• Pat Rice (1966-1980) – 255 games, 4 goals – most known for his time as Wenger’s assistant, Pat Rice also spent the majority of his playing career at Arsenal. He won the league in his debut season breaking into the first team.
• Charlie George (1968-1975) – 179 games, 49 goals – his famous goal against Liverpool in the 1971 FA Cup final will always be remembered fondly by Arsenal fans. His role in the club’s first-ever double was just one of the multiple occasions he stepped up on big nights.
• Pat Jennings (1977-1985) – 274 games, 87 clean sheets – before his transfer to fellow North London club Tottenham, Jennings was an iconic goalkeeper in his time at Arsenal.
• David Rocastle (1984-1992) – 277 games, 34 goals – Rocky was the crowd’s favorite as he was the sparking light in George Graham’s era, best known for the “Boring, Boring Arsenal” chants. Along with his teammate Michael Thomas, Rocastle also tried his best to fight racism in English football.
• Paul Merson (1985-1997) – 393 games, 89 goals – the versatile midfielder was one of the biggest stars of the club pre-Wenger era. After retirement, he continues to be in the spotlight with his role as Sky Sports pundit.
• Lee Dixon (1988-2002) – 586 games, 26 goals – a long-timer in Arsenal’s right-back position, Dixon won 15 trophies with the club, including four Premier League titles.
• Freddie Liungberg (1998-2007) – 328 games, 72 goals – the Swedish winger might not be the flashiest player in Wenger’s invincible side, but he scored the goals when it really mattered and always gave his all down the right flank.
• Robin van Persie (2004-2012) – 278 games, 132 goals – if it wasn’t for the move to Man Utd, which infuriated Arsenal fans, RVP could have cracked the top ten here. Came as a raw talent who needed lots of sharpening, and left as one of the best strikers in the world.

David Seaman 

1990 – 2003 (564 games, 223 clean sheets)

Major titles: 3 English League, Cup Winners’ Cup, 4 FA Cup, EFL Cup

Seaman joined Arsenal from Queen’s Park Rangers for what was a British record for a goalkeeper at the time. Under George Graham, Arsenal’s biggest transfers were usually to strengthen the defensive unit.

With fellow new signings Steve Bould, Lee Dixon and Nigel Winterburn in front of him, Seaman only conceded 18 goals and kept 23 clean sheets as Arsenal won the league in 1990/91.

Despite having to wait seven years for another league title, the England international was superb in domestic and international cup triumphs. His performance against a star-studded Parma side in a Cup Winners’ Cup final was a memorable one, not least as he played the game with pain-killing injections as he was suffering from a broken rib.

He departed the club with his eighth major trophy at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium. In a hard-fought FA Cup final against Southampton, Seaman had an exceptional save to deny Brett Ormerod from forcing an extra-time.

Sharp reflexes, courageous defending and exceptional positional awareness were some of Seaman’s best qualities. Although he failed to pass the grade when Ronaldinho stunned him with an iconic free-kick, the ponytail goalkeeper was also usually on point at judging crosses.

Cesc Fabregas

2003 – 2011 (303 games, 57 goals)

Major titles: FA Cup, 2 Community Shields

It might upset some Arsenal fans to see Cesc in this final list, but he was the perfect example of Arsene Wenger’s era of nurturing talents. He was just a little kid when he decided to shift from La Masia to Hale End.

Only a few months after the undefeated season, Cesc was promoted to the first team. And, soon after, he was the in-house solution to replace the influential captain Patrick Vieira.

The leap didn’t end there. Fabregas helped Arsenal reach the Champions League final as Wenger stunned Europe with a youthful team. The quarter-final duel against Serie A giants Juventus, in which Fabregas outplayed his former mentor, Vieira, was seen as handing over the baton.

At 21, Fabregas became Arsenal’s captain with the club resisting Barcelona’s offer to bring back their former academy player. While Arsenal came close to the league title in Cesc’s time at the club, including the 2007/08 close call, he won the 2010 World Cup, assisting Andres Iniesta’s winner in the final.

But that league triumph had to come with another London club. As much as his Barcelona transfer was hurtful to Arsenal fans, they also had to deal with their wunderkind becoming a two-time Premier League winner with Chelsea.

David O’Leary

1975 – 1993 (722 games, 14 goals)

Major titles: 2 English League, 2 FA Cup, 2 EFL Cups

Including his time in the youth team, O’Leary spent 20 years at Arsenal. He holds the record for the most games for the club as he featured 722 times for the first team.

Affectionately known as Spider, O’Leary was a calm operator with the ball at his feet. At the time when launching the ball forward under pressure was customary, he usually tried to build from the back.

The Republic of Ireland defender made his Arsenal debut only three months after his 17th birthday. And it was at the time when they were fighting to stay in the league.

Under George Graham, Arsenal returned to form and O’Leary had a coach who mastered the defensive side of the game. As a result, he became one of the best center-backs in the division.

Injuries halted his progress, however, as he had to be on the sidelines for months when Arsenal won the league in 1989 and 1991. Yet he was still influential when he got chances to contribute, playing right-back at times.

David closed his Arsenal chapter with another piece of silverware as Arsenal defeated Sheffield Wednesday in 1993’s two-legged FA Cup final.

Liam Brady

1973 – 1980 (307 games, 59 goals)

Major titles: FA Cup

Considered as one of the most complete midfielders in the 1970s, Brady was always one step ahead of the game. He had the skills and strength to dominate the midfield battle.

Chippy, as he was nicknamed, turned professional on the day he celebrated his 17th birthday. Bertie Mee was the coach who gave him his first minutes back in 1973.

Playing alongside the 1966 World Cup winner Alan Ball was the perfect opportunity to grow his level. And, with Terry Neill and Don Howe taking over the team, Brady played his part in Arsenal’s three successive FA Cup final appearances.

They only managed to win the middle one, however. The Irishman produced a Man of the Match performance against Manchester United as he was involved in all three goals.

