The best Real Madrid players ever are some of the all-time greats. This club, after all, have a history like no others. An association not just with success but in bringing the best to the Bernabeu. Whether you love them or hate them, you can never quite write them off.
15 times, they've been continental champions, from the glory days of the 1950s to the modern Galactico sides assembled by Vicente Del Bosque and Zinedine Zidane: club legends who know a thing or two about winning. It's in the very DNA of this institution. They simply know how to grind out victory.
And some of the greatest footballers to ever kick a ball have represented this iconic club. So picking just 50 here was a torrid task…
How the best Real Madrid players ever were chosen by our football experts at FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo's footballing experts compiled this list of Real Madrid's all-time GOATs based on a number of attributes, statistics and other factors.
As with our list of the best Barcelona players of all time, we looked at legacy and importance to Real Madrid as an institution, balancing what this player did for the club, regardless of their ability. With so many trophies in the Bernabeu cabinet, we wanted to reflect the stars who brought them home – and so people who reflected the very essence of the side was paramount to our list.
But let's not forget the talent that Real Madrid have boasted over the years. How formidable a player was – no matter how short that form – had to be considered, so there are players on this list who perhaps burned bright for a short while, or maybe didn't join all that long ago. We wanted to reflect the technical genius that Los Blancos has seen, as much as the silverware.
We consulted Real Madrid fans and experts to finesse our list, coming up with this as a final countdown of the great and the good to have played for this hallowed institution. Do you agree with our ranking? Let us know @FourFourTwo.
50. Mesut Ozil
One of the greatest German technicians of his time, Cristiano Ronaldo was left ‘angry’ after Mesut Ozil left for Arsenal back in 2013, which tells you everything you need to know. Spending just three years at the Bernabeu, Ozil’s impact was limited, but his gift was simple. An eye for a killer pass, it remains a mystery that he did not remain in Spain longer. But having left with more assists than Zinedine Zidane and Luka Modric, despite being there a shorter time than the pair, his impact will forever be felt.
49. Jude Bellingham
Yes, already. It is very rare that an Englishman can move to Spain and be idolised in the way Jude Bellingham has been at Real Madrid. It is even more devastating given his age, with a certain type of character needed to cope with the level of pressure that comes with being a Los Blancos player.
Already a Champions League and La Liga winner, the 21-year-old has already been dubbed the next captain of the club and lung-busting midfielder performances go along in proving he looks more than ready to be so.
48. Raphael Varane
Commonly regarded as one of the best central defenders of all time, ‘Rolls Royce’ Raphael Varane won four UEFA Champions League crowns with Real Madrid and formed a formidable partnership with Sergio Ramos. Aerially exquisite, comfortable in possession, Varane oozed class whenever he stepped onto the pitch, spending a decade donning the famous white jersey. He won a staggering 18 titles in Spain and will forever be adored by Madrid supporters, no doubt.
47. Fernando Morientes
The perfect partner to legendary forward Raul, Fernando Morientes is often perhaps a little underrated given his time at Real Madrid. Quick, dynamic and with a deadly eye for goal, Morientes hammered in exactly 100 goals for Los Blancos during his eight years at the club. Not bad for a striker who cost just £5.5million. Winning two La Liga titles and three European Cups, the former Liverpool man is still widely renowned as a cult hero at Bernabeu.
46. Steve McManaman
One of the most high-profile Bosman transfers of all time, Steve McMananman’s 1999 transfer made him only the third England player to play for Real Madrid. A gentleman both on and off the pitch, McManaman captured the hearts of supporters with his dazzling midfield displays, showing off his versatility playing in a number of different positions. A creative playmaker, it is certain Real will never have a player like him in their ranks again.
45. Guti
An iconic Madrid midfielder, Guti is still regarded as one of the club’s best homegrown talents. Spending 24 years with Madrid, he won a whopping 15 trophies and played at every level for boyhood club. His career at Real Madrid will be remembered for one of longevity and loyalty, something that is now rarely seen in the modern game.
“I'd prefer 30 minutes at [Real] Madrid than 90 at another team,” famously said the midfielder, optimising his love for the Galacticos.
44. Chendo
There were few defenders as committed as Chendo – and he may well have put in the greatest-ever performance against Diego Maradona. The right-back had a modest stature but incredible concentration and discipline, winning seven titles and playing nearly 500 times for Los Blancos. He finished his career in 1998 with a Champions League to put the cherry on a magnificent career at the top.
