Real Madrid's 5 most influential players of All Time

#4 David Beckham

David Beckham was the gorgeous, ugly, pinnacle of Perez's great Galactico era

Hard-working, consistent, and possessed of God's right-foot, David Beckham the footballer was a very good one.

Handsome, charming, and as marketable as Brad Pitt, David Beckham the brand was... phew!... quite something else.

"How ugly is Ronaldinho?! There was no point buying him, it wasn't worth it. He's so ugly that he'd sink you as a brand. Between Ronaldinho and Beckham, I'd go for Beckham a hundred times. Just look how handsome Beckham is, the class he has, the image. The whole of Asia has fallen in love with us because of Beckham." - an unnamed board member of Real Madrid C.F.

David Beckham was the pinnacle of Florentino Perez's Galactico-era, the absolute showpiece footballer; a man bought without consideration as to what he may or may not bring to the team.

The Beckham saga was Real Madrid in a nutshell - move on their effective, underrated defensive midfielder (Claude Makelele) to make way for a right winger (when there was a better one already in town - Luis Figo) purely to build the brand in an untapped area of the world.

Beckham came, won one La Liga, wrecked the balance of the team, and converted everyone in China, Japan, and the entire fast-east to Real Madrid fans.

Now, that's influential.