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There aren't many more recognisable transfer policies in football than Real Madrid's Galacticos. Masterminded by club president Florentino Perez, the Galactico era began in the early 2000s and saw Real Madrid assemble a squad filled with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Every summer, superstar names from all over the continent were brought to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu to play alongside other big-name players.
While the Real Madrid president was not the first senior figure to try and create such a team, his attempt at doing so arguably saw the biggest names in world football play under one roof.
Real Madrid's two distinct Galactico eras under Perez
The first era between 2000 and 2006 perhaps didn't bring as much success on the pitch as Perez would have hoped for, as they won two league titles and a UEFA Champions League, among other honours.
Perez's second Galactico era, which kickstarted in 2009, saw them create a side that enjoyed immense success as they won LaLiga Santander thrice, Copa del Rey twice, and the UCL a staggering four times.
With their current squad filled with aging stars and players and those whose powers have begun to wane, the 74-year-old president has another great revamp to oversee at Real Madrid. Regardless of whether Perez will look to buy several high-profile stars once again, the Galacticos policy has brought great recognition and success to the record champions of Spain and Europe.
Here, we take a look at the best Galactico signings made by Florentino Perez across both his spells as Real Madrid president.
#10 David Beckham | €35m, Manchester United
Kicking off the list is English superstar David Beckham, who moved to the Santiago Bernabeu for a massive €35m in 2003. The former England captain played a pivotal role in Manchester United's success on both domestic and continental fronts, helping them win their first European treble.
While he might not have possessed the level of gifted technical ability of the likes of Ronaldo Nazario or Zinedine Zidane, Beckham was still an incredible player in his own right. Although he was seen as a stylistic misfit for the Blancos at the time, Beckham was the archetype of a mid-2000s global superstar. This was emphasised by Perez, who said who during upon signing Beckham,
"He [David Beckham] is a man of our times and a symbol of modern-day stardom. And what is certain is Real Madrid have signed Beckham because he's a great footballer and a very dedicated professional."
Widely regarded as one of the most iconic and globally recognizable footballers of the century, Beckham went on to play for Real Madrid on 159 occasions, setting up 51 and scoring 20. The English star didn't have a particularly great time in the Spanish capital, at least in comparison to others on this list, but he did win LaLiga with them in the 2006/07 campaign.
#9 Luis Figo | €62m, Barcelona
In many ways, Luis Figo's controversial purchase from arch-rivals Barcelona is regarded as the transfer that kickstarted the first Galacticos era at Real Madrid. The Portuguese superstar was one of the best players in world football at the time, but matters got ugly after newly-appointed Blancos chief Perez triggered his release cause of €62m at the Nou Camp.
Then-Barcelona president Joan Gaspart had to choose between selling Figo to Real Madrid or paying an enormous fee to keep him at the Nou Camp as a penalty as his release clause was triggered. The saga led to the winger becoming Real Madrid's first Galactico under Perez, and over two decades later, Figo is still considered one of Los Blancos' most successful foreign players.
Figo had to endure an enormous wave of criticism for crossing the divide, with Barcelona supporters physically attacking their former player by throwing projectiles at him during the El Clasicos of the early-2000s.
Overall, the winger won two LaLiga titles and a UEFA Champions League, among other major honours at the Santiago Bernabeu. He played 245 games for Real Madrid, scoring 56 goals and assisting 93 during his time at the club.
#8 Gareth Bale | Tottenham Hotspur, €100m
Real Madrid made Gareth Bale the most expensive player in world football when they smashed the transfer record previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013. The Welshman was arguably the most in-demand forward in Europe after a stunning few campaigns in North London, when Real Madrid beat Manchester United to the Welsh superstar's signature.
Purely in terms of impact, Bale proved himself to be one of the best big-money signings made by the club. From his iconic winning goal in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona to his breathtaking cameo against Liverpool in the UCL final, the Welshman has produced several moments of magic for the Blancos. Only Cristiano Ronaldo (four) has scored more goals in UCL finals than Bale's three.
