Ranked! The 12 best Real Madrid players of all time
Real Madrid, the Royal Spanish Club, is also one of the most successful teams in Europe ever. Wearing the white shirt of Real Madrid is a dream for every footballer. The opportunity to achieve glory with numerous prestigious titles will then come to them. When thinking of Real Madrid, who immediately comes to mind? Are you thinking of Ronaldo, Beckham, or Zidane? Let’s join the Kingsoccertips admin as we rank the 12 best Real Madrid players of all time below.
The best Real Madrid players – Top 12
1/ Alfredo Di Stefano (1953 – 1964) – Best Real Madrid players
Alfredo di Stéfano was born on July 4, 1926, in Barracas, Buenos Aires. He was a former football player and coach of Spanish-Colombian descent, originally from Argentina. He is most closely associated with Real Madrid, where he formed a formidable attacking partnership with Ferenc Puskás during the club’s dominance of European championships in the 1950s, a period in which Real Madrid won 5 consecutive European Cups from 1956 until 1960.
Di Stéfano also holds the record for being Real Madrid’s top scorer in domestic competitions, with 216 goals in 285 matches from 1953 to 1964. In November 2003, to commemorate FIFA’s 100th anniversary, Di Stéfano was chosen by the Royal Spanish Football Federation as the golden player of Spanish football, the most outstanding player in the country’s football history over the past 50 years.
2/ Cristiano Ronaldo (2009 – 2018)
Number 2 on the list of the best Real Madrid players is the football legend and symbol of the club throughout the years – Cristiano Ronaldo. Considered the best player in the world and one of the greatest players of all time, Ronaldo has won 5 European Golden Balls and 4 European Golden Boots.
He won 32 trophies in his career, including seven league titles, five UEFA Champions Leagues, one UEFA European Championship, and one UEFA Nations League. Ronaldo holds the record for the most international goals (109, along with Ali Daei), the top scorer (134) in the UEFA Champions League, and also the top scorer at the European Championship.
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the few players to have made more than 1,100 appearances and has scored over 780 career goals for club and country. He is also the second player to score 100 goals for the national team and the first European player to achieve this feat. At Real Madrid, he won 15 trophies, including 2 La Liga titles, 2 Copa del Rey titles, and 4 UEFA Champions League titles.
3/ Ferenc Puskás (1958 – 1966) – Best Real Madrid players
Ferenc Puskás, also known as the “Super Speed Major,” is one of the best strikers and best Real Madrid players history. The Hungarian striker arrived at Real Madrid after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and quickly became Real Madrid’s true goal king.
Puskas possesses powerful shooting ability, the skill to head the ball, the capability to finish with both feet and sharp goalscoring instincts. Each of his touches poses a dangerous threat to the opponent’s goal. Together with Di Stefano, Puskas formed the best-attacking duo in world football history and helped Real Madrid win many prestigious titles.
4/ Raúl González Blanco (1994 – 2007)
Raúl González Blanco (born 27 June 1977 in Madrid, Spain), commonly referred to simply as Raúl, is a Spanish former footballer who played as a forward. The majority of Raúl’s playing career was spent with Spanish club Real Madrid until 2010, and he is one of the best Real Madrid players, being the club’s all-time top goalscorer behind Cristiano Ronaldo.
Raúl has won the UEFA Champions League three times. He left Real Madrid on 25 July 2010, with a record of 323 goals in 740 competitive appearances. Raúl has a distinct type of goal celebration. After each goal, he kissed his wedding ring, dedicating the goal to his wife, Mamen Sanz. He enjoys reading, especially books by Arturo Pérez Reverte; listening to Spanish music; and hunting.
5/ Zinedine Zidane (2001 – 2006)
Zinédine Zidane, also known as Zizou, was born on 23 June 1972 in Marseille, France. He is an Algerian-born French football manager and former player. Zidane was crowned World Cup champion with France for the first time in 1998 and Euro champion in 2000. As one of the best Real Madrid players, Zidane became a world football icon at number 10. The French legend possesses an exquisite style of play and sharp tactical vision.
Zizou wowed fans and pundits with his classy goal in the Champions League final in 2002. Zidane has won many prestigious titles collectively, including the World Cup, Euro, Champions League, and National Championships. Individually, he has won the World Ballon d’Or, European Golden Ball, World Cup Golden Ball, Euro Player of the Year, European Club Player of the Year, and National Player of the Year awards in France, Italy, and Spain. His remarkable achievements and skills place him among the best Real Madrid players ever.
6/ Francisco Gento (1953 – 1971) – Real Madrid players
Francisco ‘Paco’ Gento López (born 22 October 1933 in Guarnizo, Cantabria) is a Spanish former footballer. He started playing in La Liga with Racing Santander in the 1952–53 season. The following year, he joined Real Madrid and became a legendary player for the club, wearing the number 11 shirt.
Nicknamed Galerna del Cantábrico (The Cantabrian Storm), Gento is a left winger who not only has great speed (he can run 100 meters in just over 10 seconds and has equally fast dribbling speed) but also possesses good ball technique and the ability to score goals typical of a player in this position. He captained a youthful Real Madrid team that dominated Spanish football in the 1960s, known in Spain as Ye-yé due to the popularity of The Beatles at that time. Gento’s remarkable contributions make him one of the best Real Madrid players of all time.
