentino Pérez when he was elected in 2000. Pérez's philosophy was to build a team of superstar players to increase Madrid’s success and brand visibility worldwide. Each summer, he brought in a marquee signing, creating a team of international superstars.

The first major signing of the Galácticos era was Luís Figo from archrival FC Barcelona for a world-record $67 million in 2000. Pérez followed up by breaking the record again in 2001, signing French superstar Zinedine Zidane for $83 million. The following summer, Brazil’s Ronaldo joined for $48 million, fresh off his 2002 World Cup victory. These signings brought success on the field, as Real Madrid won La Liga in 2000/01 and 2002/03 and claimed the Champions League title in 2001/02, with Zidane scoring the game-winning goal in the final. In 2003, Real Madrid added David Beckham from Manchester United, and his arrival extended the club's brand globally, blending football with entertainment and celebrity culture. While they captivated fans with their talent and charisma, the focus on high-profile signings also led to an imbalance in the team, with critics arguing that defensive stability was sacrificed for attacking talent. Despite notable defender signings in Sergio Ramos and Fabio Cannavaro, it was too little, too late. The team struggled with consistency and fell short of dominating Europe, leading to the dissolution of the first Galácticos project by 2006 when Pérez resigned.

The Galacticos Reborn

Despite the Galacticos commercial success, the squad failed to capitalize on any momentum on the pitch after their first few successful campaigns in the early 2000s. Real Madrid continued to struggle in the Champions League in the mid-late 2000s, getting knocked out in the Round of 16 six seasons in a row. The second Galácticos era began when Pérez returned to the presidency in 2009, renewing his ambition to make Madrid a powerhouse both on and off the field. The era kicked off with the record-breaking signing of Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United for €94 million, quickly followed by Kaká from AC Milan. In the same summer, Pérez also brought in Karim Benzema from Lyon and Xabi Alonso from Liverpool, creating a foundation of attacking flair and midfield control. A few years later, Gareth Bale arrived from Tottenham for a new record fee, forming the famous "BBC" trio alongside Ronaldo and Benzema.

This era didn’t solely focus on marquee players. Pérez also emphasized strategic signings like Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos, who balanced the team’s attacking power with midfield creativity and control. Additionally, Madrid developed young talents and promoted from within, nurturing players like Raphaël Varane and Casemiro, who would become essential to the team's success.

This era was defined by an unprecedented level of success, particularly in the UEFA Champions League, as Madrid claimed 4 UEFA Champions League titles (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), including an historic three-peat from 2016 to 2018. Domestically, they won 2 La Liga titles (2012, 2017), 2 Copas del Rey (2011, 2013), and 2 Supercopa de Espana (2012, 2017). The second Galácticos era left a lasting legacy for Real Madrid, defining them as the standard for European excellence.