43. Rafael Gordillo
One of the greatest wing-backs of a generation, Rafael Gordillo moved from Real Betis to Real Madrid and won everything in Spanish football. Five consecutive titles were punctuated by the UEFA Cup in 1986, with Real's homegrown heroes sweeping the board. Gordillo was ever-reliable and formed a formidable partnership with Jose Camacho on the opposite flank.
42. Jacinto Quincoces
A defender of strength and intelligence, Jacinto Quincoces is regarded as one of the greatest pre-WWII Spanish footballers ever. With a penchant for the dramatic, the Basque centre-back was a key member in two LaLiga triumphs and two Spanish Cups.
41. Juanito
"Playing for Real Madrid is like touching the sky," Juanito said when he joined the club – and he managed to take Los Blancos to amazing heights. A key member in five league titles, two Copa Del Reys and two UEFA Cups, the Spaniard spent a decade at the Bernabeu and cemented his name as one of the club's classiest forwards.
40. David Beckham
Arguably the best dead-ball specialist of all time, David Beckham’s 2003 transfer from Real Madrid remains one of the most iconic of its generation. Style, grace and a hard-working demeanour on the pitch mean Becks was instantly idolised by a generation of Madrid supporters.
Making just 159 appearances, he is commonly known as the ‘Golden Englishman’ and his 2004 free-kick against Osasuna will go down as one of his best. A true sporting icon in that majestic white kit.
39. Nacho
Some teams need flair. Some teams need style. Some teams need a Nacho. Left-back, centre-back, right-back, he’ll be there, epitomising the man who spent some 23 years with his boyhood club. Often unnoticed, Nacho captained the club to a La Liga and Champions League double in his final campaign, whilst also racking up 350 appearances.
A visionary passer of the ball with equal amounts of aggression and endurance, he won 24 titles and again is another underrated icon of Madrid’s storied past.
38. Hector Rial
The English got a taste of Hector Rial when he scored against them in a friendly in 1955. The Three Lions' defence couldn't deal with him that day: Rial was a complete striker and a playmaker rolled into one, capable of unleashing firebolts of shots and setting up his teammates. He was underrated in those early European Cup-winning sides – but certainly not by teammates who saw him as the perfect foil.
37. Vinicius Jr
A modern-day genius, Vinicius Jr continues to go from strength to strength, with a Ballon d’Or crown seemingly heading his way aged just 24. Explosive, devastatingly skillful and one of the best in the world at present, it is clear his future remains at Real Madrid for the foreseeable. His arrival back in 2018 presented one of curiosity, but with his displays especially in Europe attracting fans from all over the world, he could quickly become one of Madrid’s all-time greats in the not-so-distant future.
36. Jose Maria Zarraga
The dependable midfield general for five European Cups on the trot, Jose Zarrraga was the Casemiro of his day with tough tackling and a steely leadership. The Spaniard was a mainstay of the side for over 10 years and was much missed when he retired in 1962.
35. Amancio Amaro
'The Galician Wizard' put some showmanship back into Real Madrid when he arrived in 1962. A winger with a wicked lick of pace and an eye for the spectacular, Amancio was a member of the "Ye-Ye" side that made multiple European finals with its devastating strike force, inspiring so many to play with his reckless abandon. He retired in 1976 as a European champion 10 years' prior and nine-time La Liga winner.
34. Marquitos
Marquitos was a defender with bravery and versatility in spades. After impressing in a match against Real, the capital club were convinced to bring him to Madrid, where he lifted the first five European Cups. Whether he played at full-back or centre-back, he would leave all of himself on the pitch for the cause.
33. Thibaut Courtois
There are not many better goalkeepers in world football to have enjoyed a career at the top level like Thibaut Courtois has done. Having already played for rivals Atletico Madrid previously in his career, a rare feat for a man who is so popular in the city, the Belgian expresses all the modern-day facets a goalkeeper should have and Real Madrid are lucky to have him.
Already a three-time Spanish champion and two-time Champions League winner, his legendary status continues to be carved in Madrid.
32. Gareth Bale
Perhaps one of the strangest players to be included in this list, Gareth Bale’s legacy at the Bernabeu is one that still to this day continues to split opinion. Having single-handedly helped Real to win the Champions League, again, back in 2018, many thought his iconic career in Spain would be set in stone. But contract disputes and behind-the-scenes falling outs meant Bale ticked down his contract by playing golf and attracting wholesale hate from supporters. A strange saga, for a player who did so much for Real.
31. Manolo
One of many Spaniards through the Real youth system of the 80s, Manolo was a fixture until 2001 – and was an intelligent defender instrumental in six championship titles. Hard but fair, he skippered Los Blancos for 13 years, racking up 710 appearances for the side he broke into as a boy.
