The Real Madrid Way

Praise

“This book will be one of the most influential books on sports ever written. It doesn’t matter if you are a soccer or Real Madrid fan, you will look at sports and business in a different way after reading this book.”
—Billy Beane, executive vice president of baseball operations and minority owner of the Oakland Athletics

“The fact that Steven Mandis was given complete access into the inner sanctum of the richest football [soccer] club in the world testifies to the trust Real Madrid placed on Steven’s head, which is quite amazing. This is the definitive, comprehensive survey on the essential workings of this famous club. It is an eye-opening account, clinical and done with a sensitive touch.”
—Sir Alex Ferguson, manager of Manchester United 1986-2013

“With unprecedented behind-the-scenes access, this book is the most complete study of any sports team ever done, analyzing both on the field and off the field performance— which leads to fascinating conclusions.”
—David Stern, NBA commissioner emeritus

“The book magisterially penetrates through all the mystique of Real Madrid, football [soccer] and sports. This is the ultimate look behind the regal velvet ropes and steel curtains both in the boardroom and locker room at the most successful and valuable team in sports, Real Madrid.”
—Ray Hudson, soccer commentator for beIN Sport, retired English professional soccer player, and former MLS coach

“This book expands on and challenges aspects of Soccernomics and The Numbers Game because of Mandis’s access and organizational considerations and reexamines and questions facets and applications of Moneyball.”
—Francisco Pérez Cutiño, whose graduate research at Cambridge University is referenced in Soccernomics

“This is much more than a book about a soccer team. If you love the NFL, MLB, or NBA, this book is a must-read because it will change the way you view your favorite team.”
—Geoff Pope, cornerback for 2008 New York Giants, XLII Super Bowl Champions

“No Real Madrid book, or sports book for that matter, has ever been written like it. Mandis’s unique background in business and academics and outsider’s perspective produces an essential book for any Madridista’s library collection.”
—Gabe Lezra, founder and editor-in-chief emeritus of ManagingMadrid.com

“The Real Madrid Way delivers ground-breaking insights about the success formula for a legendary sports franchise. An in-depth exploration of organization culture provides a great balance to the role of sports analytics and makes this a must-read leadership book for anyone interested in sports management.”
—Vince Gennaro, director of the Masters of Science in Sports Management program at Columbia University, author of Diamond Dollars: The Economics of Winning in Baseball, and president of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR)

“Mandis explains the incredible power of community brands—where a global community feels so deeply passionate about the brand that the brand is synonymous with one’s identity, values and much more.”
—Andrew Messick, CEO of IRONMAN

“The Real Madrid Way explains how Real Madrid has created and maintained a culture that drives both financial and on-the-field success. An educational and inspiring example for sports fans and executives alike.”
—Lindsay McGregor and Neel Doshi, cofounders of Vega Factor and New York Times bestselling coauthors of Primed to Perform: How to Build the Highest Performing Cultures Through the Science of Total Motivation

“Mandis has created a gripping narrative exploring how Real Madrid has done the seemingly impossible: used a strong culture and shared values to overcome the problem of the too-much-talent effect. The book is a must for anyone interested in culture, leadership, and high performance.”
—Adam Galinsky, chair and Vikram S. Pandit Professor of Business at Columbia Business School and coauthor of Friend & Foe