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La Liga juggernauts Real Madrid and Premier League heavyweights Liverpool will square off in the Champions League final in Paris on Saturday (May 28). Both teams comprise of big-name players who can influence the game in a heartbeat. With hopes of going down in history, the two sets of players are set to leave their all on the Parisian pitch this weekend.
This list, however, is not directly related to the upcoming spectacle at the Stade de France. Here, we will be checking out a handful of footballers who could have a hard time picking their favorite team this Saturday. Let's take a look at the five best players who have represented both Real Madrid and Liverpool in their careers.
#5 Fernando Morientes
Fernando Morientes moved to Real Madrid from Real Zaragoza as a free agent in 1997. However, with Raul running riots in attack, he did not have the easiest of times breaking into the team. Eventually, his perseverance paid off and he became one of the most important members of the squad.
With the Whites, he won the Champions League in his debut season. He won the cup twice more in 2000 and 2002, respectively. He scored the all-important opening goal in the 1999-2000 Champions League final against Valencia (3-0 win). Morientes also won La Liga twice with Real Madrid before being loaned out to Monaco and then joining Liverpool permanently in January 2005.
Morientes’ spell in England was not as fruitful as it was in Spain. He only played 61 games for Liverpool, scoring only 12 times. In his debut season, he watched on from the stands as the Reds won the Champions League in Istanbul (ineligible; cup-tied). He won the FA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup the following season (2005-06) before being sold to Valencia in the summer of 2006.
#4 Fabinho
Liverpool midfielder Fabinho is easily one of the best defensive midfielders in the world right now. He is an excellent distributor of the ball, clears threatening deliveries out of dangerous areas, and can pop up with a goal when needed.
Since joining the Reds from Monaco in 2018, Fabinho has won a Champions League trophy, a Premier League title, and an FA Cup amongst other honors. Given the way the Brazilian has performed in recent seasons, there is hardly any team in the world who would think twice before signing him.
A decade back, however, things were not as hunky-dory for the midfielder. He spent a season on loan at Real Madrid Castilla (from Portuguese side Rio Ave) and failed to make a single dent. He appeared only once for the Madrid senior team in the 2012-13 season, providing an assist in his 14-minute cameo. Unfortunately for him, it was not enough to earn a permanent transfer to the Spanish capital.
#3 Steve McManaman
Graduating from the Liverpool academy, Steve McManaman made his debut for the Reds’ senior team in the December of 1990, under legendary manager Kenny Dalglish. The winger quickly drew eyeballs thanks to his technical quality and tremendous work rate.
In only his first full season, McManaman emerged as an important member of the team, scoring 11 goals and providing nine assists in 51 appearances. He won the FA Cup with the Reds at the end of the season (1991-92).
Over the next seven years, McManaman produced some exceptional performances in the Reds shirt. However, he didn’t win any silverware with them except for one League Cup (1994-95).
McManaman joined Real Madrid as a free agent in 1999 and won the biggest prize of them all: the Champions League in his debut campaign. Most importantly, he was on the scoresheet in the famous 3-0 win over Valencia.
The following season (2000-01), he won La Liga as an integral member of the team before winning his second Champions League in 2001-02. The winger won another La Liga title in 2002-03 before moving back to the Premier League to join Manchester City as a free agent.
#2 Michael Owen
Michael Owen, a star pupil of Liverpool’s respected youth academy, made his first-team debut in May 1997, aged only 17. He scored in his debut match against Wimbledon, but could not salvage a win.
The following season, Owen won the Premier League Golden Boot (18 goals). He was also chosen as the PFA Young Player of the Year for his exceptional gameplay. The following campaign, he picked up a hamstring injury but managed to add another Golden Boot (18 goals) to his personal collection.
In the 2000-01 season, Owen scored 23 goals and provided eight assists to help Liverpool to the FA Cup, EFL Cup, and UEFA Cup treble. For his immense contribution, Owen won the Ballon d’Or in 2001.
Owen, who had been the Reds’ top scorer every season since 1998 (158 goals total), left the club for Real Madrid in 2004. Owen struggled to find his footing in the Spanish capital and spent a lot of time on the bench. The Englishman made only 26 starts in his only season in Madrid, scoring a total of 16 goals before joining Premier League side Newcastle United.
#1 Xabi Alonso
The personification of class, quality, and charisma: Xabi Alonso is the most successful player to have played for both Real Madrid and Liverpool. Alonso first grabbed headlines during his four-year stint with La Liga outfit Real Sociedad (2000-2004).
The midfield maestro could spray inch-perfect passes in all directions. He shielded the ball expertly and rarely committed defensive errors. Impressed with his profile, Liverpool lapped him up in the summer of 2004.
Alonso immediately became an integral member of Rafael Benitez’s side, appearing in 32 games across competitions in his debut season. His most notable contribution, of course, came in the 2004-05 Champions League final against AC Milan. The Spaniard scored the equalizer that pushed the match into extra time as Liverpool eventually emerged victorious on penalties.
After four more impressive seasons at Anfield, Alonso left for La Liga giants Real Madrid in the summer of 2009. The defensive midfielder served as a deep-lying playmaker in the Spanish capital and was one of the best in his position. He helped the Whites to a La Liga and Champions League (La Decima) titles before joining Bundesliga outfit Bayern Munich in 2014.