He was the winner of PFA’s Player of the Year for that 1978-79 season. But, much to the angst of Arsenal supporters, he communicated his desire to join Juventus at the end of the 1979/80 campaign.

As fate has it, he knocked out his future club to reach the Cup Winners’ Cup final. But the story wasn’t going to end on a positive note. Brady missed his kick in the final penalty shootout defeat against Valencia.

After his departure, Arsenal went seven years without a trophy. Meanwhile, he won two Serie A titles with the Turin club. After retirement, Brady coached Arsenal’s youth team for nearly two decades until 2014.

Robert Pires

2000 – 2006 (284 games, 84 goals)

Major titles: 2 Premier League, 3 FA Cup

He only stayed at Highbury for six years, but that was enough for the Frenchman to appear at number six on our list. No. 7 jersey was already famous at Arsenal with David “Rocky” Rocastle, but Pires took it to another level.

Pires made Arsenal fans forget about Marc Overmars in a flash. Wenger’s focus on less-heralded Ligue 1 stars paid off big on this one as the fleet-footed winger bamboozled his way into one of the all-time best Premier League wingers.

Although he won World Cup and Euros before arriving at Highbury, he wasn’t the biggest name on France’s roster. And the first weeks in England were challenging, especially with the physical demands of the league.

But, in his second season, Pires took off. Including beautiful strikes against Aston Villa, Blackburn and derby rivals Tottenham, he played with authority and full of confidence to push Arsenal closer to the league title.

Although his campaign ended prematurely due to injury, he won Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year and Arsenal completed the double. His teammates also had a surprise for him on the final day as they bowed down in front of him in the trophy celebration.

On his return from injury in the 2002/03 season, Pires scored the only goal of the game in the FA Cup final against Southampton, the same opponent he scored a hat-trick in the penultimate game of the league season.

Those two campaigns were sensational, but the best was yet to come. With Ashley Cole and Thierry Henry, Pires created a left-sided triumvirate when Arsenal finished the 2003/04 season undefeated in the league. The trio scored a combined 57 goals in all competitions.

Pires finished third in the scoring chart in the 2004/05 season. But, at the end of the next campaign, it all ended abruptly. In his last game for the club, a Champions League final, the then-33-year-old had to be substituted early following Jens Lehmann’s red card.

Ian Wright

1991 – 1998 (288 games, 185 goals)

Major titles: Premier League, 2 FA Cups, Cup Winners’ Cup, EFL Cup

Not only was Ian Wright a regular goal scorer, but he also knew how to score the best goals. You could see him chip a goalkeeper from 30 yards out in the same game he guides the ball home with a tap-in from three yards.

He was also a lively presence in the dressing room. Like the manner he scored his goals, he had a long catalog of goal celebrations. The striker signed his first professional contract with Crystal Palace at nearly 22.

And six years passed before he joined fellow capital city club, Arsenal. But he departed the Gunners as the club’s all-time top-scorer, a record Henry broke in the middle of the 2000s.

Considering Alan Smith won consecutive Golden Boots with a team that also had Kevin Campbell, Paul Merson and Anders Limpar, Wright’s transfer was a bit of a mystery at first.

But George Graham didn’t have to wait longer to prove his point as Wright scored a hat-trick on his debut against Southampton. He completed the season as he started it with another hat-trick to beat Spurs’ goal-getter Gary Lineker in the Golden Ball race.

His goals brought trophies in the second season. Wright scored in the first as well as in the replay of the FA Cup final against Sheffield Wednesday as Arsenal won the domestic cup double. 

Despite missing out on the final due to suspension, Cup Winners’ Cup success followed the next campaign. In total, Wright finished as Arsenal’s top scorer in six successive seasons.

Just like the Cup Winners’ Cup story, his only league triumph came when he was less involved due to injuries and the emergence of a young striker by the name of Nicolas Anelka.

Nonetheless, it was a memorable season for him as he surpassed Cliff Bastin’s record number of goals with a brace against Bolton. Not many expected he’d last seven years at the club when he signed for the club in 1991.

Patrick Vieira

1996 – 2005 (406 games, 33 goals)

Major titles: 3 Premier League, 4 FA Cups

Vieira’s arrival to English football was at the same time as Arsene Wenger leaving Japan to take over the reins at Arsenal. Two domestic doubles and an invincible season later, the two Frenchmen are legends of the Premier League era.

While we mentioned initial doubts over Pires’ physical attributes, the 6ft 4in Vieira didn’t have to worry about that. His athleticism was yet another strong point for the lanky midfielder.

Add his excellent passing range and clean interceptions to his repertoire, and Vieira was simply a complete midfielder.

While two of the names in our top three needed time to adjust themselves to the demands of the Premier League, Vieira instantly showed his authority as his midfield partnership with compatriot Emmanuel Petit won the double for Arsenal.

In a true sense of a box-to-box player, Vieira was capable of racing downfield to spark attacking moves when he wasn’t busy cutting out a dangerous move by the opposing team.

And, if he rarely scores, it used to be either spectacular or decisive. In whatever he does, Vieira was a clutch player. In 2002, the inevitable happened. Vieiera became Arsenal’s captain.

That added responsibility even reduced the ill-fated moments that had him suspended with needless interventions. Of course, there has to be an exception, though – battles with Manchester United’s skipper Roy Keane.

After missing out in the closing months of the 2002/03 season, Arsenal returned to glory with their captain back in the groove. He was the kind of leader for a team who wanted to finish a league campaign unbeaten.

He then scored the decisive penalty as Arsenal beat Manchester United in the 2004/05 FA Cup final. But that was it – the final kick of Vieira as an Arsenal player. He shocked the footballing world with a move to Juventus in the summer. 

It was only as a bit-part player in Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan, but he completed his cabinet with a Champions League trophy at the end of his career.

Dennis Bergkamp

1995 – 2006 (423 games, 120 goals)

Major titles: 3 Premier League, 4 FA Cups

We already associate a couple of players with magnificent goals. But Bergkamp is the ultimate kind. From start to finish, his Arsenal career was full of goals that would make you run out of superlatives.

