Updated:
Keep
On Sunday March 6, Real Madrid celebrates its 120th birthday. A history traveled always dressed in white through conquests that have made it the most successful club in League titles (34) and European Cups (13). On the occasion of this anniversary, ABC he launches himself in search of the best of all time within the institution. Starting from a previous selection made by the newsroom, readers will be able to choose their favorites in a vote divided day by day by categories (coach, goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, forwards and presidents) until the club’s final honor roll is established.
This Thursday, after the goal and the defense, it is the turn of the midfield.
Ipiña (1939-1949)
Remembered as the first great captain of Real Madrid, Juan Antonio Ipiña ran the midfield of the white team in the 1940s, when the club was in its early stages and its relationship with success was far from the dimension it reaches in the present. In the 10 seasons that he wore white, Ipiña won two Spanish Cups.
Miguel Munoz (1948-1958)
After a great season at Celta de Vigo, Miguel Muñoz from Madrid signed for the Whites in 1949, where he soon became a legend. A skilful midfielder and forward, Muñoz captained Real Madrid in its golden age: winning the first three European Cups. Furthermore, in the ten seasons he played for the club, he also lifted four league titles.
Lock (1951-1962)
José María Zárraga’s class is still remembered in the capital. A fine and talented left midfielder, the Basque was a fundamental piece of Real Madrid, which won five consecutive European Cups between 1956 and 1960. In fact, after the retirement of Miguel Muñoz, he lifted the last two orejonas (against Stade de Reims and Eintracht ) wearing the captain’s armband. Aside from his continental success, Zárraga won six League championships and one Cup in the 11 seasons he wore the white jersey.
Rial (1954-1961)
Argentine Héctor Rial landed at Real Madrid at the age of 26 as an experienced and top-tier playmaker in South American football. From the moment of his arrival, Rial was a key player in Di Stefano and Gento’s team. Along with them, he won five European Cups and four Leagues, and left an indelible memory in Chamartín in his seven seasons in the capital. His right leg, an expert in the center and in changing directions, will never be forgotten at the Bernabéu.
Puskas (1958-1967)
Nicknamed Cañoncito Pum by Madrid fans, Ferenc Puskas has undoubtedly been one of the best players in the history of football. He arrived at Real Madrid at the age of 31 and out of shape, but his tremendous technique and his powerful shot quickly placed him in Madrid’s Olympus; 242 goals in 262 white games endorse his feat. In his nine seasons at the Bernabéu, Puskas lifted three European Cups and five Leagues, among other titles.
Velazquez (1965-1977)
Manuel Velázquez was the visible face of Real Madrid’s midfield between the sixties and seventies. A youth squad of the club, after a two-year loan at Málaga, the midfielder returned to the white team in 1965, and in that same campaign he was key in achieving the sixth European Cup, the greatest success of Real Madrid yeyé. A former game creator, in his 12 courses at Chamartín he also won six league titles.
Michel (1984-1996)
Ambidextrous of a colossal class, Madrid’s Míchel González was one of the greatest exponents of the Quinta del Buitre. In fact, he was the first member of that group of brilliant teenagers to debut with the first team. A youth squad of the club since he was 12 years old, Míchel stood out in the team that monopolized the League for five consecutive seasons. And, like the rest of his contemporaries at Real Madrid, he only lacked the conquest of the European Cup.
Redondo (1994-2000)
Fernando ‘El Príncipe’ Redondo captivated the public at the Santiago Bernabéu with his elegance and efficiency in the white midfield. With his head held high and his torso erect, Redondo was a modern center who broke lines by dribbling and driving; no madridista will be able to forget Berg’s high-heeled kick at Old Trafford. In fact, the Argentine was a key player in winning the seventh and eighth European Cup. Likewise, he also won two Leagues.
Zidane (2001-2006)
A unique, unrepeatable player; a midfielder who in just five seasons left an eternal mark on Real Madrid. Elegant and technically perfect, the Frenchman entered Real Madrid through the front door after that beautiful volley in Glasgow, an unlikely goal that gave the club its ninth European Cup. His controls, passes and dreamlike dribbling are still missed at the Bernabéu. On the other hand, in addition to his continental success, he also got a League.
Modric (2012-present)
He is 36 years old and has been wearing the white jersey for nine seasons, but his magic is still intact. The day he retires from football will be a drama for the Madrid fans, since the Croatian has been one of Real Madrid’s main protagonists in the four Champions Leagues in five years. Luka launched the corner with which Ramos changed the recent history of the club and together with Kroos and Casemiro, he has built a legendary partnership.
Casemiro (2012-present)
After a brief stint at Porto, where he played on loan for a season, Casemiro returned to Real Madrid in 2015 to become the piece that gives balance to a team historically loaded with attacking players. A tireless defensive pivot, the Brazilian, only 30 years old, has already won four Champions Leagues and two league titles. His white future is assured.
Kroos (2015-present)
With Casemiro in the rearguard, a Real Madrid in recent years is not understood without the Modric-Kroos binomial in the midfield. The charismatic German will go down in history as one of the midfielders with the most dominance of his right foot in football. Fine and elegant, Kroos has been vital at Real Madrid for the three Champions Leagues in a row. Likewise, the German is only 32 years old and his legend at the Bernabéu will continue to grow.
See them
comments