However, things turned sour very quickly at Real Madrid between Bale and Zinedine Zidane, who unceremoniously froze the Welshman out of his plans. While he's still on their books, Bale is currently on loan at Tottenham Hotspur, and his future is still up in the air.
Bale won four UCLs, two LaLiga titles, and a host of other major honours at the Santiago Bernabeu. The 31-year-old scored 105 times and set up 68 goals for Real Madrid.
Also read: 5 Transfers that dramatically changed the fortunes of a club
#7 Ronaldo Nazario | €46m, Internazionale
Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario was part of the first few high-profile Galacticos signed by Florentino Perez. After just one season at the Nou Camp, Ronaldo joined Internazionale, where he played for five years, scoring 59 goals and setting up a further 12 in 99 appearances. Perez set his sights on the Brazilian after his World Cup heroics, and managed to sign him in 2002.
The ex-Inter and PSV Eindhoven star spent the longest spell of his club career at Real Madrid, during which he won LaLiga, the Intercontinental Cup and the Supercopa de Espana. O Fenomeno was an unstoppable force, who combined searing pace, power, and surreal dribbling ability with explosive finishing in front of goal.
Ronaldo won the second of his two Ballons d'Or in his first season at the club and scored a total of 104 goals across 177 appearances for the Blancos, along with 35 assists. Unfortunately, Ronaldo retired as arguably one of the best players to have never won the UCL.
#6 Toni Kroos | €24m, Bayern Munich
Four days after Germany's triumphant FIFA World Cup campaign in 2014, Real Madrid announced the signing of Die Mannschaft's metronome Toni Kroos. The German playmaker won everything possible on the domestic front with Bayern Munich before becoming one of the last big-name players to have been purchased in Perez's second Galacticos era.
Kroos went on to forge a magnificent partnership in the middle with Luka Modric and Casemiro and propelled Real Madrid into an era of dominance in Europe. The German established himself as one of the best midfielders in the world and gradually developed into one of the greatest deep-lying playmakers in Real Madrid history.
His importance to Real Madrid was described perfectly by Casemiro, who said on the midfielder;
"If Toni wants the team to slow things down, the team will go a little slower – or if he wants to up the pace, the team will play a little faster. So basically, the way we play is determined by Toni Kroos."
Overall, Kroos has played 320 times for Real Madrid, scoring 22 goals and setting up a further 80. He has been in excellent touch in 2020/21, and has arguably been one of their best players this season.
#5 Luka Modric | €32m, Tottenham Hotspur
Much like Kroos, Luka Modric turned out to be one of Perez's most influential midfield signings during his time at the club. The Croat took a while to settle into life at Real Madrid and was famously branded by Spanish outlet MARCA as the worst signing made by Real Madrid in 2012. However, once he settled into the Spanish capital, Modric became a pivotal player for the Blancos.
The 36-year-old formed a magnificent partnership with Toni Kroos and Casemiro to power Real Madrid to unprecedented glory across all fronts. Capable of playing as an attacking midfielder, a box-to-box player, and a deep-lying playmaker, Modric became an influential figure in all phases of play. Overall, the midfielder donned the famous white shirt 390 times, scoring 27 goals and setting up a further 61.
Modric also managed to replicate his incredible achievements for Croatia as he guided them to their first FIFA World Cup final and won the Golden Ball at the 2018 edition of the tournament. With his Ballon d'Or win in the same year, the majestic midfielder became only the fourth player to win both these awards in the same year after Bobby Charlton (1966), Johan Cruyff (1974) and Paolo Rossi (1982).
#4 Karim Benzema | €35m, Olympique Lyon
Karim Benzema arrived as a talented forward in his early 20s from Olympique Lyon, and went on to build a legacy for himself at the biggest club in European football. After taking some time to adapt to a club as massive as Real Madrid, Benzema became a mainstay in Los Blancos' front line.
The Frenchman's areas of expertise include brilliant off-the-ball movement, positioning, vision and the ability to link up with his teammates in the final third to great effect. Many managers, including Jose Mourinho and Zidane, have alluded to Benzema as a 'nine-and-a-half', highlighting his ability to lead the line and drop into spaces to facilitate other attackers.
