5 players you didn't know played for Real Madrid

Real Madrid's stature in world football is second to none, attracting many top stars from around the globe over the years.

Especially since the start of the Florentino Perez-era at the turn of the millennium, Real Madrid have managed to capture some of the biggest names in the sport.

Five big-name players who have had forgettable stints at Real Madrid:

Not every big-name player has achieved success at the Santiago Bernabeu for a variety of reasons.

Some high-profile flops at Real Madrid have also gone on to achieve tremendous success with other teams, leaving the Spanish giants wondering what might have been.

On that note, we look at five such players who turned up for Real Madrid once upon a time but had largely forgettable stints at the club.

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#5 Juan Mata

Juan Mata was not given the chance to shine at Real Madrid.

Although his time in the La Liga is fondly remembered for being a part of an exciting Valencia team, Juan Mata started his career at Real Madrid, joining their youth ranks as a 15-year old in 2003.

However, the furthest he could ever reach at Real Madrid was their Castilla side before Mata signed for Los Che.

His impressive displays at the Mestalla earned him a move to Chelsea in 2007, where he enjoyed two and a half successful years, winning the Champions League, the Europa League and the FA Cup.

More silverware followed him at Manchester United whom he joined in 2014; Mata won the Europa League and FA Cup titles at Old Trafford.

A prolific creator with exceptional set-piece abilities in his prime, Juan Mata could've saved Real Madrid a sizeable chunk of cash they spent on finding a quality playmaker before the arrival of Mesut Ozil.

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#4 Hamit Altintop

Hamit Altintop failed to make the cut at Real Madrid.

Many top stars have failed to light up the Santiago Bernabeu, one of them being Hamit Altintop.

Altintop's impressive spell in the Bundesliga with Schalke and Bayern Munich prompted Real Madrid to acquire his services in 2011, but the player lasted only one season at the club.

Even though he lifted the league title with Los Blancos, Altintop's contributions were minimal, playing just five games, as he struggled to force his way into Jose Mourinho's star-studded team.

Disappointed with his lack of first-team opportunities at Real Madrid, the Turkish midfielder joined Galatasaray later that summer.

#3 Esteban Cambiasso

Esteban Cambiasso failed to shine with Real Madrid due to limited game-time.

Esteban Cambiasso is remembered for his spells with Inter Milan and Leicester City, but he commenced his European career at Real Madrid.

Cambiasso arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu from River Plate in 2002 and enjoyed two trophy-laden years. However, the midfielder never managed to nail down a consistent spot at a Real Madrid side featuring the likes of Ronaldo Nazario, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos and Raul Gonzalez.

Esteban Cambiasso eventually left Real Madrid in 2004 to join the Nerazzurri, where he enjoyed great success over the next decade. The Argentine then helped Leicester City escape relegation in the Premier League, a year before their improbable title triumph.

The former Argentina international retired at Olympiacos in 2017 after two seasons in the Greek Super League.

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#2 Fabinho

Fabinho wasn't given enough time to succeed at Real Madrid.

Fabinho came to Real Madrid Castilla from Portuguese side Rio Ave in 2012 in search of greener pastures.

The Brazilian impressed with Real Madrid's youth team, making 30 appearances in the 2012-13 season, before Jose Mourinho handed him his senior debut towards the end of the campaign.

Fabinho came off the bench in Real Madrid's 6-2 victory over Malaga. He assisted Angel Di Maria for the final goal of the game, but that wasn't enough to convince Real Madrid, who loaned off Fabinho to Monaco.

Fabinho didn't look back thereafter, as he became the lynchpin in the talented Monaco side that beat Paris Saint-Germain to the Ligue 1 title in 2017.

Liverpool soon came calling for his services. Since his £44 million transfer to Anfield three years ago, Fabinho has gone on to win the Champions League and the Premier League titles.

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#1 Samuel Eto'o

Rejected at Real Madrid, Samuel Eto'o became a legend at Barcelona.

Every club has 'the one that got away'.

In Real Madrid's case, it's Samuel Eto'o, who went on to shine for their El Clasico rivals Barcelona, much to their dismay.

The former Cameroon legend joined Real Madrid's youth ranks in 1997 but left after a few loan spells with other Spanish teams, making just two league appearances for the Whites.

His impressive displays with Mallorca prompted Barcelona to land him at the Camp Nou in 2004, and that started the most glorious spell of his professional career.

Eto'o scored plenty of goals and lifted numerous titles, including the continental treble in 2009.

He joined Inter Milan that summer and won the treble again, making him the first and only player to accomplish the coveted feat in consecutive years.