Past Players: Volume 7 - Steve McManaman

The following season though, McManaman and his team mates put in another Champions League run making it to the final. McManaman was brilliant throughout this season and he stamped his authority in Spain when he scored a spectacular goal in the final against Valencia, helping his side to a 3-0 win and another Champions League trophy. This final also made McManaman the first ever English player to win the Champions League with a foreign team.

The next season for McManaman at Real Madrid really was a mentally challenging one. When Madrid brought in a new president, it was clear that key players were going to be sold in order to reduce the debt hanging over the club. Big names like Anelka and Redondo were told along with Steve that they would be moving on.

McManaman knew he had a watertight contract and was adamant he would not be going. Bids and interest from clubs like Fiorentina, Manchester United and Chelsea did not interest Steve one bit and even though manager Del Bosque made it clear he wouldn’t play many games at all this season, McManaman still refused to budge.

Starting the season with no designated squad number was a bizarre situation at Real Madrid. With a jokes going around the club, the fans responded quickly. A poll saw 90% of the fan base wanted McManaman to stay. Whether it had a bearing on key staff at the club who knows but in September, Del Bosque brought McManaman on as a sub against Malaga. Slowly but surely McManaman proved he deserved his place and he began to feature regularly. That season Real Madrid won the league and managed to reach the semi finals of the Champions League.As time went on at Real Madrid for McManaman, offers were still coming in but he still refused to leave. His time on the pitch was decreasing but players like Figo and Ronaldo were quick to praise Steve’s loyalty and fight in interviews. In 2002, McManaman even further cemented his passion and desire to do well both for and with the club when he scored against Barcelona in the first leg of a Champions League semi final. Real made it to the final in Glasgow where McManaman came on to replace Figo, the game ended 2-1 and Steve had collected his 2nd Champions League winners medal.In McManaman’s final season at Madrid, he only started 9 games. Perhaps the most memorable game for English fans saw him feature in a 4-3 loss at Old Trafford in the Champions League. McManaman won another La Liga with Madrid in his final season but with the arrival of David Beckham, the writing was definitely on the wall now for Steve.A lot of people have the idea that McManaman simply stayed at Real Madrid for the massive benefits applied to his contract. Of course, the money he was received would have had a bearing on his decisions but I honestly think that the main reason for his stubbornness to stay was to prove people wrong. Maybe he was just a money grabber and I can totally see that viewpoint as well but I think when looking at Steve on the whole you can tell what his true character is.

McManaman made a total of 94 appearances for Real Madrid and scored 8 goals.