Arthur Johnson, the Real Madrid pioneer who rests in a Merseyside cemetery

Long before Jude Bellingham lit up El Clásico, there was Arthur Johnson — a name that may not ring a bell for most fans, but without whom the story of Real Madrid and its fierce rivalry with Barcelona might never have taken shape.

Born in Dublin in 1878, Arthur Vere Scott Johnson holds a unique place in soccer history: he scored Real Madrid’s first-ever goal against Barcelona in 1902, during what was also the club’s first official match. That goal kicked off a tally that now exceeds 440 goals against the Catalan giants — a list which Bellingham recently added to.

But Johnson’s legacy goes far beyond that historic strike over a century ago.

Honoring one of Real Madrid’s founding figures

Last Wednesday, as Xabi Alonso’s team were preparing their trip to Merseyside for Tuesday’s Champions League clash, a group of Real Madrid and Liverpool fans gathered at Wallasey Cemetery to pay tribute at Johnson’s grave.

The modest tombstone had long gone unnoticed, until Vincent Shuttleworth — a local resident — discovered it purely by chance after moving to the area.

“Arthur Johnson is one of the cornerstones of Real Madrid,” Shuttleworth said. Since then, he and other fans have worked to clean and preserve the site, recognizing Johnson’s pivotal role in the birth of one of the world’s most iconic soccer clubs.

Lovers of the Beautiful Game

One thing that residents of Madrid and Liverpool share in common is that they are both passionate about the Beautiful Game, and Johnson was crazy about football. One anecdote recalls him getting married in Madrid on a Saturday, then turning up for a game the following morning.

The tribute was made possible by a friendship forged during one of the many recent matchups between Liverpool and Real Madrid. Les Wright, a member of the Liverpool Irregulars fan club, and Gerardo Tocino, president of the Madridista group La Gran Familia, helped organize the event.

“Rivalry aside, friendship is what truly matters,” Tocino said. The Peña Tribuna Lateral Club de Socios Real Madrid also participated.

Who Was Arthur Johnson?

Johnson wasn’t just a goal scorer — he was a teacher, mentor, and visionary. After moving to Barcelona for work, he briefly played for the Blaugranas, but his heart remained with Madrid. He taught Real Madrid’s early players the rules of the game, the tactics, and even the tricks of a sport that was just beginning to take root in Spain.

A versatile athlete, Johnson played both as a right winger and as a goalkeeper — a rare dual role even in those early days.

A quiet grave, now marked in history

Johnson died of pneumonia at age 50 and was buried in Wallasey, over on the other side of the River Mersey, facing Liverpool. For decades, his grave remained largely unnoticed — except by locals who knew the story. One resident even approached fans outside the cemetery, asking, “Are you here to see Johnson’s grave?”

Thanks to fans like Kevin Cuthbertson, who cleaned the headstone last summer, and Shuttleworth, who recently added a commemorative plaque, Johnson’s final resting place is finally receiving the recognition it deserves. La Gran Familia also placed a portrait of Johnson at the site.

“This might be the first step toward a more permanent and fitting memorial,” Shuttleworth said. “Here lies one of the first building blocks of what Real Madrid has become.”

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