5 players whose careers dipped after joining Real Madrid

Jonathan Woodgate is one of many players whose careers dipped after joining Real Madrid.
Jonathan Woodgate is one of many players whose careers dipped after joining Real Madrid.

#3 Nuri Sahin

Nuri Sahin
Nuri Sahin

Nuri Sahin was pouched by Real Madrid after he rose to prominence during his stint at Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund. He was one of the German club's standout players in their title-winning season under Jurgen Klopp in 2010-11.

The German's performances caught the attention of Real Madrid, who signed him that summer. However, Sahin was unable to impress then Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho during his solitary season at the club, making just four appearances before he was loaned out to Liverpool the next season.

Sahin was subsequently sent on a two-season loan spell to Borussia Dortmund in 2012 but could not recapture the form he displayed during his previous spell with the club. Sahin joined Dortmund permanently in 2014 and spent four seasons at the club before joining Werder Bremen in 2018.


#2 Eden Hazard

Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard

The jury is still out for Eden Hazard, as he is still a Real Madrid player and has time to revive his career with Los Blancos. The Belgian has, however, suffered a drastic fall from grace since joining Real Madrid from Chelsea in 2019.

A combination of injuries and lack of confidence has meant Hazard has had a forgettable impact at Real Madrid. He has played just 36 times for Real Madrid in almost two seasons.

Eden Hazard was widely regarded as one of the best players in the world prior to his move to the Spanish capital. However, the former Chelsea man is currently struggling to nail down a place in Real Madrid's starting line-up and could be deemed surplus to requirements by Zinedine Zidane in the summer.


#1 Kaka

Kaka
Kaka

Brazilian maestro Kaka joined Real Madrid in 2009 after six fabulous seasons at AC Milan. During that period, he became one of the best players in the world. Kaka won a Serie A title, the Champions League and the Ballon D'Or award during his time with the Italian giants before arriving at the Spanish capital.

However, Kaka's four-season stint at Real Madrid was plagued by injuries. He managed just 120 appearances in all competitions for the club and was unable to live up to the hype that surrounded him when he first arrived in Madrid.

After providing only glimpses of his prowess at Real Madrid, Kaka returned to AC Milan on a free transfer in 2013. He subsequently joined Orlando City in the MLS, where he played for three years before retiring in 2017.

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