The striker who netted more than 20 goals in three seasons with Ajax only had three Serie A goals to his name in his last season at Inter. That’s when Arsenal stepped in.

What started with Bruce Rioch continues with more consistency and grace under Wenger. He didn’t regain his scoring exploits, but Dennis was an all-timer in his own style.

Eric Cantona and Bergkamp were trailblazers for English football opening its door to foreign influence. Technical ability was top of his identification, but he was equally adept at handling the physicality of the league. 

He had to wait for his eighth appearance for his first goal. But the Dutch master was among the league’s most creative players with key passes presenting chance after chance for the final striker, be it Ian Wright or Thierry Henry. 

In Arsenal’s double-winning season, 1997/98, Bergkamp won Player of the Year awards left and right. Even when it’s not his forte, Bergkamp ended his career as Arsenal’s 10th-highest goalscorer.

If we talk about the 1998 World Cup goal against Argentina as a defining moment for his national team contributions, we’ll be spoiled for choices at the club level. His swivel at Newcastle United’s St James’ was pretty unique, but he scored a sumptuous lob against Leverkusen a mere four days later.

A goal at Leicester which looked similar to the World Cup quarter-final magic and a belter against Bolton shouldn’t be forgotten in this sense. All in all, Bergkamp oozed class and perfection in his time at Highbury.

His testimonial game was also the occasion of Emirates Stadium’s inauguration. That’s how much Arsenal valued their Dutch master.

Tony Adams

1983 – 2002 [his entire career] (669 games, 48 goals)

Major titles: 4 Premier League, 3 FA Cups, 2 EFL Cups, Cup Winners’ Cup

For the number two pick, let’s return to the defensive side of the game with the center-back who captained Arsenal for 14 years. Adams won league titles in three different decades.

“Mr. Arsenal” was the ultimate one-club man. At the heart of Arsenal’s defense, his leadership qualities and commitment level made it possible for him to stay a key figure at the pinnacle of football.

For both George Graham and Arsene Wenger, he’s the ultimate leader and a colossal defender. With how far the two coaches are in terms of style and mentality, that tells you how compatible he is with different surroundings.

Whether it’s on aerial duels or crunching tackles, he was the first to commit himself to the challenge. And he was also a brilliant defender with the ball. Let’s not forget his game-reading skill, too.

Adamas joined Arsenal’s youth back in 1980. Three years later, at the age of 17, he made his debut against Sunderland. At 21, he became Arsenal’s youngest-ever skipper, a role he maintained until retirement.

When you put all things into account, that seemed a bit surprising. He usually entered in the heat of disputes and there was even a spell in prison. Yet he always clawed back to win back his place.

Another baggage, alcoholism, cost him his England captaincy in 1996. But, a few months later, the arrival of Wenger changed everything for the troubled defender. The Frenchman’s regimen on diet and pre-game preparations meant Arsenal’s captain dropped his old habits.

In terms of playing style, the change into expansive football also meant Adams showed his poise in possession. 1997/98 was one of the finest for him as he latched home a memorable goal on the final day of a season they won a domestic double.

In his 30s and troubled with injuries, Adams won another double in 2002. He might be second on this list, but, without a single doubt, he’s the first name you can think of as an Arsenal captain.

Thierry Henry

1999 – 2007, 2012 (377 games, 228 goals)

Major titles: 2 Premier League, 3 FA Cups, 4 Golden Boots

There was no surprise here. Not only Arsenal’s all-time best player, Thierry Henry has a legitimate claim to be considered the best player in the Premier League era.

With his exuberant technique, acceleration and strength, Titi was a nightmare for defenders. And he was at the heart of everything. The captain, but also the talismanic striker. The set-piece specialist and the top assist-maker.

That’s Henry in a nutshell. A record 228 goals for Arsenal had the Frenchman in history books. To put it briefly, he knows how to find the net from almost every kind of situation and angle.

Big names flourish in big games and Henry used to do it in sheer style. He scored miraculous goals against Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs, Real Madrid, Inter and Roma, to name a few.

It was not smooth sailing from the start, however. Short of confidence from his time in Juventus, the World Cup winner needed a bit of time before his explosiveness was on display.  And it seemed Arsenal didn’t do their homework of replacing Anelka.

But a brace against Derby in his ninth game set the tone for an improved second half of the season. And, soon after, Arsenal have the best striker on their hands. When Arsenal won the domestic double in 2002, he scored 32 goals in all competitions.

42 goals and 23 assists meant he won both Players’ and Fans’ Player of the Year awards, despite Arsenal only winning the FA Cup in 2003. His numbers dropped a bit in the invincible season, but he was at the top of his game.

It was unfortunate that he missed out on Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards at this stage of his career. Arsenal’s figurehead even used to receive standing ovations from opposing fans.

After Vieira’s departure, Henry took the armband and went on to break the club’s scoring record. The Champions League was the only missing puzzle from his Arsenal CV, but he did win it with Barcelona in 2009.

Before ending his career at New York Red Bulls, Henry returned home for a brief spell at North London. Now he’s one of the top pundits in the game while also coaching France U21 and Olympic teams.

