10 Most Famous Real Madrid Football Players of all time

Santiago Bernabéu – by Daniel – Wikimedia Commons

10 Most Famous Real Madrid Football Players of all Time

Real Madrid is considered the biggest club in the world and the most supported as well, the club has won the most champions league and La Liga titles by far, 14 and 35 respectively.

Also called “Los merengues”(The meringues) or “Los Blancos”(The whites), Madrid was founded in 1902, and in 1920 the title “real” and the royal crown in the emblem were bestowed to the club by King Alfonso XIII. 

For that reason, many acclaimed players have worn this jersey throughout its history. 

Let’s check the 10 most famous Real Madrid players of all time to wear this mythic white jersey:

Benzema

Karim Benzema wearing Real Madrid home kit 21/22 – By Real Madrid, CC – Wikimedia Commons

Karim Benzema or just Benzema is the only player on this list who is still making history in Real Madrid. He is a French player who plays as a striker and is the star of today’s team. Benzema is the current Real Madrid captain and second top scorer in the club’s history with 327 goals, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo and also the all-time top assist provider.

Know for his accurate finishing and playmaking qualities, he is one of the best forwards in the world and of his generation. Karim joined the club in 2009 and until nowadays he had won impressive 24 titles: 5 Champions League; 4 Club World Cups; 4 European Super Cups; 4 Spanish League; 2 King’s Cups; 4 Spanish Super Cups; 1 Nations League.

Casillas

Iker Casillas on the Sportstrade Stage during day one of Web Summit 2021 at the Altice Arena in Lisbon, Portugal. – by Sam Barnes/Web Summit via Sportsfile – Wikimedia Commons

Iker Casillas is a former Spanish football player who played as a goalkeeper. He is the best goalkeeper in Real Madrid’s history and one of the greatest of all time. His quick reactions, outstanding shot-stopping ability, athleticism, and ability to produce spectacular saves earned him the nickname “San Iker”(Saint Iker).

Casillas joined the club at the age of 9 and defended the Madrid jersey for twenty-five years. He played 725 official matches and won 19 titles. He also became the youngest goalkeeper to play in the final of the Champions League and to win the title, at 19 years and four days in 1999.

In his successful career in the club, Casillas was 5 times in the FIFA FIFPro World XI and voted 5 times World Goalkeeper of the Year by IFFHS. Collectively he won 3 European Cups; 3 Club World Cups; 2 European Super Cups; 5 Leagues; 2 King’s Cups; 4 Spanish Super Cups.

Raul

Raul Gonzalez – by: Darz Mol – Wikimedia Commons

Raul is a retired Spanish Football player and manager who played as a forward. Know as the eternal captain, he holds the record for the most games in the history of our club, 741, and is the club’s third all-time top goalscorer with 323 goals. 

Coming from the youth team of Atlético de Madrid, he joined the Madrid youth team in the 1992-93 season. He played 16 seasons of his career for Real Madrid and won his first La Liga title in his debut season. After that he won 15 titles, 3 European Cups; 2 Intercontinental Cups; 1 European Super Cup; 5 Spanish Leagues; 4 Spanish Super Cups.

He is currently the manager of the Castilla (the reserve team of Real Madrid). Raúl is marked as one of the greatest forwards of his era.

Zidane

Zinedine Zidane, Real Madrid manager in press conference before match against Al-Jazira in FIFA Club World Cup – by Tasnim News Agency – Wikimedia Commons

Zinedine Zidane or just Zizou is a former attacking midfielder and manager who made history in Real Madrid on and off the pitch. As a player, he was known for his elegance and technical quality. The French player signed for Madrid in 2001 and played till his retirement in 2006, after the World Cup. He won 6 titles in 5 seasons at the club, 1 European Cup; 1 Intercontinental Cup; 1 European Super Cup; 1 Spanish League; 2 Spanish Super Cups.

Probably the most important moment of Zidane wearing the Real Madrid jersey is the goal against Bayer Leverkusen in the champions league final. Zidane masterfully volleyed with his left foot from a lofted pass from Roberto Carlos. Pure poetry in motion!

As a manager Zizou started his career at the club as a presidential advisor, then as assistant coach of the first team, as coach of the Castilla(Real Madrid’s reserve team), and, from January 2016 to May 2018, he coached the first team for the first time, the second time was from March 2019 to May 2021. While managing the team he won 3 consecutive UEFA Champions League titles: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18; 2 Club World Cups; 2 European Super Cups; 2 Spanish Super Cups; 2 Spanish Super Cups. In 2017 he won The Best Award for coach of the year.

Ferenc Puskas

Puskas (1971)- by: Brazilian National Archives, Public domain – Wikimedia Commons

 Ferenc Puskás was a Hungarian football player and manager who played as a forward for Madrid from 1955 to 1966. Different than other players who usually sign with clubs at early ages, Puskas signed up with Madrid at the age of 31. Madrid’s fans thought that such an old man with a few extra kilos would do nothing in a team like Real Madrid, full of stars. They were completely wrong!

With his signing, the legendary team already formed by Alfredo Di Stéfano, Kopa, Rial, Santamaría, Santamaría, Gento, and Domínguez was completed.

