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With Cristiano Ronaldo completing a sensational move to Italian giants Juventus, there is now a huge 50-goal-a-season vacuum to be filled in Real Madrid’s attack, and with Julian Lopetogui spearheading a new beginning for Los Blancos, Gareth Bale will be the main man to lead the attack.
The Welshman has shown what he is capable of over the past few seasons, the highlight being THAT overhead kick against Liverpool in the Champions League final, and who can forget his marauding run past Marc Bartra in the Copa del Rey final, but injuries have prevented him from making consistent meaningful impact over the course of a season. This is now his opportunity, and he is certainly capable of doing so.
Gareth Bale is not the first British player to play on Spanish soil. That record belongs to Laurie Cunningham who joined Real Madrid in 1979. He was the first black player to represent England professionally and memorably received a standing ovation against Barcelona at the Camp Nou - from the home fans! A proper legend, Cunningham flourished in Real at a time when racism was rampant in the game in Britain. He also spent time at Sporting Gijon and Rayo Vallecano, where he helped them to promotion from Liga Segunda.
Since then several others have made the trip to Spain, with some doing better than others. Here’s a look at some of the most successful British players who spent some of their career in Spain.
#1 Gary Lineker (Barcelona - 1986-1989)
Making a living as a pundit for BT Sport these days, Gary Lineker spent 3 seasons at Barcelona during his prime, making the move from Everton after winning the Golden Boot at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
He scored 42 goals in 103 appearances over 3 seasons for the Catalan giants. In his first season, he bagged 21 goals in 41 games, which included a hat-trick in a 3-2 win against arch-rivals Real Madrid, one that will remain in the memory of Barcelona fans forever. He helped them to the Copa del Rey in 1988 and the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1989.
Mark Hughes was signed in the same window from Man United, although he lasted only one less-than-impressive season there.
#2 Steve McManaman (Real Madrid - 1999-2003)
Although Lineker did well, Steve McManaman is the leading light when it comes to British players in Spain. In the 4 seasons he spent at the Bernabeu, Real were crowned Spanish champions twice and European champions twice, along with a Spanish Cup and a European Super Cup to add some gloss.
He scored in the 2000 Champions League final win over Valencia in what was arguably his finest moment in a Real shirt. With that win, he became the first British player to win a Champions League with a foreign club. He repeated the feat a couple of seasons later, when Real beat Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 final, with McManaman scoring a vital goal in the semi-final against Barcelona.
His time at Real was not smooth-sailing however. In his second season, Real wanted to sell him as Florentino Perez became president of the club and went about implementing his Galactico policy, but his persistence to stay put despite offers from various clubs meant he forced himself into their plans and played a prominent role in his next 3 seasons. He won a total of 8 trophies, becoming the most successful English football export to ever play overseas in terms of trophies, and is now listed as a club legend in Real Madrid’s official website.
#3 David Beckham (Real Madrid – 2003-2007)
A man that needs no introduction, Beckham’s arrival at Real meant the end of Steve McManaman’s time there, as the Galactico project went into full gear. Initially destined to join Barcelona, he ended up joining a Madrid team that included the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo, Raul, Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos.
Despite having a star-studded team, they fell below expectations, with Beckham only winning one La Liga title and a Spanish Super Cup in his 4 seasons there. Although he performed well throughout, the constant changing of managers meant he was in and out of favour and it was only in his final season under Fabio Capello that he played a key role, helping them win La Liga title. In total he made 116 appearances, scoring 13 goals and contributing 33 assists, with no shortage of his trademark free kicks.
A notable absentee would include Michael Owen who, although a prolific goalscorer in his prime, didn’t have a huge impact in his one season at Real Madrid, although he did have the best goal per minute ratio in La Liga that season. Jonathan Woodgate had a disastrous spell at Real, one which will be remembered more for his own goals than defensive solidity.
Bale is now probably a Real Madrid legend already, with his 4 Champions League titles and an impressive 88 goals in 189 appearances, and certainly already merits a place on this list, but it remains to be seen whether or not he’ll be able to lead Real's attack in the post-Ronaldo era. As long as he avoids injury, I wouldn't bet against him.