• Tomás Reñones – (1982-1996) – 452 games, 2 goals – third-most appearance maker. In his last season, won a first league title and fourth Copa del Rey.
• Juan Carlos Aguilera – (1987-1993) (1996-2005) – 442 games, 34 goals – fourth in the appearance list and won the cup twice in his first stint
• Diego Simeone (1994-1996) (2003-2005) – 167 games, 30 goals – won a domestic double as a player, created a dynasty since coming back to the club in 2011 
• Sergio Aguero (2006-2011) – 234 games, 101 goals – Atleti was his first European club at 18 and won the Europa League with the club before his Manchester City chapter
  Saul (2008 – current) – apart from times he spent on loan at Rayo Vallecano and Chelsea, Saul, who joined the club from Real Madrid at the age of 14, has been a constant presence in Atleti’s midfield.
• Angel Correa (2015 – current) – the World Cup winner will soon become one of the players with 400 Atleti appearances. 
• Juanfran Torres (2011 – 2019) – 355 games, 6 goals – the guy who started his career at Real Madrid won all domestic trophies as a key figure at Atleti
• José María Giménez (2013 – current) – injuries limited his stats, but a colossal figure at his only European club, especially when he used to play alongside compatriot Diego Godín

Diego Forlan

2007 – 2011 (198 games, 96 goals scored)

Major titles: Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, Pichichi Trophy

Before joining Atleti, the Uruguayan striker played for European giants Manchester United and finished La Liga top-scorer with minnows Villareal. But it was a daunting task of replacing fan favorite Fernando Torres after the young captain’s transfer to Liverpool.

Yet, with Sergio Aguero on his side, Forlan helped the club to a first Champions League qualification for over a decade in his first season. He repeated that feat the next term by scoring a Goal of the Season contender and a last-minute winner against Espanyol.

He won the La Liga Pichichi Trophy and European Golden Boot for the second time that season, finding the net 32 times in 33 matches. 2009/10 started on the wrong foot for Forlan and Atleti, but they revived their season as Quique Sanchez Flores’ arrival was the turning point.

And, ironically, that was the season he won his only major trophy with Atleti. Forlan scored six goals in the successful Europa League campaign, including two against Liverpool in the semi-final and both goals in a 2-1 final win over Fulham in Hamburg.

At the end of that season, he finished joint World Cup top-scorer as Uruguay reached the semi-final in the first tournament staged on African soil. A year later, he left the club with fond memories to replace Samuel Eto’o at Inter Milan.

José Eulogio Gárate

1966 -1977 (241 games, 135 goals scored)

Major titles: 3 La Liga, 2 Copa del Rey, Intercontinental Cup, 3 Pichichi Trophy

The Argentinian was one of the few top Basque players to have never played for Athletic Bilbao. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Atletico Madrid team, he was the leading striker, finishing three consecutive top-scoring awards in the process.

In the cup, he scored winning goals in Atleti’s triumphs in 1972 and 1976. He was also part of the team that reached the European Cup final in 1974. With champions Bayern failing to participate in the subsequent Intercontinental Cup, Atleti won the competition beating Garate’s hometown club Independiente in the two-legged final.

The club opted to remember him with homage to the striker in the 2018/19 club membership cards – marking the 50th anniversary of his first Pichichi award as an Atletico Madrid player.

As he picked Spain over Argentina to represent on the international stage, Garate never had a chance to play in a major tournament.

Adelardo

1959 – 1976 (553 games, 113 goals scored)

Major titles: 3 La Liga, 5 Copa del Rey, Intercontinental Cup, Cup Winners’ Cup

Second in the all-time appearances list at the club, Adelardo played 400 La Liga games. The midfielder was part of two World Cup squads for Spain’s national team.

In total, he spent 17 years at the club he made a name for himself with technical quality, goal-scoring exploits from midfield, and his commitment to the club. Nine of those seasons ended with the club winning a trophy.

He was the captain of the side for their memorable European nights in 1974. At the Vicente Calderon for the semi-final clash against Celtic, after a first-leg game remembered for the three red cards for the La Liga side, goals from Garate and him sent Atleti to the final, where they lost out to Bayern Munich. 

Before Koke surpassed the record in September 2022, Adelardo was the most-capped Atletico Madrid player. A year earlier, the club paid tribute to one of their first legends with the 2021/22 club membership cards.

Jan Oblak

2014 – current 

Major titles: La Liga, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, 5 Zamora Trophy

The only goalkeeper on our list, Oblak joined the club after winning the treble with Benfica. At the time, it was the most expensive transfer of a goalkeeper by a La Liga club.

After Thibaut Courtois’ successful loan spell, it wasn’t easy to step into the role. But with five Zamora Trophy accolades, for finishing the season with the lowest goals-to-games ratio, it’s safe to say they get the value (and beyond) for their money. 

The shot-stopper won four titles so far with the club. He was the substitute goalkeeper for the first one as Miguel Angel Moya played between the sticks in a Spanish Super Cup success. But he won his place soon before he played a pivotal role in the 2017/18 Europa League triumph. Oblak was La Liga’s MVP when Atleti won the league for the eleventh time in the 2020/21 season. 

At the end of last season, Oblak became the most-capped foreign player in the club’s history, breaking Diego Godin’s record. Earlier this season, he reached 300 La Liga games, becoming the seventh Atleti player to do so in Spain’s top division.

And, for now, we put him in seventh place of the all-time greats. The Slovenian still has more in his tanks to climb up places in this list as he also has a long contract (2028) at the club.

Koke

2008 – current 

Major titles: 2 La Liga, 2 Europa League, 2 UEFA Super Cup

We’re staying with the current team. The current captain played over 600 games for the club, making him the player with the most appearances.

He joined the club’s academy when he was eight. He’s one of the few players in the current major European leagues with a big chance of playing his entire football career at a single club.

Koke is also a standout with his versatility helping him pop up at fullback, although central midfield is his main forte. He has a tremendous passing range and keeps a team’s balance with his defensive skills.

For a club mostly known for determination and solid organization, especially in Simeone’s era, Koke is the perfect prototype of an Atletico Madrid player. He also showed his leadership acumen since taking over the captain’s armband.

Xavi, the former midfield general and the current coach of Barcelona, once referred to his Spanish teammate as “a footballer of the present and the future”.

Gabi

2002 – 2007, 2011-2018 (417 games, 10 goals scored)

Major titles: La Liga, 2 Europa League, Copa del Rey, UEFA Super Cup

Returning to his first club in 2011, Gabi was the team captain when they enjoyed success under Simeone. The Madrid-born midfielder is known for his work rate and leadership qualities.

