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

> 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?

*By YPB Team · Published June 20, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-18-biggest-what-if-talents-in-real-madrid-history*

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## Current results (3 votes)

1. **James Rodriguez** — 33.33% (1 votes · score 1000/1000)
   Arrived as the 2014 World Cup Golden Boot winner but faded under Zidane despite flashes of brilliance.
2. **Fernando Gago** — 33.33% (1 votes · score 807/1000)
   Elegant Argentine midfielder once tipped as Redondo's heir whose career was repeatedly halted by injuries.
3. **Kaka** — 33.33% (1 votes · score 750/1000)
   World Player of the Year in 2007 whose injuries meant he never recaptured his Milan brilliance in Madrid.
4. **Asier Illarramendi** — 0% (0 votes · score 513/1000)
   Record-fee Basque midfielder weighed down by expectation who never settled before returning to Real Sociedad.
5. **Theo Hernandez** — 0% (0 votes · score 513/1000)
   Talented academy left-back let go by Madrid who blossomed into a world-class defender at AC Milan.
6. **Jonathan Woodgate** — 0% (0 votes · score 513/1000)
   Gifted English centre-back whose injury-wrecked debut, an own goal and red card, came to symbolise wasted promise.
7. **Marcos Llorente** — 0% (0 votes · score 513/1000)
   Homegrown midfielder sold across the city to Atletico, where he reinvented himself as a star.
8. **Takefusa Kubo** — 0% (0 votes · score 513/1000)
   Japanese prodigy nicknamed the Japanese Messi who was sold on before truly getting a Madrid chance.
9. **Nuri Sahin** — 0% (0 votes · score 420/1000)
   Bundesliga Player of the Year at Dortmund who managed only a handful of league games before fading at Madrid.
10. **Achraf Hakimi** — 0% (0 votes · score 420/1000)
   Academy-made full-back sold by Madrid who became one of the world's best right-backs elsewhere.
11. **Fabio Coentrao** — 0% (0 votes · score 420/1000)
   Portuguese left-back signed as a star who slid down the pecking order and never kicked on at Madrid.
12. **Martin Odegaard** — 0% (0 votes · score 420/1000)
   Signed at 16 amid huge hype, he was loaned out repeatedly and only fulfilled his potential at Arsenal.
13. **Klaas-Jan Huntelaar** — 0% (0 votes · score 420/1000)
   Prolific Dutch striker who barely got a look-in at Madrid before scoring freely back in the Bundesliga.
14. **Jese Rodriguez** — 0% (0 votes · score 420/1000)
   La Fabrica's brightest jewel whose serious knee injury derailed a career once destined for the very top.
15. **Michael Owen** — 0% (0 votes · score 308/1000)
   A Ballon d'Or winner reduced to a bit-part super-sub despite a strong scoring ratio for Madrid.
16. **Royston Drenthe** — 0% (0 votes · score 308/1000)
   Explosive Dutch winger and Euro 2007 star of the tournament whose Madrid career flamed out spectacularly.
17. **Robinho** — 0% (0 votes · score 171/1000)
   Brazilian wonderkid hailed as the next Pele whose dazzling tricks never translated into sustained Madrid stardom.
18. **Reinier** — 0% (0 votes · score 171/1000)
   Brazilian teenage signing bought for big money who disappeared into a series of unsuccessful loans.

Tags: spain, football, players, real madrid, la liga