2 weeks Ago By Callum Altimas
So many legendary footballers have played for Real Madrid since the club's inception in 1902. The likes of Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric have contributed to the team's incredible success in the 21st century. Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest players of all-time, enjoyed a hugely successful nine-year spell at Los Blancos, scoring 450 times in 438 games.
Throughout the majority of their history, Real Madrid has been one of the best teams in the world. Their excellence over the years is almost hard to believe as they've consistently adapted with the times and kept hold of their status as one of the biggest clubs on the planet. It's easy to see how they've managed it, though, when you take a look at the sheer calibre of players who have played for Los Blancos throughout their history.
Some of the best footballers of all time have, at one point or another, called the Bernabeu their home. Considering just how many greats there have been at the club over the years, coming up with a list of the 20 best Real Madrid players ever is a very difficult task. Indeed, even in this current era, the likes of Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr will all be hoping of etching their name into folklore and joining some of the club's greatest ever players.
Their overall ability Trophies won and any individual achievements like winning the Ballon d'Or Longevity - how long were they at the top of their game at Real Madrid Importance and impact on the team 20 Greatest Real Madrid Players in History Rank Player Position Years at Real Madrid 1. Cristiano Ronaldo Forward 2009-2018 2. Alfredo Di Stefano Forward 1953-1964 3.
Zinedine Zidane Midfielder 2001-2006 4. Sergio Ramos Defender 2005-2021 5. Iker Casillas Goalkeeper 1999-2015 6.
Raul Gonzalez Forward 1994-2010 7. Santiago Bernabeu Forward 1921-1926 8. Paco Gento Winger 1953-1971 9.
Ferenc Puskas Forward 1958-1966 10. Luis Figo Midfielder 2000-2005 11. Karim Benzema Forward 2009-2023 12.
Luka Modric Midfielder 2012-present 13. Hugo Sanchez Forward 1985-1992 14. Pirri Midfielder 1964-1980 15.
Ricardo Zamora Goalkeeper 1930-1936 16. Roberto Carlos Defender 1996-2007 17. Emilio Butragueno Forward 1984-1995 18.
Toni Kroos Midfielder 2014-2024 19. Ivan Zamorano Forward 1992-1996 20. Vicente Del Bosque Midfielder 1968-1984 10 Luis Figo Another Ballon d'Or winner at Real Madrid and a true footballing genius.
Figo's move to Real Madrid from Barcelona remains one of the most controversial in history, but he was worth every single penny. He scored 57 goals, assisted a further 93 and won three trophies during his five sublime years in Madrid. He also played 245 times for the club in total, and during his time at Madrid, there were very few midfielders on the planet that could match his talent.
Incredible player. Luis Figo's Real Madrid Statistics Appearances 245 Goals 57 Assists 93 Trophies 3 9 Ferenc Puskas One of the most exceptional strikers the sport has ever seen. Puskas netted 242 goals in 262 games in a Real Madrid shirt, an average of 0.
92 per appearance. He also won three European Cups and notably scored four goals in the 7-3 final victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in 1960, the only time that feat has been achieved. The forward even has an award named after him, the FIFA Puskas Award, given to the footballer who is deemed to have scored the most aesthetically pleasing goal over the course of 12 months.
If that doesn't give you an indication of how special he was, not much would. Ferenc Puskas' Real Madrid Statistics Appearances 234 Goals 204 Assists N/A Trophies 10 8 Paco Gento A man who is in the conversation to be labelled the greatest left winger in history. As well as tormenting opposing defenders for fun in a Real Madrid shirt, Gento won six (yes, SIX) European Cups, which is still the most by any footballer.
He spent 18 years at the La Liga club, and played over 500 games for them. Gento also won 12 La Liga titles, another record. There's simply no denying just how impressive he was, and he played a huge role in making the Real Madrid side he was a part of, one of the best iterations in the club's illustrious career.
Paco Gento's Real Madrid Statistics Appearances 566 Goals 165 Assists 3 Trophies 21 7 Santiago Bernabeu The stadium is named after Bernabeu and without him, the club wouldn't be the same as it is today. He was a brilliant player in the 1920s and was then president for 35 years between 1943 and 1978, overseeing a ridiculous amount of on-pitch success. Arguably the most important figure in Real Madrid's illustrious history.
