Sports in Spain are a passion for its people. While football dominates the hearts and minds of the Spaniards, other games and activities such as basketball, tennis, cycling, handball, motorcycling, Formula 1 racing, water sports, golf, and skiing also receive their fair share of attention and glory. Sports in Spain have also survived in some indigenous forms, such as the Basque and the Valencian pelota. They are court sports played with a ball and one’s hand, or a racquet, a wooden bat, or a basket propulsor, traditionally between 2 teams, facing each other across a net or a line on the ground. The origin and evolution of many of these games are unknown, but they were formally recognized in the 19th century. The first official competitions were organized in the 1920s.

Football is by far the most popular of all sports in Spain. The country is home to renowned clubs, like the Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Sevilla FC, Villarreal FC and Valencia FC. These clubs have met with unparalleled success in the European competitions. For example, Real Madrid, considered by many to be the most successful club in football history, has won the UEFA Champions League for a record 9 times. The Spanish League or the La liga is considered to be one of the toughest football competitions in the world.

The glories of the Spanish national football team, however, are insignificant in comparison to the trail-blazing successes of the clubs. The team has qualified for the FIFA World Cup 12 times since 1930, has never won the tournament, and their best was only a fourth position in 1950. Their performance in the European championship, where they were champions in 1964, runners-up in 1984 and champions once again in 2008, has been comparatively better. Two of Spain’s famous football players are Raul Blanco and Andoni Zubizaretta.

Basketball is another of the popular sports in Spain. The Spanish ACB is one of the major European basketball leagues. Spanish teams such as Real Madrid Baloncesto, FC Barcelona Basquet and Joventut Badalona have won international championships such as the Euroleague or the Uleb Cup. Marc Gasol, Jose Calderon, Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Rodriguez are some of the better known Spanish basketball players. The Spanish national basketball team won their first ever gold medal at the 2006 FIBA World Championship.

Spain has produced a number of tennis champions, especially on the clay court. Ralf Nadal is considered the greatest Spanish tennis player of all time. Currently, he is ranked number one in the world of professional tennis. He was the second Spaniard to win the Wimbledon, and the first to win the Australian Open.

Cycling has been an important sport in Spain since the 1940s. The Vuelta a Espana is one of the most important cycling events in the world. The most successful Spanish cyclist is Miguel Indurain. He won the Tour de France for five consecutive years between 1991 and 1995.