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The 18 Biggest 'What If' Talents in Real Madrid History

by YPB Team3 votes

Injury-cursed wonderkids, mismanaged prodigies and the ones who got away to shine elsewhere: Madrid's great might-have-beens. Which one stings the most?

  1. James Rodriguez — ranked #11
    James Rodriguez
    Arrived as the 2014 World Cup Golden Boot winner but faded under Zidane despite flashes of brilliance.
    1000pts
  2. Fernando Gago — ranked #22
    Fernando Gago
    Elegant Argentine midfielder once tipped as Redondo's heir whose career was repeatedly halted by injuries.
    807pts
  3. Kaka — ranked #33
    Kaka
    World Player of the Year in 2007 whose injuries meant he never recaptured his Milan brilliance in Madrid.
    750pts
    BE
  4. Asier Illarramendi — ranked #44
    Asier Illarramendi
    Record-fee Basque midfielder weighed down by expectation who never settled before returning to Real Sociedad.
    513pts
  5. Theo Hernandez — ranked #55
    Theo Hernandez
    Talented academy left-back let go by Madrid who blossomed into a world-class defender at AC Milan.
    513pts
  6. Jonathan Woodgate — ranked #66
    Jonathan Woodgate
    Gifted English centre-back whose injury-wrecked debut, an own goal and red card, came to symbolise wasted promise.
    513pts
  7. Marcos Llorente — ranked #77
    Marcos Llorente
    Homegrown midfielder sold across the city to Atletico, where he reinvented himself as a star.
    513pts
  8. Takefusa Kubo — ranked #88
    Takefusa Kubo
    Japanese prodigy nicknamed the Japanese Messi who was sold on before truly getting a Madrid chance.
    513pts
  9. Nuri Sahin — ranked #99
    Nuri Sahin
    Bundesliga Player of the Year at Dortmund who managed only a handful of league games before fading at Madrid.
    420pts
  10. Achraf Hakimi — ranked #1010
    Achraf Hakimi
    Academy-made full-back sold by Madrid who became one of the world's best right-backs elsewhere.
    420pts
  11. Fabio Coentrao — ranked #1111
    Fabio Coentrao
    Portuguese left-back signed as a star who slid down the pecking order and never kicked on at Madrid.
    420pts
  12. Martin Odegaard — ranked #1212
    Martin Odegaard
    Signed at 16 amid huge hype, he was loaned out repeatedly and only fulfilled his potential at Arsenal.
    420pts
  13. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar — ranked #1313
    Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
    Prolific Dutch striker who barely got a look-in at Madrid before scoring freely back in the Bundesliga.
    420pts
  14. Jese Rodriguez — ranked #1414
    Jese Rodriguez
    La Fabrica's brightest jewel whose serious knee injury derailed a career once destined for the very top.
    420pts
  15. Michael Owen — ranked #1515
    Michael Owen
    A Ballon d'Or winner reduced to a bit-part super-sub despite a strong scoring ratio for Madrid.
    308pts
  16. Royston Drenthe — ranked #1616
    Royston Drenthe
    Explosive Dutch winger and Euro 2007 star of the tournament whose Madrid career flamed out spectacularly.
    308pts
  17. Robinho — ranked #1717
    Robinho
    Brazilian wonderkid hailed as the next Pele whose dazzling tricks never translated into sustained Madrid stardom.
    0pts
  18. Reinier — ranked #1818
    Reinier
    Brazilian teenage signing bought for big money who disappeared into a series of unsuccessful loans.
    0pts

#Spain33#Football577#Players574#Real Madrid15#La Liga49

Comments

Nine trophies at Real Madrid, two of those six seasons spent on loan in Munich, and eighteen names the club never solved: https://youpick.best/articles/how-many-ways-to-rank-james-rodriguez

YP
ypb-team·Aug 21·
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