'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Although Cristiano Ronaldo has had a remarkable history with Manchester United, there's no denying that the attacker's best years came in the Real Madrid jersey. He joined the Spanish giants through a record-breaking transfer worth £80 million in the summer of 2009 and went on to establish himself as a legendary figure at the Santiago Bernabeu.
With a whopping 450 goals and 132 assists to his name in 438 games, it wouldn't be far-fetched to say the Portuguese is the greatest player in Real Madrid's history. He was undoubtedly the go-to guy for the team throughout his nine-year spell in Spain, making the difference in attack with his impeccable knack of goalscoring.
That, however, had its repercussions as CR7's brilliance ensured that some other top attackers remained under the radar at the Santiago Bernabeu. In this article, we'll discuss five such players who suffered due to Cristiano Ronaldo's presence at Real Madrid.
Trending
#5 Jose Callejon
Jose Callejon is a product of Real Madrid's youth setup, representing the club at both the U-17 and U-18 levels before leaving for Espanyol in the summer of 2008. A couple of promising displays in Catalonia inspired many to tip the attacker to mark an era at the Santiago Bernabeu.
He returned to the Spanish capital in the summer of 2011. However, that came at the wrong time as Cristiano Ronaldo had already established himself as the undisputed superstar of the team after arriving from Manchester United in 2009.
There was very little Jose Callejon could do at that time, with the baton already beyond his reach. The Spaniard ended up spending just two years in the Spanish capital, recording 20 goals and seven assists to his name, before leaving for Napoli in 2013.
#4 James Rodriguez
James Rodriguez was expected to dominate the football world after completing his record-breaking transfer from Monaco to Real Madrid in the summer of 2014. Following his incredible performance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the attacker was beaming with confidence as he marched into the iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Unfortunately, the Colombian wasn't helped by the fact that Cristiano Ronaldo already had things under control in the Spanish capital. The fact that the Portuguese kept rising to greater heights made things even more difficult for James Rodriguez.
Eventually, the Colombian couldn't reach his potential at Real Madrid. He left the club to join Premier League outfit Everton in September 2020, after bagging just 37 goals and 42 assists in 125 games.
#3 Angel Di Maria
Angel Di Maria had a couple of iconic moments to his name during his time with Real Madrid. His legendary performances - against Barcelona in the second leg of the 2013 Copa del Rey semi-final, and the 2014 Champions League Final against Atletico Madrid - are still fresh in fans' memory.
Unfortunately, despite his decisive efforts for the Spanish giants, the Argentine couldn't establish himself as the leading figure in Los Blancos' attack. That was simply down to the presence of one man, Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese legend's brilliance left no room for the attacker to take over the reigns.
Di Maria ended his association with Real Madrid at the end of the 2013-14 campaign, joining Manchester United in a transfer worth €75 million. His record in the white jersey stands at 36 goals and 85 assists in 190 games.
#2 Gonzalo Higuain
The Argentine didn't have a poor outing at Real Madrid. In fact, he had a spell he can proudly boast of, recording 121 goals and 56 assists in 264 appearances across all competitions. However, like a couple of names on this list, what the striker suffered from was the overshadowing influence of Cristiano Ronaldo at the Santiago Bernabeu.
That became evident when Higuain left Real Madrid to join Napoli in 2013, instantly establishing himself as an undisputed leader in that team. The Argentine notably set the record for the highest number of goals ever scored by a player in a single Serie A campaign, in the 2015-16 season.
He bagged a whopping 36 goals for Napoli that season, claiming the Golden Boot in the process.
#1 Karim Benzema
The most obvious of all attackers who suffered due to the towering presence of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid is Karim Benzema. Since the departure of the Portuguese legend, Benzema's brilliance has come into full view.
Since the five-time Ballon d'Or winner parted ways with Real Madrid, Benzema has taken his game to an unbelievable level. He is currently among the top-rated players in the world, even ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, at the moment.
So far this season, the Frenchman has bagged an impressive 32 goals and 13 assists for the Spanish giants across all competitions. Should he continue going in this direction, the striker will definitely be in the talks for the Ballon d'Or award come the end of the season.