As a striker, he broke all records and earned the nicknames Pancho and Cañoncito Pum. Puskas was one of the greatest strikers in history, winning the Pichichi trophy 4 times and the trophy for the top scorer of the 20th century (IFFHS).

With an eye for goal, he was vital for the winning of vital in winning three European Cups, and five Spanish leagues, among other titles. In 2009 FIFA named the trophy for the best goal of the year after him.

Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos Pre-season match – by: Werner100359 – Wikimedia Commons

Sergio Ramos is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a center-back for Paris Saint-Germain. One of the best center-backs that ever played the game of football, Ramos is known for his leadership, and for being a strong and complete defender with amazing defensive skills and goal-scoring ability. He is a great penalty and free-kick taker with an eye for goal, and heading accuracy.

A legend from Real Madrid, he is responsible for many unforgettable moments, especially his goal in Lisbon in the 93rd minute giving the club “La Decima” (the tenth) champions league. He was also the captain of Madrid’s three consecutive Champions League titles and lifted the Undécima(The eleventh), the Duodécima(The twelfth), and the Decimotercera(The thirteenth).

In Madrid, he won 22 titles, which includes 4 Champions leagues, 4 Club World Cups, 3 European Super Cups, 5 Leagues, 2 King’s Cups, and 4 Spanish Super Cups. Sergio also is one of the top defender goal scorers of all time with 129 goals in his career.

Paco Gento

Gento with Leo Horn , Di Stefano (cropped) – by: Wim van Rossem for Anefo – Wikimedia Commons

Paco Gento is known as the best Left wing of all time and the only player in history with six European Cups and 12 La Liga titles. He was part of a Real Madrid dream team and because of his speed and strength, earned him the nickname “La Galerna del Cantábrico” (The Gale of the Cantabrian Sea).

Gento’s playing style was characterized by his great dribbling and measured crosses. He played for the club 600 games in 18 seasons and scored 183 goals

He was voted by IFFHS (International Federation of Football History and Statistics) as the greatest Spanish footballer and 30th greatest world footballer of the 20th century. In October 2016, the Members’ Assembly elected him honorary president of Real Madrid, a position he held until his death on January 18, 2022.

Marcelo

Marcelo, Real Madrid defender in a press conference before match against Al-Jazira in FIFA Club World Cup – by: Tasnim News Agency – Wikimedia Commons

Marcelo is a Brazilian professional football player who plays as a left-back. He is known as one of the best left-backs of all time, especially for his offensive talent, ball control, and dribbling skills.

The Brazilian left-back played for 16 seasons in the club and reached the status of legend. In his last season at the club, Marcelo became the player with the most titles (25) in the history of Real Madrid, surpassing Paco Gento (24). Also, he was the captain of Madrid in their last champions league and La Liga title in the 2021-22 season.

Marcelo’s list of achievements includes 5 Champions League titles, 4 Club World Cups, 3 European Super Cups, 6 Leagues, 2 King’s Cups, and 5 Spanish SuperCups. He also scored 38 goals in his time playing for the club.

Alfredo Di Stefano

Alfredo Di Stefano while playing at Real Madrid CF. – by: Unknown author, Public domain – Wikimedia Commons

Di Stefano was an Argentinean footballer and coach of Italian origin, who, besides having played for the Argentinean National Team, also played for the Spanish National Team. He is known as one of the best players of all time and a Real Madrid legend.

His speed and hair color earned him the nickname “La Saeta Rubia” (“The Blond Arrow”). A leader on and off the field, Di Stefano was responsible for the most glorious age of the club when they conquered five consecutive European Cups (1951-1960).

He won two Ballon d’Or (1957 and 1959) and is the only football player in the world to have the Super Ballon d’Or which he was given in 1989. Playing for Madrid he scored 308 goals in 396 official matches and won 5 Pichichi Trophies. In 2000 Di Stéfano became the honorary president of Real Madrid and remained in this position until 2014.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid vs. FC Schalke at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. – by: Chris Deahr – Wikimedia Commons

Cristiano Ronaldo or just Ronaldo is a Portuguese football player who played 9 seasons for Madrid from 2009 to 2018. He is one of the most important players of all time, while he was playing for Real Madrid he scored 451 goals in 438 official matches (more than one per game). He also scored goals in all competitions: 312 in la Liga, 105 in the Champions, 22 in Copa del Rey, 6 in Club World Cup, 4 in the Spanish Supercup y 2 in the European Supercup. 

In 9 seasons playing he won 4 Champions League, 3 Club World Cups, 3 Supercups of Europa, 2 Ligas, 2 Copas del Rey, and 2 Spanish Super Cups. Individually he won 4 Ballon D’or, 3 Golden Boots, 2 The Best Awards, 3 UEFA Best Player Awards, and 3 Pichichi Trophies.

Cristiano set many records while in the club: top scorer in the club’s history, top scorer in the history of the European Cup (he scored 105 goals in the Champions League playing for Madrid); top scorer in La Liga (312); most games with three or more goals in the history of La Liga (34); most goals in a season with Real Madrid (61); and, the record of goals in a Champions League edition (17).

Real Madrid’s president Florentino Pérez described him as “the heir to Alfredo Di Stéfano”.