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Real Madrid is one of the biggest and most successful football clubs in the world. Los Blancos are generally recognised for their pedigree and history in the beautiful game. For this reason, most players are eager to wear the club's jersey at one point or the other in their career.
The 2021-22 season was a successful one for Real Madrid. They reclaimed La Liga and also won the UEFA Champions League. Madrid's success can be attributed to the calibre of players they have. The Spanish giants can boast of some of the best legs in the game.
A quick look at their current squad reveals that the La Liga champions do not have any African players in their ranks. However, they boast some wonderful talents whose heritage can be traced down to Africa.
Without further ado, let's take a look at six Real Madrid stars who are of African descent.
#6 Ferland Mendy
One player who was instrumental in Madrid's success last season was Ferland Mendy. The France international displaced Marcelo as the club's first-choice left back. He gave a good account of himself all season long and was irreplaceable, making 35 appearances across competitions.
Mendy was born in France, but is originally from Senegal. He is a cousin to Chelsea goalkeeper Eduoard Mendy. The 27-year-old made his international debut in 2017 and has registered seven appearances for Les Blues.
Signed from Olympique Lyon in 2019, Mendy has made a total of 105 appearances for Los Blancos, scoring five goals and providing nine assists.
#5 Antonio Rudiger
Antonio Rudiger is one of Madrid's latest recruits. He joined the club on a free transfer from Chelsea this summer. Rudiger will be hoping to form a formidable partnership with the likes of Eder Militao and David Alaba at the heart of Real Madrid's defence.
The former Chelsea star is of Sierra-Leonean descent but represents the German national team. He has been spotted with the Sierra Leone national flag on numerous occasions. Rudiger also has an educational foundation in Sierra Leone.
He is a key member of the current German national team under Hansi Flick. The 30-year-old made his international debut in 2014. He was part of the German side that won the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.
#4 David Alaba
Alaba joined Real Madrid last summer from Bayern Munich. His first season in Spain was a memorable one. He formed a dominant partnership with Militao, helping the club win the La Liga and Champions League.
Alaba was born in Vienna to a Nigerian father and Philippino mother. This made him eligible to represent any one of Nigeria, the Philippines, or Austria. He opted for his birth country.
The 29-year-old has been a key member of the Austrian national team since 2005. He captained Austria to the 2020 European Championship and has made 94 appearances for Das Team.
#3 Eduardo Camavinga
Real Madrid signed Camavinga last summer from French club Rennes. The French midfielder was brought in to add more depth to Carlo Ancelotti's midfield department.
The prescence of Toni Kross, Luka Modric, and Casemiro meant Camavinga would always play second fiddle. Nevertheless, he made a total of 40 appearances last season, registering two goals and two assists.
Camavinga was born in a refugee camp in Angola to Congolese parents. His family moved to France when he was two years old. In 2019, the 19-year-old became a French citizen. 10 months later, he made his senior international debut, aged 17.
Camavinga is the youngest player to play and score for the French national team since 1914.
#2 Aurelien Tchouameni
Aurelien Tchouameni is the most-recent player to join the ranks at the Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid had to pay Monaco a fee in the region of €80m to get the services of the highly-rated midfielder.
Tchoumeni is originally from Cameroon, though he plays for the French national team. The 22-year-old made his senoir international debut in 2021. He has scored just once in 12 appearances for Les Blues.
#1 Karim Benzema
Real Madrid's success story in the recently-concluded season cannot be told without mentioning Karim Benzema. He was the club's talisman. Benzema finished as the top scorer in both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.
The 34-year-old striker scored 44 goals and provided 13 assists in 46 appearances last season. He is one of the top favourites to win the 2022 Ballon d'Or due to his brilliant performance in the 2021-22 campaign.
Benzema was born in Lyon, but his parents are Algerians. He made his senior debut for France in 2007 and is the nation's fifth-highest all-time top goalscorer. Benzema was axed from the national team in 2015 after a public scandal. However, he returned in 2021 ahead of the European Championship.
