The Ultimate top 25 List of the Greatest Football Players to Ever Play for Real Madrid

Real Madrid is one of the most successful and popular football clubs in the world, and over the years, they have had many talented players represent the team. In this list, we will be taking a look at 25 of the top football players who have ever played for Real Madrid. From legendary goalscorers to world-class defenders, these players have helped lead the team to numerous victories and cemented their place in football history.

  1. Cristiano Ronaldo – Ronaldo is widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time. He played for Real Madrid from 2009 to 2018, scoring 450 goals in 438 appearances. He helped lead the team to three Champions League titles and five La Liga titles.
  2. Alfredo Di Stéfano – Di Stefano is considered one of the greatest players in Real Madrid’s history. He played for the club from 1953 to 1964, scoring 308 goals in 396 appearances. He was a key member of the team that won the first five European Cup titles.
  3. Ferenc Puskás – Puskás is remembered as one of the greatest goalscorers in football history. He played for Real Madrid from 1958 to 1966, scoring 242 goals in 262 appearances. He helped lead the team to three European Cup titles and five La Liga titles.
  4. Raúl – Raúl is the all-time leading goalscorer for Real Madrid, with 323 goals in 741 appearances. He played for the club from 1994 to 2010 and won six La Liga titles and three Champions League titles.
  5. Zinédine Zidane – Zidane played for Real Madrid from 2001 to 2006, winning the Champions League twice. He is now the manager of the team.
  6. Francisco Gento – Gento is considered one of the greatest wingers in football history. He played for Real Madrid from 1953 to 1971, scoring 82 goals in 603 appearances. He won an impressive 12 La Liga titles and six European Cup titles with the club.
  7. Iker Casillas – Casillas is widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time. He played for Real Madrid from 1999 to 2015, making 725 appearances for the club. He won five La Liga titles and three Champions League titles with Real Madrid.
  8. Roberto Carlos – Carlos is remembered as one of the best left backs in football history. He played for Real Madrid from 1996 to 2007, making 527 appearances for the club. He won four La Liga titles and three Champions League titles with Real Madrid.
  9. Sergio Ramos – Ramos is currently the captain of Real Madrid and has been with the club since 2005. He has made over 700 appearances for the team, winning numerous titles including four La Liga titles and four Champions League titles.
  10. Luka Modric – Modric is a Croatian midfielder who has played for Real Madrid since 2012. He has won four Champions League titles and one La Liga title with the club and was named the Ballon d’Or winner in 2018.
  11. Fabio Cannavaro – Cannavaro is an Italian defender who played for Real Madrid from 2006 to 2009. He helped lead the team to a La Liga title in 2007 and was named the FIFA World Player of the Year that same year.
  12. Gheorghe Hagi – Hagi is a Romanian midfielder who played for Real Madrid on loan from Brescia in 1996. He scored one goal in 13 appearances for the club.
  13. Samuel Eto’o – Eto’o is a Cameroonian striker who played for Real Madrid from 1997 to 2000. He scored 23 goals in 57 appearances for the club and helped lead them to a UEFA Champions League title in 1998.
  14. Kaká – Kaká is a Brazilian midfielder who played for Real Madrid from 2009 to 2013. He scored 29 goals in 120 appearances for the club and helped lead them to a La Liga title in 2012.
  15. James Rodríguez – Rodríguez is a Colombian midfielder who played for Real Madrid from 2014 to 2019. He scored 36 goals in 110 appearances for the club and helped lead them to two Champions League titles.
  16. Gabriel Heinze – Heinze is an Argentine defender who played for Real Madrid from 2007 to 2009. He made 67 appearances for the club and helped lead them to a La Liga title in 2008.
  17. Xabi Alonso – Alonso is a Spanish midfielder who played for Real Madrid from 2009 to 2014. He made 214 appearances for the club and helped lead them to a La Liga title in 2012.
  18. Emmanuel Adebayor – Adebayor is a Togolese striker who played for Real Madrid on loan from Manchester City in 2011. He scored five goals in 20 appearances for the club.
  19. Júlio Baptista – Baptista is a Brazilian striker who played for Real Madrid from 2005 to 2007. He scored 22 goals in 62 appearances for the club and helped lead them to a La Liga title in 2007.
  20. Antonio Cassano – Cassano is an Italian striker who played for Real Madrid from 2006 to 2007. He scored eight goals in 23 appearances for the club.
  21. Fabio Coentrão – Coentrão is a Portuguese defender who played for Real Madrid from 2011 to 2015. He made 101 appearances for the club and helped lead them to a Champions League title in 2014.
  22. Marcelo – Marcelo is a Brazilian defender who has played for Real Madrid since 2007. He has made over 500 appearances for the club and has won numerous titles including four Champions League titles and four La Liga titles.
  23. Marco Asensio – Asensio is a Spanish midfielder who has played for Real Madrid since 2014. He has made over 100 appearances for the club and has won numerous titles including two Champions League titles and one La Liga title.
  24. Arjen Robben – Robben is a Dutch winger who played for Real Madrid from 2007 to 2009. He scored 19 goals in 51 appearances for the club and helped lead them to a La Liga title in 2007.
  25. Rafael van der Vaart – Van der Vaart is a Dutch midfielder who played for Real Madrid from 2008 to 2010. He scored 23 goals in 60 appearances for the club and helped lead them to a La Liga title in 2008.

And Some Extra for the fans:

  • Michel – Michel is a Spanish midfielder who played for Real Madrid from 1979 to 1989. He scored 22 goals in 229 appearances for the club and helped lead them to three La Liga titles and two Copa del Rey titles.
  • José Sanchís – Sanchís is a Spanish defender who played for Real Madrid from 1983 to 2001. He made over 500 appearances for the club and helped lead them to six La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League titles.
  • Ruud van Nistelrooy – Van Nistelrooy is a Dutch striker who played for Real Madrid from 2006 to 2010. He scored 60 goals in 96 appearances for the club and helped lead them to a La Liga title in 2007.
  • Guti – Guti is a Spanish midfielder who played for Real Madrid from 1995 to 2010. He scored 59 goals in 529 appearances for the club and helped lead them to five La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League titles.
  • Paco Gento – Gento is a Spanish winger who played for Real Madrid from 1953 to 1971. He scored 70 goals in 623 appearances for the club and helped lead them to six European Cup titles and 12 La Liga titles.
  • Hugo Sánchez – Sánchez is a Mexican striker who played for Real Madrid from 1985 to 1992. He scored 208 goals in 282 appearances for the club and helped lead them to five La Liga titles.
  • Bernd Schuster – Schuster is a German midfielder who played for Real Madrid from 1988 to 1990. He scored 10 goals in 64 appearances for the club and helped lead them to a La Liga title in 1990.
  • Clarence Seedorf – Seedorf is a Dutch midfielder who played for Real Madrid from 1996 to 2000. He scored 15 goals in 71 appearances for the club and helped lead them to a La Liga title in 1997.

It’s not easy to make it onto this list, as Real Madrid has had many talented players throughout its history. However, the 25 players mentioned here have all made a significant impact on the team and are considered some of the best to have ever donned the famous white shirt. Whether they were scoring crucial goals or making game-saving tackles, these players will always be remembered as some of the greatest to have ever played for Real Madrid.

Gábor Tompos
Gábor Tompos

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