2012 Real Madrid Away – Cristiano Ronaldo #7 Small

The 2011–12 season was one of the most dominant and historically important campaigns in Real Madrid’s illustrious history. Managed by José Mourinho in his second year, Madrid reclaimed supremacy in Spain with a record-breaking La Liga title, wresting control from Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona in emphatic fashion.

Real Madrid finished La Liga champions with 100 points, the first team in Spanish history to reach triple digits. They scored a staggering 121 league goals, also a record at the time, winning 32 matches and conceding just 32 goals. Mourinho’s side combined tactical ruthlessness with explosive attacking football, mastering transitions and high-intensity pressing. The title was effectively sealed at the Camp Nou with a decisive 2–1 victory over Barcelona, a symbolic power shift in Spanish football.

In cup competitions, Madrid won the Supercopa de España earlier in the cycle (2011) but were eliminated in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals by Barcelona. In the Champions League, they reached the semi-finals, where they were heartbreakingly eliminated by Bayern Munich on penalties after a fiercely contested two-legged tie.

The 2011–12 Real Madrid away kit, produced by adidas, was bold and unforgettable. Featuring a striking deep purple base with white trim and Adidas stripes, it paid homage to the club’s historic alternate colors while embracing modern flair. The shirt, sponsored by bwin, became instantly iconic — inseparably linked to Real Madrid’s record-breaking league campaign and Cristiano Ronaldo’s peak athletic years.

2. Player’s Impact – Cristiano Ronaldo

The 2011–12 season represented Cristiano Ronaldo at his absolute physical and statistical peak. Wearing the purple away shirt in some of Madrid’s most hostile environments, Ronaldo delivered one of the greatest individual seasons in football history.

Ronaldo made 55 appearances in all competitions, scoring an astonishing 60 goals, including 46 in La Liga — a record at the time. He also provided 15+ assists, underlining his evolution from pure scorer into a complete attacking force. Operating primarily from the left but with total positional freedom, Ronaldo thrived in Mourinho’s system, devastating opponents with pace, power, aerial dominance, and lethal finishing.

Away from home, Ronaldo was especially ruthless. He scored decisive goals at the Camp Nou, the Vicente Calderón, and Mestalla, repeatedly silencing rival crowds. His iconic celebration at the Camp Nou — calmly gesturing to the crowd to “calma” — became one of the defining images of the season and of his Real Madrid legacy.

Tactically, Ronaldo was the spearhead of Madrid’s counterattacking machine. Supported by Mesut Özil’s vision and Ángel Di María’s work rate, he exploited space with unmatched efficiency. This season firmly established Ronaldo not just as a superstar, but as a relentless, record-breaking winner, laying the foundation for Real Madrid’s European dominance in the years that followed.

3. Full Squad List (Real Madrid – 2011–12 Season)

Manager: José Mourinho

Goalkeepers:
Iker Casillas (captain), Antonio Adán, Tomáš Mejías

Defenders:
Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Raphaël Varane, Marcelo, Fábio Coentrão, Álvaro Arbeloa, Ricardo Carvalho, Raúl Albiol

Midfielders:
Xabi Alonso, Sami Khedira, Mesut Özil, Ángel Di María, José Callejón, Lassana Diarra, Esteban Granero

Forwards:
Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Gonzalo Higuaín