The figure of Julián Palacios was ever-present in the club's early years. It was he who, in 1900, called a general meeting to decide which players would form Madrid's first team. The Padrós brothers took the reins shortly afterwards. Football was starting to generate a lot of attention and the number of members was growing in leaps and bounds. Its constitution as a company came on the 6th of March 1902, with a board of directors presided by Juan Padrós.
Those visionary directors made a proposal to the mayor of Madrid, Alberto Aguilera; the constitution of the first football tournament. The first competition was established in honour of king Alfonso XIII. Five companies registered for the tournament, which was held in the Hipódromo. It was the beginnings of the Copa de España and of what would become Madrid's hallmark, victory. The Whites won four titles from the first six editions.