Benzema has helped Real Madrid to three LaLiga Santander titles and four UEFA Champions Leagues during his time at the club. The former Lyon man has played 557 times for Real Madrid and scored 278 times, a tally bettered by only four Blancos stars. Benzema is a true modern legend among the club's lengthy list of decorated icons, and is currently one of the club's captains.
Also read: 5 famous footballers with weird jersey numbers
#3 Sergio Ramos | €27m, Sevilla
In the summer of 2005, Perez sanctioned a whopping €27m for Los Blancos to sign one of the most sought-after properties in Spanish football, Sergio Ramos. The then-19-year-old became the most expensive Spanish defender in history and inherited the number four shirt, one that he dons to this very day with pride. Nearly 16 years since his move, Ramos has gone on to become one of the club's greatest players, let alone greatest captains.
Ramos is the embodiment of what it means to play for Real Madrid. He's a pure winner, a player who will go to any extent to win football games for his side. He is a captain who leads the way by example and has etched his name into the club's record books as one of their most clutch players of all time, having scored some of the most important goals in their history, including two of them in UCL finals.
Ramos has represented Real Madrid on 671 occasions and scored a staggering 101 goals — the most of any Blancos defender in the 21st century — and only second to the predecessor of his number four shirt Fernando Hierro overall. Only four players in history have made more appearances for Real Madrid to their name.
Considering everything he's done for the record Spanish and European champions, Sergio Ramos is arguably one of their most successful signings ever.
#2 Zinedine Zidane | €77.5m, Juventus
Few players in Real Madrid's illustrious history embody the Galacticos policy better than French legend Zinedine Zidane. After a successful spell with Juventus and his heroics with Les Bleus, the 1998 Ballon d'Or winner was brought to the Bernabeu as Perez's second high-profile signing after Luis Figo the year before, he went on to make a monumental impact at the club.
He endeared himself to the Real Madrid faithful in his very first season as he made history by sealing their ninth UCL title in glorious fashion. Zidane dispatched a left-footed volley from the edge of the area in the 2001/02 final against Bayer Leverkusen to create one of the most memorable goals of all-time. The midfielder played 227 games for the club, scoring 49 goals and setting up a further 68.
If his sheer magical ability on the pitch wasn't enough, 'Zizou' came back to the Bernabeu to begin his career as a coach. After Rafa Benitez was unceremoniously sacked mid-season, the then-Castilla coach was called up to the first team and has never looked back since. Zidane became the first manager to retain the UCL in the 21st century and went on to complete a famous 'three-peat' in Europe.
The Frenchman, to date, remains in charge of Los Blancos, albeit in his second spell at the club. The man with the Midas Touch led Real Madrid to three successive UCL crowns and two LaLiga Santander titles so far. Zidane is comfortably one of the most influential figures in the club's history.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo | €94m, Manchester United
Florentino Perez has been at Real Madrid for nearly two decades and has spent an unfathomable amount of money at the club, but no signing made by the 74-year-old managed to have the impact that Cristiano Ronaldo did. The Portuguese arrived at the Bernabeu from Manchester United in 2009 as the most expensive player in the world at the time, and no record seemed out of his reach.
After already winning the Ballon d'Or during his time at Manchester United, the forward won a further four for his inexplicable goal-scoring feats with Real Madrid. Ronaldo practically shattered records at will, becoming the all-time top goalscorer in the UCL as well as Real Madrid history, with tallies of 135 and 450, respectively.
Ronaldo was crucial in helping Real Madrid establish an era of dominance as they enjoyed their best spell in Europe since the mid-1950s, with him leading the line. The 36-year-old fired them to four UCL titles in five seasons and boasted the three highest individual goal tallies in any Europe during this spell, including a 17-goal season to end Real Madrid's 12-year wait for La Decima.
Ronaldo was as big a Galactico as money could buy in the transfer climate at the time and, by the end of his trophy-laden nine-year stay in the capital, he proved to be worth every single Euro paid by the club. He arrived at Real Madrid as one of the best players in the world and left as one of the best in football history.
Also read: 5 clubs Cristiano Ronaldo could join after Juventus