30. Claude Makelele
Considered one of the best holding midfield players of all-time, the Makelele role was subsequently born and utilised. It seems only right that he spent time at Real Madrid, winning two La Liga titles and a Champions League crown. Labelled a ‘destroyer’ his task was simple. Win the ball back and give it to the attack-minded players. That he did, to great effect too. The Frenchman left for Chelsea in 2003 and thus criticism was lambasted the way of Real’s hierarchy.
29. Fernando Redondo
"What does this player have in his boots?" Sir Alex Ferguson asked of Fernando Redondo. "A magnet?”
Fernando Redondo is a name that perhaps not too many will be familiar with, especially given a career that was littered with injuries throughout. An elegant midfielder, Redondo helped Real reclaim their crown in Spain and in Europe across the mid to late 90s. Loved by the Spaniards for his vision and exemplary ability to dictate the game from deep, the former Argentina international played 228 times for Real and enjoyed success throughout.
28. Vicente Del Bosque
As a coach, he had an innate sense of balance in a team: as a player, he was a moustachioed midfielder who learned the importance of organisation. A true team player, Vicente Del Bosque was Real's gel for 11 seasons, knitting together the midfield and forward line in perfect harmony. Coaches loved him for his selflessness and intelligence: fans loved him for his loyalty and will to win.
27. Santillana
Carlos Alonso Gonzalez earned his nickname, Santillana, from his birthplace: a picturesque and historic town in Cantabria. It was fitting to be named after such a beguiling place.
The striker had a mesmeric jump to reach headers, power in abundance and was a natural goalscorer who managed to net 290 goals for Los Blancos across nine title wins and two UEFA Cups. Only Alfredo Di Stefano had scored more by the time Santillana hung up his boots.
26. Miguel Munoz
Miguel Munoz was Real Madrid's first European Cup-winning captain and the first man to lift Old Big Ears as a player and a manager. A true leader, Munoz only played for his country eight times but led Real by example, driving his side to four league titles and three European triumphs. In the dugout, he managed the Merengues for 14 years to become the longest-serving coach ever.
25. Ivan Zamorano
Ivan Zamorano is remembered for having a "+" between his 18 squad number digits at Inter Milan by some – but for anyone in Spain, he's nothing but a tormentor of defenders.
Best typified by a 5-0 thrashing in the Clasico – in which the Chilean got a hat-trick and set up the other two – Zamorano was a pocket rocket: capable of beating defenders for pace, for headers and simply through his will to get a toe to anything. He managed over 100 goals in four seasons.
24. Iker Casillas
Mr Real Madrid. What more can be said about the legendary Iker Casillas. Second in the all-time appearance list behind Raul, Casillas turned out a whopping 725 times for Real Madrid across a 25 year career. He is widely seen as the club’s greatest-ever goalkeeper and won a whopping 19 titles, which included 5 La Liga crowns and 3 Champions Leagues. A modern day legend.
23. Marcelo
Not many defenders captured the hearts quite like Marcelo did. Technically superb, with outstanding defensive attributes, the Brazilian was often a little hot-headed, but that only added to the spice he brought throughout his career. One of the best to ever play for Real, he made 546 appearances and is the second-highest foreign appearance maker in the club's history, second to Karim Benzema.
22. Jose Santamaria
You don't get the nickname 'the Wall' for nothing. One of the greatest South American defenders ever, Jose Santamaria arrived from Uruguay in 1957 and played over 330 games for Real Madrid, winning 12 trophies in nine years. A solid presence who simply couldn't be beaten in the air, he was a leader in defence who allowed the Hollywood names to flourish at the top of the pitch.
21. Jose Antonio Camacho
Jose Antonio Camacho spent two years out of the game with a knee injury – and still managed nearly 600 games in a white shirt. The left-back was a pillar of strength, pace and boundless stamina over 15 years at the Bernabeu, winning 17 domestic titles and two UEFA Cups, back-to-back in the 1980s. His passion and desire to win is still the bar that many fans hold today.
20. Karim Benzema
Deadly in front of goal and arguably part of one of the best striking trios ever formed, Karim Benzema will forever be remembered as an icon at the Bernabeu. Arriving as a baby-faced 21-year-old, he went on to become the most deadly forward of the modern-era in Europe, with his partnership alongside Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo frightening to say the very least.
Second top scorer in the club’s esteemed history, Benzema left for Saudi Arabia in 2023 but will forever be idolised in the Spanish capital.