It stands to reason that the club wouldn't have grown into the behemoth that it did if it wasn't for Bernabeu's impact. Despite spending a year with the club's local rivals, Atletico Madrid, he's still regarded as an icon at Los Blancos and his legacy will never be forgotten, regardless of his limited appearances. Santiago Bernabeu's Real Madrid Statistics Appearances 51 Goals 27 Assists N/A Trophies 1 GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: In 1955, Real Madrid changed the name of their stadium to Santiago Bernabeu, paying tribute to their former player and long-time president.
6 Raul Gonzalez What a striker Raul was. He's Real Madrid's second-highest scorer with 323 goals and leads the way for appearances with an enormous 741. Raul brought an end to his incredible 16-year career at Los Blancos in 2010, with six La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues to boot.
The Champions League Golden Boot is widely seen as one of the greatest individual awards each season. He consistently put up absurd scoring numbers throughout the majority of his career in Spain, and there were just two years during his time at the Bernabeu that he didn't score in double figures. If it wasn't for a certain Portuguese superstar, he'd still possess the top-scoring records for Madrid in the league and in the Champions League.
Raul Gonzalez' Real Madrid Statistics Appearances 741 Goals 323 Assists 123 Trophies 16 5 Iker Casillas San Iker could do it all between the sticks and rarely ever dropped a bad performance. He's still the youngest goalkeeper to appear in a Champions League final and holds the record for the most clean sheets in the competition's history. It's a real shame things turned slightly sour towards the end of his Real Madrid career, but the fact remains that he's an all-time great.
He spent 16 years in the club's senior team and was one of the best goalkeepers in the world during his prime at the Bernabeu. Casillas won just about everything there was to win with Madrid and played over 700 times along the way. Just a world-class goalkeeper.
Iker Casillas' Real Madrid Statistics Appearances 725 Goals conceded 751 Clean sheets 264 Trophies 18 4 Sergio Ramos Probably the finest-ever Real Madrid captain. As well as leading the team marvellously for so many years and winning 22 trophies overall, Sergio Ramos scored a ridiculous number of goals for a centre-back. He left the Bernabeu with a collection totalling 101 across all competitions, a return worthy of a decent striker.
The Spaniard is still playing at a very high level at the age of 38, a testament to just how incredible he's been and continues to be after all these years. It's just a shame his time in Madrid didn't end on the most positive of notes. Sergio Ramos' Real Madrid Statistics Appearances 671 Goals 101 Assists 40 Trophies 22 3 Zinedine Zidane A world-class player for Real Madrid and an equally good manager.
In his playing days, 'Zizou' scored an incredible volley to win the 2001 Champions League final, and he then guided the club to a famous 'three-peat' in the competition from the dugout. The word 'legend' doesn't really do him justice. Zidane was a ferocious engine in the middle of the park for the club and regularly bossed the opposition midfielders.
They didn't stand a chance. He might have only spent five years playing at the Bernabeu, but his time as Real Madrid manager also added to his incredible legacy too. Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid Statistics Appearances 227 Goals 49 Assists 68 Trophies 6 2 Alfredo Di Stefano Two Ballon d'Ors, 308 goals in 396 games, eight La Liga titles, five Pichichis and five European Cups; that's what Di Stefano achieved in his 11-year stint at Real Madrid.
He also scored in every single one of the five European Cup finals he played in. They don't make them quite like the 'Blond Arrow' anymore. He spent over a decade with Madrid, and the impact he had during that time cannot be overstated.
It would take someone special to outshine his legacy at the club. Unfortunately, one of the very best players ever also happened to play for them at one point. Alfredo Di Stefano's Real Madrid Statistics Appearances 363 Goals 278 Assists 2 Trophies 18 1 Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo is Real Madrid's all-time record scorer with 450 goals, and he somehow achieved it in just 438 games.
That return is absurd and will never be equalled by another player. Ronaldo also won four Champions Leagues at Real Madrid and scored 30 or more goals in every single season he was at the club. The 40-year-old really was a footballing cyborg in the Spanish capital.
He cost Madrid a world record transfer fee when he joined in 2009, and after nine incredible years, that saw him break all sorts of records and cement his status as one of the best players of all time, it's fair to say that he was still a bargain. Cristiano Ronaldo's Real Madrid Statistics Appearances 438 Goals 450 Assists 131 Trophies 15 All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt (Correct as of 06/03/2025).