In addition to winning the league, he was part of the team that reached Champions League finalists in 2014 and 2016. Unfortunately, their city rivals triumph on both occasions.

After ten years in the first team, Gabi hung up his boots at Al-Sadd, winning Qatar Stars League.

In his first season after leaving Atletico in 2007, he was part of the relegated Real Zaragoza side. But, four years later, he returned to his stomping ground to have a towering influence.

His first title was the 2012-13 Copa del Rey, incidentally the club’s first in 18 years. At the final extra-minute of the final against Real Madrid, which also saw Cristiano Ronaldo sent off, he received a second yellow card for not keeping his distance defending a free-kick.

In 2014, he delivered the assist to Diego Godin’s crucial goal at Camp Nou as Atletico Madrid won their first league title since 1996. Four years later, he was once again decisive in a big night with a goal against Olympique de Marseille to win his second Europa League title.

Diego Godín

2010 – 2019 (389 games, 27 goals scored)

Major titles: La Liga, 2 Europa League, Copa del Rey, 3 UEFA Super Cup 

Godin joined Atletico Madrid from fellow La Liga outfit Villareal in 2010. And he started with a title as Atleti beat Godin’s future club Inter Milan in the 2010 UEFA Super Cup.

The following season, they won the Europa League beating Marcelo Bielsa’s Athletic Bilbao in the final. Before Jose Gimenez’s arrival, Godin also had a solid center-back partnership with Miranda. 

And, in the 2012/13 season, La Liga followed. Away at Barcelona, Godin rose the highest to clinch the much-needed point on the final matchday as Atleti won the league for the tenth time.

Although Real Madrid revived to win the final, Godin also scored in the Champions League final a week later. His former Villareal boss Manuel Pellegrini tried to sign him for Manchester City, but the Uruguayan stayed at the club until he was 33.

Before Angel Correa and Jan Oblak surpassed him, in 2017, he became the foreign player with the most appearances for the club. In his final game at Metropolitano against Sevilla, he passed the captain’s armband to Koke to symbolize the new era.

After retirement, Godin keeps following his beloved club with keen interest. The man who played in four World Cups for La Celeste usually gives opinions on Atleti matters and shows support to his friends from Madrid.

Antoine Griezmann

2014 – 2019, 2021 – Current

Major titles: Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, Spanish Super Cup

Godin is the godfather to the daughter of the guy we have at number 3. In terms of titles, the World Cup winner is not as decorative as some of the other Atleti giants we already dealt with, but his influence is greater.

After five excellent seasons at Real Sociedad, he joined the Madrid club in 2014. Another five years later, he was off again with a move to Barcelona keeping him in Spain.

But he soon finds out that the grass isn’t greener on the other side. Two years later, he returned to the white and reds with an initial loan deal. 

In his first stint at the club, he was UEFA’s Best Player for the 2017-18 season. The Frenchman scored twice in the Europa League final staged in Lyon, France, against French side Marseille.

It wasn’t easy to win back the fans’ hearts after his move to Barca, but after two seasons on loan, Atletico Madrid turned the deal into a permanent one for €20 million.

He was La Liga’s best assist provider for the 2022-23 season with 16. In the top-five leagues, only Kevin De Bruyne and Lionel Messi prepared as many goals in that campaign.

His path to legendary status is far from the usual ways we often see. When he was playing against Atleti as a Barcelona player, there used to be boos all around the stadium with his every touch of the ball.

And the first few months back at Atleti didn’t seem to change anything. But that’s how Grizzi operates. It took him a little while before adjusting himself into Diego Simeone’s tactical demands after signing to the club from Real Sociedad.

And, once again, he needed some time to regain his old form on his return to Metropolitan. At first, Atletico Madrid even waived the chance to sign him permanently for €40 million. But he’s now one of the best players in the world.

Despite a Madrid derby defeat in Supercopa staged in Saudi Arabia, El Principito (The Little Prince) eclipsed Luis Aragones as the club’s all-time top-scorer. Just like some of the names in our list, Griezmann can improve on this ranking as he currently has a contract until 2026.

Fernando Torres

1999 – 2007, 2015-2018 (198 games, 96 goals scored)

Major titles: Europa League, Second Division

The current Atletico Madrid U19 coach is the club’s icon. The guy who started life in a goalkeeping position impressed Atleti scouts at the age of 11 in 1998.

In his first year at the club, he was voted the best European player for his age group. As such, it was not a surprise when he signed his first professional contract when he was barely 15.

He played two seasons in Segunda Division before their promotion in 2002. His big break in top-level football didn’t take much time as he scored 13 goals in his debut season with Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea showing interest in him afterwards.

Atleti resisted and the decision paid off. The striker named Atletico’s captain at age 19 scored 19 goals to finish third in the scoring chart. Premier League clubs were always after him, and Atleti had to finally bid farewell when he became Liverpool’s most expensive transfer in 2007.

Although it was a short stint for the first team, Torres was seen as Atleti’s icon at the time for how he adapted quickly to La Liga standard and, mostly, for taking the captaincy before he turned 20.

And, luckily, that wasn’t the closing chapter. In 2015, Torres returned home with a loan deal from AC Milan in a mid-season transfer. It was a precious moment for the fans who used to adore their kid as 45,000 people were present for his unveiling at the Vicente Calderon Stadium.

With Champions League and Europa League at Chelsea as well as World Cup and European Championship success under his belt, Torres’ homecoming had a strange feeling. But he was always an Atleti boy, El Nino.

On 16 May 2018, Torres won his fourth club European trophy, although he was only a late substitute in the Europa League final win against Lyon. He scored twice in his final appearance for the club against Eibar at Metropolitano Stadium.

Torres might not have the big numbers and an extended stay as an Atletico player, but no one will strip him of his status as the fans’ favorite. After ending his playing career in Japan, he once again returned to the club to nurture talents as they did with him at the turn of the millennium.

