🏈 LaLiga stars enjoy first NFL game in Madrid

Nov 17, 2025, 05:27 AM ET

Spanish LaLiga‘s stars turned out in force for the NFL matchup between the Washington Commanders and Miami Dolphins at the Bernabéu Stadium on Sunday — a milestone in NFL history, as it was the first time a regular-season game has been held in Spain.

The Bernabéu underwent quite a transformation beforehand, as Real Madrid were proud to show off.

🤩 You’ve never seen the Bernabéu like this before! pic.twitter.com/bOHChziLlf

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) November 16, 2025

Before the game, Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez and former coach Zinedine Zidane met up — alongside Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the president of the Community of Madrid, and José Luis Martínez Almeida, the mayor of Madrid — posed for photos, chatted, and exchanged a few warm gestures. Zidane was the NFL’s guest of honor to toss the coin to start things off.

Club president attends @NFL game at the Bernabéu. pic.twitter.com/IjNiW5ZZn0

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) November 16, 2025

Other current players who attended the game included Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann (who is a big fan of American sports) and Koke.

Madrid defender Antonio Rüdiger also made it.

💥 Despiste con Rüdiger y reencuentro con Florentino: así fue el regreso de Zidane al Bernabéu

📹 @javiermansan #NFL pic.twitter.com/7HWjVOkVSW

— MARCA (@marca) November 16, 2025

And so did former Madrid forward and now-Fenerbahce star Marco Asensio.

There was also room for some former greats as Madrid legends Iker Casillas and Guti, both now retired, who also came along. And Casillas had the chance to catch up with Mexico legend Memo Ochoa.

¡SE ENCONTRARON LOS ARQUEROS! 🧤

Efusivo saludo entre Memo Ochoa e Iker Casillas en el Santiago Bernabéu. Los porteros se encontraron en el partido de NFL en Madrid 🇪🇸

(vía oussifooty) pic.twitter.com/yo2k4Rv3Do

— Futbol Picante (@futpicante) November 16, 2025

Musical artists performing during the halftime show included Daddy Yankee and Bizarrap, while it was the seventh and last international game of the season for the NFL, which will be heading to Mexico City next year.

The game was won by the Dolphins in overtime, 16-13, thanks to a 29-yard field goal by Riley Patterson. But, before that, Dolphins star Jack Jones celebrated a key interception in the only way he could in the Bernabéu: by copying Cristiano Ronaldo‘s famous «SIU» celebration.