19. Martin Vazquez
One of the most skilful attacking midfielders of a generation, Martin Vazquez put the glamour into the ‘Quinta del Buitre’ quartet of the 80s. He helped Real Madrid to 16 titles with – including the 1989/90 La Liga trophy in which Real achieved a domestic record 107 goals. A mercurial passer and dribbler, he was a fans' favourite for his ability to change a game.
18. Roberto Carlos
Roberto Carlos at Real Madrid in that glorious all white Siemens Mobile strip, a homage to that very era of football. His left foot will be remembered as one of the most deadly of all time, a full-back that redefined attacking from the front with his marauding runs and deadly shot power.
Carlos won ten titles in Madrid during an 11-year stay. Still holding dear the record of all-time games played by a foreign, his impact as one of the club’s most iconic Brazilian still stands firm.
17. Paco Gento
Some believe him to be the greatest left-winger of all time. If we're going off trophies, it's no contest.
Paco Gento won six European Cup titles at Real Madrid, with his speed and precision a vital ingredient in making Los Blancos the incredible threat they were in transition back then. The Spaniard was nicknamed the ‘Storm of the Cantabrian’ for his bustling style and in 18 years at Real, he barely changed gear. In 600 games for the club, he played for the first five European Cup wins before captaining the "Ye-Ye" side of 1966 to the trophy.
16. Ronaldo
In truth, Ronaldo gave his electric best to Barcelona. By the time he made the switch to the Bernabeu, his body had been ravaged by injury: but he was still a World Cup winner and a true Galactico.
R9 – or R11, as he was here – netted 104 goals in 177 matches in a white shirt, forming a potent partnership with Raul. He only won one title in his time in the Spanish capital but dazzled with his explosive bursts and unbelievable eye for goal.
15. Santiago Bernabeu
He's best remembered as a president (and, err, a stadium) but without Santiago Bernabeu the player, Real Madrid would look very different today.
Bernabeu joined the club at the age of 14 and after breaking into the first team, it wasn't long before he captained them as a senior figure. In 79 official matches, he scored 68 times, leading from the front with physical strength and the kind of leadership that he'd later give to the club off the pitch.
Better, more talented players would follow, of course – though that goal record and commitment could certainly argue Bernabeu as deserving to be in the upper reaches of any list – but there has arguably never been a more important player in the club's history.
14. Luis Figo
A man that did the unthinkable, Luis Figo was at one point the most hated man in Spain after his 2000 move from Barcelona. A sensational creator with dazzling trickery and footwork, Figo’s five years at Real were littered with success. Very much a leader on the pitch, Figo was part of the iconic dream team that included Beckham, Carlos, Raul, Ronaldo and Zidane that earned them the nickname the Galacticos.
Turning out 163 times for Los Blancos, his performance in Glasgow stands out above all.
13. Sergio Ramos
One of the all-time greats, Sergio Ramos won everything there was to win in the beautiful game whilst personifying what it was like to be a model professional. Defensively magnificent, a winner of 22 titles goes without staying, with his loyalty to Real no more evident than the 671 times he turned out for Madrid across his career.
“I would play for Real Madrid for free,” said the Spaniard in 2019. We don’t doubt that for a second.
12. Luka Modric
Croatia’s golden boy. Why did Tottenham ever part with the genius that is, Luka Modric?
A 2018 Ballon d’Or winner, the talented technician could orchestrate almost anything and it felt only right he was given a platform to do so when he moved to Madrid back in 2012. It is a place he has called home ever since, and says so much about the man who continues to dazzle at 39, standing as Los Blancos’ oldest-ever player too. A six time Champions League winner, not many can have an impact in football as Modric will have.
11. Ricardo Zamora
'The Divine One', Ricardo Zamora gave his name to the goalkeeping trophy that's still awarded to the custodian with the most clean sheets in a LaLiga season. The Spaniard is still regarded as one of his nation's most important footballers of all time and was between the sticks when Los Blancos won the 1931/32 title without losing once. Had the Zamora Trophy existed during his playing career, he'd have won it three times.
10. Emilio Butragueno
Barcelona may well be more associated with culture: but Emilio Butragueno was a true artist. The ball simply stuck to his feet when 'the Vulture' took flight and for 13 years, he was the Galactico to watch. Butragueno played over 450 matches in Real white, winning six titles and two UEFA Cups: but it's the moments of genius and extraordinary goals that fans hold so dear today.