Luis Aragonés

1964 – 1974 (370 games, 173 goals scored)

Major titles: 3 Spanish Championships, 2 Copa del Rey, Intercontinental Cup, Pichichi Trophy

As a player and coach, Aragones helped the club to four Spanish championships and the famous 1974 European Cup final. In their formative decades, Aragones stayed loyal to the relatively modest team.

But he played for Real Madrid at a young age and coached Barcelona in the 1987-88 season. When he signed for Atleti in 1964, it spilled the start of a unique nickname – Zapatones (big boots).

The free-kick specialist won the Spanish Cup in his first season before adding three league titles to his name. In 1974, Aragones scored the opening goal in extra-time against Bayern Munich in the European Cup final. But the West German champions forced a replay with a 119th-minute equalizer. 

In the days before penalty shootouts, Bayern crowned champions after they came out 4-0 winner two days later. Before the end of the year, Aragones hung up his boot and he was appointed coach of the first team.

Before Griezmann stepped up the game, Aragones was the club’s all-time top-scorer with 173 goals. The determined leader also won the league as a coach in the 1976-77 season.

His use of words to motivate players always centers around winning. That mentality is still maintained at the club by the current coach Diego Simeone.  

Aragones grew up in a less glamorous suburb of Hortaleza and he didn’t have it easy to climb to top-level football at first. At Getafe, there was no guarantee of La Liga football. And he couldn’t become a first-team player at Real Madrid.

Brief spells at Oviedo and Real Betis also didn’t indicate the birth of a legend of the game. But, at Atleti, Aragones was a big success from the first day. It was simply the perfect fit for both the player and the club.

After some time playing in midfield, Aragones linked up with Jose Garate up front as Atletico Madrid surpassed the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona for the best part of a decade. 

With Griezmann in great shape, the Frenchman can take over the greatest player crown from Aragones in a few years. But, in terms of influence at the club with different roles, Diego Simeone is the one that comes close to the former Spain national team coach. We should also reserve a line here for Vicente Calderon, club president for two decades.

After suffering from leukemia, on 1 February 2014, Aragones died at the age of 75. When Atletico Madrid reached the Champions League final that year, they wore shirts with his name written in gold. As customary with the club’s legends, Atleti remembered their biggest influencer in the 2019-20 season membership card. Although he was influential in their old ground Vicente Calderon, his statue outside Metropolitano Stadium was unveiled on 29 October 2021.

As such, our all-time best Real Madrid players section centres around those two spells. Before delving into it, let’s credit the ones that came close to cracking the list: the Honourable Mentions.

• Santiago Bernabeu (1911-1920) (1921-1926) – 79 official games, 68 goals – his 35-year long reign as a president shaped the club, but he was also instrumental in one Copa del Rey and nine regional championships as a player
• Ricardo Zamora (1930-1936) – 152 games – the goalkeeper who was born in Barcelona was Real’s star player in their first two La Liga crowns. Trophy for the goalie with the least number of La Liga goals named after him.
• José Antonio Camacho (1973-1989) – 542 games, 9 goals – spent his entire professional career at Real and won 9 La Liga championships as a staring left-back
• Emilio Butragueño (1982-1995) – 451 games, 167 goals – at the only European club he played for, the diminutive striker won six La Liga titles. Since 2009, he has been working as Real Madrid’s chairman.
• Hugo Sanchez (1985-1992) – 267 games, 199 goals – the Mexican poacher won five La Liga titles and five Pichichi trophies for topping scoring charts.
• Roberto Carlos (1996-2007) – 527 games, 70 goals – the legendary Brazilian left-back had his productive spell in Madrid winning 13 trophies in the process
• Guti (1996-2010) – 542 games, 77 goals – the graceful midfielder spent his entire career at his local club before ending his career with Besiktas
• Luis Figo (2000-2005) – 245 games, 57 goals – his controversial signing from Barcelona started Real’s first Galactico era.
• Marcelo (2007-2022) – 546 games, 38 goals – including 5 Champions League, the iconic Brazilian left-back won 25 trophies at Real
• Luka Modric (2012-current) – 2018 Ballon d’Or winner and five-time Champions League winner
• Toni Kroos (2014-current) – formed a commendable midfield pairing with Casemiro and Modric

We can now turn our attention to ten of the very best in all-white colours.

10. Ferenc Puskas

1958 – 1967 (262 games, 242 goals scored)

Major titles: 3 European Cups, 5 La Liga, Copa del Rey, Intercontinental Cup, 4 La Liga top-scorer

Another iconic Real Madrid player whose name is engraved in a prestigious award, Ferenc Puskas was a legendary goal-scorer who broke records left and right in his time at Madrid.

The Hungarian’s left foot made him one of the greatest strikers in football history, despite only joining Real Madrid at the age of 31 after a two-year ban by UEFA for how things ended at Honved Budapest.

Part of the great Hungarian national team of the 1950s alongside Barcelona’s Sandor Kocsis, Puskas also formed an excellent striking partnership with Alfredo Di Stefano, culminating in the two players scoring all the goals in a historic 7-3 European Cup victory against Eintracht Frankfurt. 

For Spanish media, Puskas was an overweight striker at the end of his career. But that was until they quickly found out about his sheer class. He wrote a beautiful story in his 30s that FIFA named the award for the best goal of the year after him.

Including the Glasgow final and just before retirement in his final season, Puskas helped Real Madrid win three European Cups. He scored more than 20 league goals in each of his first six seasons.

While his striking instinct was his trademark, Puskas was sublime with his first touch of the ball and precise passing. He usually used to maneuver from inside left to get himself into the perfect goal-scoring chances. Puskas also had a habit of exploiting his markers with dummy dribbles.

9. Paco Gento

1953 – 1971 (600 games, 182 goals scored)

Major titles: 6 European Cups, 12 La Liga, 2 Copa del Rey, Intercontinental Cup, World Club Championship

Gento is the only player to win six European Cups (Champions League) as a player. The left-winger was a solid contributor to Real Madrid’s early dominance in the continental front.

