Pedro Parages Diego-Madrazo (17 December 1883 – 15 February 1950) was a Franco-Spanish footballer, manager, and the 5th President of Real Madrid from July 1916 until 16 May 1926. During his mandate, Madrid FC received the Royal title (Real) from the hands of the King Alfonso XIII. He played as a forward for Association Sportive Amicale before joining Madrid FC (now Real Madrid) in 1902. Parages was thus the very first French player to represent Los Merengues. Parages was one of the most important footballers in the amateur beginnings of Madrid FC, being one of the main architects of the team's football power in the 1900s and playing a pivotal role in the club's four back-to-back Copa del Rey titles between 1905 and 1908, playing in all the finals and netting twice in the 1906 final. After retiring he became the club's fifth president, a position he held for 10 years between 1916 and 1926. During that period he also coached the Spain national team at the 1924 Summer Olympics held in Paris, being eliminated in the preliminary phase in the only competitive match of the three that he was at the helm of the team. He is regarded as one of the most influential and recognized personalities of the entity. His outstanding work in favor of the growing sport of football earned him in the 1931–32 season the recently inaugurated distinction of the Medalla al Mérito del Fútbol awarded by the Madrid Football Federation. Playing career Early years Pedro Parages was born in Madrid to a Spanish mother and a French father, from whom he adopts his nationality. The family businesses (textile) made a young Pedro complete his training in Manchester, where he studied commerce (Business). He was introduced to football in Manchester, developing a deep interest in the sport, and so, in 1900, when he returned to Madrid after completing his studies, he did so with great knowledge about football, which was only beginning to take shape in Spain. Upon returning to Spain, he began his practice at the Association Sportive Française, later known as the Association Sportive Amicale, of the French Lyceum of Madrid, a club where he played for two years, until 1902, when he joined Madrid FC, who had just been officially established on 6 March 1902 in a meeting held in the back room of Al Capricho by the Padrós brothers (Juan and Carlos).