10 greatest Real Madrid players of this century

#4 Zinedine Zidane

Zidane won it all during his time at Real Madrid

When Zinedine Zidane joined Real Madrid from Juventus in 2001, many knew the club had signed a special player.

The Frenchman’s goal in the 2002 UEFA Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen still stands out as one of the competition’s best goals ever. That the former midfielder retired while still playing top-level football– and without losing form– typifies the kind of player he was for Los Blancos.

Zidane grew into a legendary player at the Santiago Bernabeu and has since made his return to the club in a managerial capacity.

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#3 Raul Gonzalez

Raul was the poster boy for Real Madrid for many years

For many years, Raul Gonzalez was the undisputed poster boy for Real Madrid. The former Spain international was a predator in front of goal and scored many goals in the club’s white jersey.

The former striker joined Real Madrid's youth academy in 1992 and rose through the ranks to become a regular in the first team. He continued to develop and helped the club to numerous titles, both domestically and in Europe, before departing the Bernabeu in 2010 as the club’s all-time top scorer. His 323 goals stood as a club record until the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo, who later surpassed the Spanish legend.

Raul gave Madrid fans several memorable moments on the pitch and he will always hold a legendary status at the club.