12 Greatest Real Madrid Players on the Club’s 122nd Birthday Including Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid are celebrating 122 years of the club's existence today, having been founded on March 6, 1902, with Julian Palacios as the club's first-ever president.

The club boasts some of football's greatest superstars across eras in its history and is widely regarded as the biggest in the world and the most decorated in European football.

Sports Brief looks at 12 of the greatest players in the club's history in no particular order.

Real Madrid's greatest players

1. Alfredo Di Stefano

Di Stefano is widely regarded as the greatest-ever player for the club. He was pivotal in the club winning five consecutive European Cups and scoring in all five finals. Per Diario AS, he is the only winner of the Super Ballon d'Or awarded by France Football in 1989. Madrid's second stadium is named after him and is used by the Castilla and Feminino teams.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portuguese forward was signed from Manchester United for a world-record fee of £80 million in 2009. He left the club as the top scorer with 451 goals and won four Ballon d'Or's to add to the one he won in England. He is one of football's greatest superstars.

3. Marcelo

Per realmadrid.com, the Brazilian full-back is the most decorated player in the club's history. He won 25 trophies in his fifteen years at the club, including five UEFA Champions League trophies and six La Liga titles.

4. Iker Casillas

The Spaniard goalkeeper came through the ranks at the capital club and debuted as an 18-year-old in 1999. He spent 16 years in the first team and won every possible trophy. He is seen by many as the greatest goalkeeper in the club's history.

5. Zinedine Zidane

Zizou, as he is fondly referred to, is one of the greatest ever to play the sport and in Madrid's history. He won it all as a player and manager, leading the club to three consecutive Champions League trophies between 2016 and 2018.

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6. Paco Gento

Gento spent the majority of his career at Real Madrid and is the only player to win six European Cups. He won 12 La Liga titles. He was the club's honorary president for eight years until he died in 2022.

7. Santiago Bernabeu

The club's stadium, which has been used since 1947, is named after him. He played, coached and was also president. Under his presidency, the club won 16 La Liga titles and six European Cups.

8. Ferenc Puskas

During his eight years in Madrid, Puskas won five league titles and three European Cups. He is one of football's best goal scorers. In 2009, FIFA inaugurated an award for the best goal of the year and named it after him.

9. Raul Gonzalez

The Spanish forward came through the ranks and spent 16 years in the first team. He was previously the club's all-time top scorer before Ronaldo and Karim Benzema overtook him.

10. Karim Benzema

The French forward spent 14 years in Madrid and won it all before leaving in the summer of 2023 to join Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. He won the 2022 Ballon d'Or after a La Liga and Champions League double.

11. Sergio Ramos

The Spanish defender spent 16 successful years in Madrid, having joined from Sevilla in 2005. He won all possible trophies, captaining the team to some of them, including five each of the league titles and UCL.

12. Raymond Kopa

The French forward spent three years in Madrid and won three European trophies. The award for the best young player, the Kopa trophy, is named after him. The current holder is Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham.

Honourable mentions: Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Ronaldo Nazario, Fernando Hierro, Luis Figo.

Real Madrid's most expensive signings

Sports Brief analysed Real Madrid's top five most expensive signings and how they performed at the club after Eden Hazard announced his retirement from professional football after leaving the club.

The Belgian is the club's most expensive recruit from Chelsea but flopped badly after dealing with injuries and inconsistency. His contract was terminated with a year left.