His dribbling skill was supported by lightning pace and accurate deliveries. His hat-trick of assists for the aforementioned European Cup final win against Frankfurt was a perfect showcase for his qualities.

With Di Stefano, Raymond Kopa, Hector Rial and Puskas, he was the main actor when Real Madrid won five back-to-back European Cups. And, for his sixth, he captained the side in the final against Partizan in 1966.

And, in 1967, he took more responsibility with Puskas’ retirement adding more pressure on the young side as Di Stefano already moved to Espanyol. The speedy winger was an effective player with his crossing ability helping him to rack up many assists in an era those numbers weren’t recorded in the manner they do now.

In total, Gento played 18 seasons at Madrid after signing for the club from his local team Racing de Santander. In 2016, the club named him an honorary president for his dedication and devotion to the club. When Alfredo Di Stefano died in 2014, Gento became the honorary club president.

8. Fernando Hierro

1989 – 2003 (601 matches, 127 goals)
Major titles: 3 Champions League, 5 La Liga, Copa del Rey, 2 Intercontinental Cup

Hierro made a name for himself with his versatility and leadership qualities. Starting his career as a midfielder, he ended his colorful Real Madrid spell being one of the club’s best defenders of all time.

His skillset helps him adapt to different challenges. He’s not only a reliable defender for duels on air, but his powerful shots helped him score more than a century of goals from his deep playing position.

He was also a remarkable player for building attacks from the back with supreme technical qualities. His dedication and passion stand out in his 14 years of stay at the club.

The trophy catalogue, which includes three Champions Leagues, from his time at Real Madrid, is very impressive. His first, in 1998, has a special place for him as he starred in the final to cancel out Juventus’ star striker Alessandro Del Piero.

Hierro is a rare type of player who could be extra competitive with hard tackles while also displaying a range of passing that is only to be expected from the best midfielders in the game.

He ended his footballing career only two years after he departed from the club in 2003. In the 2014/15 season, he was part of Carlo Ancelotti’s coaching team. 

7. Karim Benzema

2009 – 2023 (648 matches, 354 goals)
Major titles: 5 Champions League, 4 La Liga, 3 Copa del Rey, 5 Club World Cups

The 2022 Ballon d’Or winner is the second top scorer in the history of Real Madrid. His iconic partnership with the leader of that rank, Cristiano Ronaldo, was key in Real Madrid dominating Europe once again.

That spell had them win in four of the five Champions League seasons from 2014 to 2018. And, in 2022, without Cristiano and Gareth Bale’s help, Benzema shone with special performances on big nights to help them reach another European final.

The Frenchman scored ten goals – including two hat-tricks – to dispatch PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City in the knockout stage of the competition. He won the Champions League top-scorer and Pichichi awards for that season.

With 25 trophies, he currently holds the record for the most successful player in the club’s history alongside Marcelo. For a while, Benzema was a remarkable team player while some questioned his scoring output.

That’s all gone out of the window with that historic season helping him win the Ballon d’Or two months before his 35th birthday. He left the Spanish capital for Saudi after 14 years of service.

6. Zinedine Zidane

2001 – 2006 (227 matches, 49 goals)
Major titles: Champions League, La Liga, Intercontinental Cup

Let’s turn our attention to another Frenchman who won the Ballon d’Or with Real Madrid. Unlike Benzema, who he managed to glory, Zidane only had a brief spell at the club.

And he only scored 49 goals. But his influence can even be found within those goals. One of those – a left-footed volley in the Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen – would forever be remembered in the club’s cherished European story.

Zizou marked his place amongst Real Madrid’s greats with both his natural talent and true dedication to the game. He ended his playing career at the very top level with Real Madrid after his infamous red card in the 2006 World Cup.

Before Real, he was already a big star with what he achieved at Bordeaux and Juventus as well as his two headers in the 1998 World Cup final for France. But the transfer to Real Madrid in 2001 elevated him to one of the greatest.

In Florentino Perez’s first Galacticos era, Zidane was the absolute star. That stayed until his final kick for the club. And that wasn’t really the end for Zidane at Real Madrid.

He came back as a coach to become the first to win three successive Champions League trophies for Real Madrid. 

5. Raul

1992 – 2010 (741 matches, 323 goals)

Major titles: 3 Champions League, 6 La Liga, 2 Intercontinental Cup

The former Atletico Madrid youth player is a Real Madrid icon. An eternal captain with an exemplary football career, Raul never have been sent off in over 1,000 games for club and country. 

A striker with a hunch for scoring goals in any way possible, Raul left the game as one of the finest we’ve seen in Real Madrid colors. As fate has it, his first goal for the club came in the first derby against former club Atleti at the Bernabeu.

In 1998, the first of his three Champions League triumphs saw Real Madrid beat Juventus in the final staged at Johan Cruyff Arena. While he played behind Fernando Morientes and the matchwinner Predrag Mijatovic that night, El Ferrari soon became the club’s go-to striker.

He scored in both finals when Real Madrid repeated that success in 2000 and 2002. And he currently sits in fifth place in the all-time Champions League goal-scoring chart.

It’s natural to think of Real Madrid first when Raul’s name is mentioned, but he also has a special place for Schalke, where he only had a brief spell and the Spain national team.

He’s back at the club with his managerial career as he currently coaches Real Madrid Castilla, the reserve team he used to play for before he rose to prominence at Bernabeu.

4. Sergio Ramos

2005 – 2021 (671 matches, 180 goals)

Major titles: 4 Champions League, 5 La Liga, 2 Copa del Rey, 4 Club World Cup

When Sergio Ramos re-signed for his childhood club Sevilla at the start of the season, it was seen as a true homecoming. But it was at the European giants Real Madrid that he had his best playing times.

Out of Real Madrid’s 14 Champions League titles, La Decima has a special place for the fans. Not only the historic 10th, Real Madrid returned to glory with this one after a difficult spell.

