Real Madrid is a club that could be termed as one of the elite clubs in the game. Be it the glamorous teams they field week in week out, their financial muscle or their fan base, Real is one of the best things to have happened to the game of football. Of course, with the reputation comes great responsibility and for every Real Madrid star, there are several others who could not handle the pressure associated with being a player at the club.
The club, which is rich in heritage, has seen several legends of the game ply their trade in their royal white and in this segment, we bring to you 10 of the iconic quotes that express its greatness.
#1 Gareth Bale
“When I was younger I had some close friends and we always loved European football and Real Madrid at that time were the dominant force and we always watched Real Madrid.
“I remember family holidays, we used to go Spain, and we'd bring back replica shirts of Real Madrid and wear them out and always pretend to be the players when we played in the park. It just started from there and I followed them since.” – Gareth Bale
The Welsh wizard has engraved himself in the folklore of Real Madrid having helped them to their 10th UEFA Champions League title in his first year at the Santiago Bernabeu and followed it up another important performance in the final of the competitions in 2015/16.
#2 Sergio Ramos
“When you put on this shirt, you know that you’ve arrived at the very top. There is no greater honour.” – Sergio Ramos
The current Real Madrid captain joined from Sevilla in the summer of 2005 for a fee believed to be in the region of €27 million, making him the subject of the highest transfer fee ever paid for a Spanish teenager.
However, in the years to come, he has more than lived up to his lofty price tag and has gone on to establish himself as the foundation of his side’s defence.
The defender has not shied away from expressing his love for his current employers in the past and given his performances for the club, he has surely engraved himself in golden letters in their history.
#3 Juanito
“Playing for Real Madrid is like touching the sky, Real Madrid has always been my first choice as a team and Madrid has always been my favourite as a city” – Juanito
Having impressed with Burgos during the three years he spent with them from 1974 to 1977, Juanito joined Real Madrid in 1977 and immediately touched the hearts of millions of Madridistas by expressing his love for the Blancos.
He amassed 90 goals in 350 appearances for Real Madrid and was famed for helping them achieve implausible comeback victories, making him a legendary figure at the club.
#4 Raul
“This is my home and when I am ready to come back and offer something different, I will return”
Raul is one of the modern day legends of the game having showcased an uncanny ability to consistently find the back of the net at a regular frequency. The striker, who came through the Real Madrid academy after making the switch from Atletico Madrid, played in 741 games and scored an incredible 323 goals to help his side assert their dominance in European football.
It was a tearful day when the striker, who had spent most of his playing career at Madrid, left the club for a move to Schalke. However, the Spaniard, who had become the heartbeat of the side made clear his intention to return his home, his club.
#5 Alfredo Di Stefano
“Primero hay que sudarla chava!” (You have got to sweat in it first, sonny)
Most fans associated Real Madrid as a club that essentially buys the best of the players and in the process trophies. However, what they overlook is the amount of hard work each of this player has put in to impress the mighty club as well as the effort they put in to deserve to wear the colours of the club.
Alfredo Di Stefano was no stranger to the ways at the club having been a critical figure in one of the most dominating Real units. The legendary quote from the striker essentially symbolises the grit required to become deserved to be a Real Madrid player.
#6 Zinedine Zidane
“Real Madrid is the most important thing that happened to me, both as a footballer and as a person.”
Despite the personal pride that comes with playing for one’s club, it can be safely said that most footballers on the planet are envious of the men in white. Treated as a royalty amongst men, Real Madrid have, over the years employed the services of several legends and their current manager, Zinedine Zidane was a magician during his playing time.
The elegant midfielder made the move to Real Madrid from Juventus and was at the heart of the “Galacticos” project undertaken at the club. The very fact that a player of his calibre has acknowledged the importance of Real, as a footballer and as a person, speaks volumes about the club’s legacy.
#7 Franz Beckenbauer
“Real Madrid is a legendary team that stands above all the others and is the target of all the players.”
“Der Kaiser" as he is lovingly called was one of the best in the business during his playing career and subsequently followed it up with a great stint as manager, winning the World Cup with West Germany and then following it up with a great spell with his former club Bayern Munich.
Given that he was at the helm of footballing matters for three decades at a time when Real Madrid were the dominant force in Europe, it does not come as a surprise that Beckenbauer has expressed that to play for the Madrid club is a dream of every footballer.
#8 Mesut Ozil
“I’m glad that I can play for the biggest club in the world” – Mesut Ozil
Mesut Ozil had already established himself as one of the best young players on the planet when he joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2010 and he did not shy away from letting the world know that Real Madrid are the biggest club in the world. Joining from Werder Bremen, the player had been impressive in the play making role for the club and Germany and it came as no surprise that Real Madrid signed him up soon.
The player spent three years at the club and was part of the side that won La Liga, Copa Del Rey and the Super Cup and enjoyed a fairly successful time at the club.
#9 Jose Mourinho
“It (Real Madrid) is a unique club and I believe that not to coach Real (Madrid) leaves a void in a coach’s career.” – Jose Mourinho
One of the most iconic quotes on the club has been made by the self-anointed “Special One” Jose Mourinho. Mourinho was at the helm of affairs at the Santiago Bernabeu for three seasons between 2010 and 2013 and while his time at the club might have been troubled, he was still fairly successful. The quote from the Portuguese essentially summarises how highly the managerial community rates the job at Real Madrid.
Real Madrid is the elite institution in the game of football and to be associated with the club is perhaps the pinnacle of achievement for every individual.
#10 Santiago Bernabeu
“The Real Madrid shirt is white. It can stain of mud, sweat and even of blood, but never of shame!”
The very fact that Real Madrid have named their stadium after the great man speaks volumes about the role of Santiago Bernabeu had in making the club a formidable force. After being associated with the club as a player, Bernabeu became an integral part of the club’s hierarchy and played a pivotal role as their President for 33 long years.
He laid the foundations for the club’s ascent on the footballing map during his time as the club’s president between 1943 and 1977. Unafraid to express his love for the club, Don Santiago, as he was lovingly called, made the statement that essentially symbolised Real’s position as one of the elite clubs in the world.
