Editing Real Madrid CF (section)

===Florentino Pérez era (2000–2006)===
{{see also|Galácticos}}
{{football squad on pitch|align=left|clear=none
| GK = '''[[César Sánchez|César]]'''
| RB = '''[[Míchel Salgado|Salgado]]'''
| RCB = '''[[Fernando Hierro|Hierro (c)]]'''
| LCB = '''[[Iván Helguera|Helguera]]'''
| LB = '''[[Roberto Carlos]]'''
| DM = '''[[Claude Makélélé|Makélélé]]'''
| RCM = '''[[Luís Figo|Figo]]'''
| LCM = '''[[Santiago Solari|Solari]]'''
| AM = '''[[Zinedine Zidane|Zidane]]'''
| RCF = '''[[Raúl (footballer)|Raúl]]'''
| LCF = '''[[Fernando Morientes|Morientes]]'''
| caption = [[2002 UEFA Champions League Final]] starting lineup
}}
In July 2000, [[Florentino Pérez]] was elected club president.<ref>{{cite web| title = Florentino Pérez era| work = Real Madrid C.F. - Web Oficial| url = http://www.realmadrid.com/sobre-el-real-madrid/el-club/historia/presidentes/florentino-perez| publisher = Realmadrid.com| access-date = 12 July 2008| language = es| archive-date = 22 September 2022| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220922080242/https://www.realmadrid.com/sobre-el-real-madrid/el-club/historia/presidentes/florentino-perez| url-status = live}}</ref> He vowed in his campaign to erase the club's €270&nbsp;million debt and modernize the club's facilities. However, the primary electoral promise that propelled Pérez to victory was the signing of [[Luís Figo]] from arch-rivals Barcelona.<ref>{{cite news | title = Figo's the Real deal | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/848836.stm | work = BBC Sport | date = 24 July 2000 | access-date = 12 July 2008 | archive-date = 17 October 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181017124130/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/848836.stm | url-status = live }}</ref> The following year, the club had its training ground rezoned and used the money to begin assembling the ''[[Galácticos]]'' team by signing a global star every summer, which included [[Zinedine Zidane]], [[Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)|Ronaldo]], [[Luís Figo]], [[David Beckham]] and [[Fabio Cannavaro]].<ref>{{cite web| title = 2001&nbsp;– present&nbsp;— Real Madrid surpasses the century mark| work = Real Madrid C.F. - Web Oficial| url = http://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/history/football/2001-2010-the-ninth-with-zidane-beckham-ronaldo-and-figo| publisher = Realmadrid.com| access-date = 5 December 2015| archive-date = 22 November 2019| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191122115453/https://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/history/football/2001-2010-the-ninth-with-zidane-beckham-ronaldo-and-figo| url-status = live}}</ref> It is debatable whether the gamble paid off, as despite winning the [[2001–02 UEFA Champions League|UEFA Champions League]] and an [[Intercontinental Cup (1960–2004)|Intercontinental Cup]] in [[2002 Intercontinental Cup|2002]], followed by [[2002–03 La Liga|La Liga]] in 2003, the club failed to win a major trophy for the next three seasons. Off the pitch, the ''Zidanes y Pavones'' policy resulted in increased financial success based on the exploitation of the club's high marketing potential around the world, particularly in Asia.<ref name="2001-2010">{{cite web|title = 2001&nbsp;– present&nbsp;— Real Madrid surpasses the century mark| work=Real Madrid C.F. - Web Oficial |url = http://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/history/football/2001-2010-the-ninth-with-zidane-beckham-ronaldo-and-figo|publisher = Realmadrid.com|access-date = 12 July 2008|archive-date = 22 November 2019|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191122115453/https://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/history/football/2001-2010-the-ninth-with-zidane-beckham-ronaldo-and-figo|url-status = live}}</ref>

[[File:Beckham zidane.jpg|thumb|150px|upright|[[David Beckham|Beckham]] and [[Zinedine Zidane|Zidane]] were considered ''[[Galácticos]]''.]]
The few days after the capturing of the [[2002–03 La Liga|2003 La Liga title]] were surrounded with controversy. The first controversial decision came when Pérez sacked winning coach [[Vicente del Bosque]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Real ditch Del Bosque |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/3012442.stm |access-date=9 August 2014 |work=BBC Sport |date=24 June 2003 |archive-date=1 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801131839/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/3012442.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Over a dozen players left the club, including Madrid captain Fernando Hierro, while defensive midfielder [[Claude Makélélé]] refused to take part in training in protest at being one of the lowest-paid players at the club and subsequently moved to [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Chelsea sign Makelele |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/3196017.stm |access-date=9 August 2014 |work=BBC Sport |date=1 September 2003 |archive-date=2 September 2003 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030902012402/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/3196017.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> "That's a lot [of players leaving] when the normal rule is: never change a winning team," stated Zidane.<ref name="Lowe">Lowe, Sid (2013). "Fear and Loathing in La Liga: The True Story of Barcelona and Real Madrid". p. 356-357. Random House,</ref> Real Madrid, with newly appointed coach [[Carlos Queiroz]], started their domestic league slowly after a hard win over [[Real Betis]].<ref name="Lowe"/>

The [[2005–06 Real Madrid CF season|2005–06 season]] began with the promise of several new signings: [[Júlio Baptista]] (€24&nbsp;million), [[Robinho]] (€30&nbsp;million), and [[Sergio Ramos]] (€27&nbsp;million).<ref>[http://www.marca.com/2014/05/17/en/football/spanish_football/1400326984.html "Alberto Moreno angling for Real Madrid move"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140824060857/http://www.marca.com/2014/05/17/en/football/spanish_football/1400326984.html |date=24 August 2014 }}. Marca. Retrieved 23 August 2014</ref> However, Real Madrid suffered from some poor results, including a 0–3 loss at the hands of Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu in November 2005.<ref>{{cite news|title=Real Madrid 0–3 Barcelona|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4441406.stm|access-date=26 July 2014|work=BBC Sport|date=19 November 2005|archive-date=29 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829221420/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4441406.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Madrid's coach [[Vanderlei Luxemburgo|Wanderley Luxemburgo]] was sacked the following month and his replacement was [[Juan Ramón López Caro]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Real Madrid sack coach Luxemburgo |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4497208.stm |access-date=26 July 2014 |work=BBC Sport |date=4 December 2005 |archive-date=21 January 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070121014016/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4497208.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> A brief return to form came to an abrupt halt after Madrid lost the first leg of the [[2005–06 Copa del Rey|Copa del Rey]] semi-finals 6–1 to Real Zaragoza,<ref>{{cite news |title=Real Madrid concede six in defeat |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4695456.stm |access-date=26 July 2014 |work=BBC Sport |date=8 February 2006 |archive-date=18 June 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060618032949/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4695456.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> a defeat that was nearly reversed with a 4–0 home victory. Shortly after, Real Madrid were eliminated from the Champions League for a fourth successive year, this time at the hands of [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]]. On 27 February 2006, Florentino Pérez resigned.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/4757112.stm |title=Perez resigns as Madrid president |work=BBC Sport |date=27 February 2006 |access-date=7 January 2012 |archive-date=3 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203171959/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/4757112.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>