...By Lola Smith for TDPel Media.
Real Madrid is considered the ultimate destination for footballers, despite what Manchester United fans might say.
Many of the sport’s biggest names have gone to great lengths to wear the famous white shirt, including Luis Figo, who became a public pariah.
Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham is the latest prodigiously-talented star to join Real Madrid, though a move to the Spanish capital hasn’t always been smooth for English players.
In this article, we will look at five Three Lions stars who played for Real Madrid and how they fared.
David Beckham spent four years at Real Madrid as part of the Galacticos project in the early 00s. The project aimed to bring in a new world-class player every year for five consecutive seasons to elevate the club’s prestige to its former heights.
Although Beckham made over 150 appearances for Los Blancos, the team’s failure to challenge for the Champions League casts a shadow over the era.
Steve McManaman also spent four seasons at the Bernabeu and won six major honours, including two La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues.
His finest hour came during the 2000 Champions League final, where his goal and all-round performance during the 3-0 victory over Valencia earned him the man of the match award.
Michael Owen joined Real Madrid for £8m in 2004, a year after Beckham’s move.
However, he had to settle for a place on the bench behind Ronaldo and Raul and lost favour with the fans due to his lack of consistency.
Owen ended his one and only season in Madrid with 16 goals in 45 games and returned to the Premier League with Newcastle.
Jonathan Woodgate’s stint at Real Madrid was a horror show.
He arrived injured in 2004 and didn’t make his debut until the following season.
His first game for the club was disastrous, as he scored an own goal and was later sent off, and persistent injury problems prevented him from ever properly making amends.
Despite this, fans sympathised with his rotten luck and considered him a cult hero.
Laurie Cunningham was the first English player to ever play for Real Madrid, winning La Liga and two Copa del Rey titles during his four-year stint.
Unfortunately, his time in the Spanish capital was hampered by injury, and he club-hopped for the next six years after leaving Los Blancos.
Tragically, he was killed in a car crash in Madrid while playing for Rayo Vallecano in 1989, at the age of just 33.
Real Madrid is a prestigious club that every footballer dreams of playing for.
However, as this article demonstrates, it can be a challenging place for English players, with some experiencing success and others facing disappointment.
Despite the challenges, it remains an iconic club that many players aspire to join, and Bellingham is the latest to follow in the footsteps of the greats.