7/ Iker Casillas (1999 – 2015)
Iker Casillas Fernández (born 20 May 1981 in Madrid) is a Spanish former goalkeeper and a legend of La Liga club Real Madrid. Iker Casillas was named the best goalkeeper in the world in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 according to FIFPRO. He is known as one of the best goalkeepers in both the history of world football and contemporary football.
The nickname ‘Saint Iker,’ given by his beloved fans, is a testament to Casilla’s talent. In the prime years of his career, he was known for his exceptional reflexes, countless precise saves and exits, and excellent defensive command. He played 725 matches as the goalkeeper for Real Madrid, with the team winning 5 La Liga championships, 2 Copa del Rey titles, and 3 Champions League titles. Casilla’s impressive contributions have earned him a place among the best Real Madrid players in history.
8/ Fernando Ruiz Hierro (1989 – 2003)
Fernando Ruiz Hierro (born 23 March 1968) is a retired Spanish footballer. He is primarily known for his career with Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, having appeared in more than 500 official matches and representing Spain with nearly 90 appearances in four World Cups and two European Championships.
With Real Madrid, he won 5 La Liga titles and 3 UEFA Champions League titles in almost 15 years. In the world of football, there are very special players, possessing qualities and personalities that only they have. A typical example of this type of player is Fernando Hierro, the once-famous defender known for his ability to score goals as effectively as a striker.
9/ Roberto Carlos (1996 – 2007) – Real Madrid players
Carlos is one of the best left-backs in the world and in the history of football of all time. He was a member of the Brazil team for 3 consecutive World Cups, played 125 matches, and won 1 World Cup. He played for Real Madrid for over 500 matches and 11 seasons. He conquered 4 La Liga titles and 3 UEFA Champions League titles.
Although only 1.68 meters in height, he has extremely large thighs. The Brazilian star has a shot that is as powerful as firing rockets at the opponent’s goal. During his football career, he also scored spectacular goals that set a precedent in football history. Roberto Carlos joined Real Madrid in 1996; he was given the number 3 shirt and played as a left-back for the club for more than a decade.
10/ Emilio Butragueno (1983 – 1995)
Emilio Butragueño Santos (born 22 July 1963 in Madrid) is a Spanish former footballer who played as a forward for Castilla, Real Madrid, Atlético Celaya, and the Spanish national team. Throughout his career, he was nicknamed El Buitre (The Vulture). He was also a member of the ‘Five Vultures,’ along with his Real Madrid teammates Manolo Sanchís, Martín Vázquez, Míchel, and Miguel Pardeza. His exceptional performance for Real Madrid cements his place as one of the best Real Madrid players. He also served as vice president of Real Madrid.
In 1981, Butragueño moved to Real Madrid as a youth player and played for their reserve team, Real Madrid Castilla, before making his debut for Real’s first team under the legendary Alfredo Di Stéfano in 1984 against Cádiz CF. He won the European Bronze Ball (ranked 3rd in the European Ballon d’Or voting) twice in a row (1986 and 1987) and won the Pichichi (top scorer in the Spanish Football Championship) in 1991. Butragueño’s impressive achievements have firmly established him among the best Real Madrid players of all time.
11/ Hugo Sanchez (1985 – 1990)
After five successful seasons in the Mexican league with 99 goals, Hugo attracted the interest of several Spanish teams. He signed to play with Atletico Madrid in 1981, despite being offered a position by Premier League giants Arsenal. It took some time for Hugo to find his footing in La Liga, and by the 1984/85 season, he had scored regularly. Atletico won the Copa del Rey, finished the season in second place in La Liga, and won the Spanish Super Cup.
At the peak of his career, he signed with the world’s greatest club, Real Madrid, in 1985 and became teammates with players such as Camacho, Butragueño, Gordillo, Valdano, and Michel. Together, they won 5 consecutive league titles (from 1986 to 1990), the Copa del Rey in 1989, and the UEFA Cup in 1986. In those 5 years, Hugo Sánchez won 4 consecutive Pichichi titles, scoring 207 goals in 283 matches.
12/ Sergio Ramos (2005 – 2021) – Best Real Madrid players
One of Real Madrid’s best center-backs is Sergio Ramos. The Spaniard was with Real Madrid for 18 years and became an icon of the club. He is known for his keen situational reading, strong ball contention, and accurate passing ability.
Ramos is a solid stopper in defense, helping Real Madrid win countless titles, including 5 Champions League titles, 5 La Liga titles, and 2 Copa del Rey titles. Sergio Ramos was also the leader of Real Madrid for many years and led the team to many trophies, as well as helping it become one of the greatest teams in the world.
Conclusion
Above is a list of the best Real Madrid players most loved by fans. Surely, those who are knowledgeable about and passionate about football cannot help but recognize the names listed above, right? So which players do you see as the most talented and what other names would you like to add to this list? Please review the information and provide your own ranking based on the most suitable criteria.
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