9. Pirri
In 16 years, Pirri played in defence, midfield, up front and even in the 1971 Cup Winner's Cup final with his arm in a sling. There was simply no keeping him down: in the 10 league titles he won with Los Blancos, Pirri netted double digits in five, with his tenacity and aggression a must-need component for the Merengues for over a decade. He's one of only two players to have the Laureada award bestowed upon him by president Santiago Bernabeu.
8. Toni Kroos
Wherever Toni Kroos needed to be, he found himself. His decision-making was second to none, like he had a map of the pitch in his head and knew exactly how to connect his teammates. The German was one of the less flashy buys of the 21st Century but one of the most important, offering Real consistency, class and a metronomic presence in midfield.
7. Hugo Sanchez
Hugo Sanchez's record of 208 goals in 282 matches – all in just seven years – is frankly astounding. But they only tell half the story of quite how brilliant he was. The Mexican was perfect converter for the ‘Quinta del Buitre’: ruthless, cold and always in the right place when he needed to be. He was La Liga top scorer four times and won nine trophies with Real.
6. Raymond Kopa
A Ballon d'Or recipient, three-time European champion and the first football player to receive the Legion d'honneur in his native France, Raymond Kopa was a superstar of his era. His speed, balance and playmaking would have made him a success in any era of the game, however – and though he only played 101 times in Real white, he left an indelible mark on the club forever. He was one of the first true Galacticos: in every sense of the title.
5. Ferenc Puskas
'The Galloping Major' had already had one career before he wound up in Spain: a career in which he'd scored 358 goals for Budapest Honved in 350 games and dazzled as part of the Magnificent Magyars.
Ferenc Puskas reinvented himself at Real Madrid, however. He still had his velvet touch, his ability to bamboozle defenders and an unreal set-piece ability but alongside his new superstar teammates, he was happy to supply, too. He won three European Cups – and scored a hat-trick in a final that Los Blancos lost: he also scored four hat-tricks in his first season.
4. Raul
Raul bridged a gap between the talent-producing Real of the 80s and the home for superstars in the 2000s. He was both at once: despite his first coach, Jorge Valdano calling him limited technically.
But what Raul may have lacked in natural genius, he more than made up for in sheer confidence. He scored even when Real Madrid were woeful in the league – and ended his time at the Bernabeu with six titles and three Champions League. David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo arrived: but neither could take the no.7 shirt off of him. Raul was always the King of Madrid.
3. Zinedine Zidane
It was eight years that Zinedine Zidane's record of being the most expensive footballer on Earth stood. He made every penny count when he swivelled and walloped home Roberto Carlos's cross in the 2002 Champions League final.
Zizou is the Galactico: a player of grace and delicateness, yet capable of true fiery power whenever he flicked the switch. He was a myth of a man to those growing up in the 2000s. He could transform football matches on his own and though his time at Real Madrid was one of tactical flux, he sparkled like few others ever had done in that brilliant white shirt.
That he came back to manage the Threepeat side only cemented him as a Merengues favourite. As a player, though, he's one of the most talented human beings to ever touch a football – and he completely defines everything that Real Madrid hold dear as a football club.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
No one has ever played at 100% of their physical capacity quite as often as Cristiano Ronaldo. No one has ever had his blend of physicality, speed, touch and movement – and no one has ever scored more goals. For Real Madrid, or for anyone.
By the time he'd departed the Bernabeu, CR7 had 450 in fewer games than that. Every season he was at Real, he scored over 30 goals a season: twice, he hit over 60. He wasn't a man, he was a machine. He gradually earned a reputation for single-handedly propelling this team to glory, whether or not they were playing well or not.
Because aside from everything he had physically, Ronaldo arguably had the most driven mentality of any footballer to ever pull on Los Blancos colours. 15 titles in eight years – and a bag full of memories of overhead kicks, El Clasico strikes, impossible finishes, hat-tricks and moments of magic – cemented him as the greatest player in the club's history. According to some, he's the best-ever…
1. Alfredo Di Stefano
It was a man from Buenos Aires who made Madrid “Real”. 'The Golden Arrow' was some footballer: and managed to set the direction of an entire institution.
Alfredo Stefano was a total footballer, too: strong, lean and skilful was stamina that few had seen in that era. He had incredible vision, too – though he liked the spotlight curving towards his dashing runs: he completed 11 seasons in Merengues colours, scoring over 300 goals in just under 400 games. In the first five European Cup finals, Di Stefano scored in each.
The undisputable superstar of eight league titles and five European triumphs, Di Stefano embodies the glamour and the mystique that become associated with the club. It's not just thanks to him that so other stars flocked to the Spanish capital in the 50s: it's thanks to him that they continue to, to this day.