And Ramos had a big say on that. He scored a 93rd-minute equalizer to force extra-time in the Madrid derby. Two years after the Lisbon final, he also scored against the same opponent in another Champions League success.

Ramos played for 16 seasons at the club since his unveiling to fans as a 19-year-old kid alongside Florentino Perez and Alfredo Di Stefano. Just like our ranking, he is the fourth-highest all-time appearance maker after Raul, Iker Casillas and Manolo Sanchis.

His versatility saw him become a world-class center-back after playing in a right-back role for the first decade of his career. From posing a threat in set-piece situations to the cheekiest penalty-kicks, he will also be remembered as a goal-scoring defender when he hangs up his boots.And those goals usually came in big games to decide titles for Real Madrid. Ramos was picked in FIFA’s World 11 on 11 occasions, including 10 in a row from 2011 to 2020. With 180 games for Spain, he also held the record for the most international appearances from Real Madrid players.

With 22 trophies for the club – as well as the World Cup and two European Championships with the national team – Ramos is one of the most successful players in Real Madrid’s history.

3. Iker Casillas

1995 – 2015 (725 matches, 264 clean sheets)

Major titles: 3 Champions League, 5 La Liga, 2 Copa del Rey, 3 Club World Cup, 2 Intercontinental Cups

The best goalkeeper in Real Madrid’s history, it’s a real shame Casillas didn’t have the farewell he deserved when he left the club he joined at the age of 9. His 25 years of commitment to the club returned 19 titles.

Casillas was promoted to Real Madrid’s first team at the age of 18. A year later, he became the youngest goalkeeper in a Champions League final when he played against Valencia four days after his 19th birthday.

While he struggled during the 2001/02 season, he also played a big part in another Champions League final success. And, for his third and Real Madrid’s tenth European glory, he was the captain of the side in 2014.

While Zidane’s memorable goal stood tall in the 2002 Champions League final, it was super-sub Casillas’ performance between the sticks that stopped Bayer Leverkusen as Los Blancos won La Novena, a ninth European Cup.

Casillas only conceded 525 goals in 510 La Liga appearances for Real Madrid. He played 288 more games than the second appearance-maker goalkeeper in Real Madrid’s history, Paco Buyo.

La Fábrica’s graduate, Casillas also had a colorful career with the national team as he won two European Championships and a World Cup as a starting goalkeeper.

He was named the best goalkeeper by FIFA XI and IFFHS on five occasions each. He also received the Community of Madrid’s Gold Medal and many more awards for his unwavering contribution to Europe’s most successful club.

His football career ended on a bleak note as he had to give up following a heart attack suffered in Porto’s training session in May 2019. A year later, he returned to Real Madrid where he reconciled with Florentino Perez as he started his work as a club advisor.

2. Alfredo di Stefano

1953 – 1964 (396 matches, 308 goals)

Major titles: 5 European Cups, 8 La Liga, Copa del Rey, Intercontinental Cups

Di Stefano was one of the players who could really do it all. A leader both on and off the pitch, he also did everything for his club from defending to scoring goals.

When Real Madrid won an unprecedented five successive European Cups, Di Stefano was the star player. Individually, he won the Ballon d’Or in 1957 and 1959 for his part in Real Madrid’s dominance.

And, in 1989, he was awarded the Super Ballon d’Or ahead of Johan Cruyff and Michael Platini. That was the only special Ballon d’Or that accounted for the careers of the previous three decades.

With River Plate, Di Stefano won the Argentine league as a top-scorer at the tender age of 21. He was also a title winner in Colombia with Millonarios before signing for Real Madrid in 1953.

That was the most colorful chapter of Di Stefano’s playing career. He won 18 trophies in just eleven seasons, leaving the club as an iconic figure and fan favorite. In particular, his European Cup performances leapfrog him into a special status at Real Madrid.

He scored in all five finals as the club dominated European football in the latter half of the 1950s. His performance in the 1960’s final against Eintracht Frankfurt was the perfect closure for this special era for Di Stefano and Real Madrid. 

Di Stefano also made an impact as a coach at Real Madrid with the likes of Emilio Butragueno and Manolo Sanchis emerging into the first team under his guidance. Until his passing in 2014, The Godfather was the honorary president of Real Madrid.

1.Cristiano Ronaldo

2009 – 2018 (438 matches, 451 goals)

Major titles: 4 European Cups, 2 La Liga, 2 Copa del Rey, 3 Club World Cups

When Cristiano Ronaldo completed his long-awaited transfer to Real Madrid, the number he’d take at his new club interested many. But he only had to play with number 9 for a single season.

After Raul’s departure, CR7 managed to write his own story to elevate each legend. It was record after record for the Portuguese superstar at Spain’s capital before his move to Juventus in 2018.

His compatriots Eusebio and Alfredo Di Stefano were the guests when the 2008 Ballon d’Or winner was unveiled at Santiago Bernabeu on 6 July 2009. He averaged over a goal a game as he added four Ballon d’Or, three Golden Shoe and two FIFA’s The Best awards to his name as a Los Blancos player.

Ronaldo left the club as the all-time top-scorer despite playing a lot less compared to the previous record holders. He was the biggest name in their squad in the era they have added four Champions League crowns.

Alongside Gareth Bale – who also joined Real from the Premier League – and Karim Benzema – who later leapfrogged other legends to become the club’s second top-scorer – Cristiano formed a commendable attacking trio named BBC.

But football isn’t only about friendship and linkups within a team. More than the BBC connection, Ronaldo created a special battle with Lionel Messi in his time in Spain. Their rivalry went too far to the point that it eclipsed the historic matchup itself, El Clasico.

In nine seasons at Madrid, CR7 also climbed to the top of the all-time European Cup (Champions League) scoring chart with 105 of his 140 goals coming in this spell. He also broke the record for most goals in a season by a Real Madrid player.

At Real Madrid, he won the Champions League top-scorer cannon on six occasions and three Pichichi awards. As Florentino Perez once labeled him, he’s the true heir to Alfredo Di Stefano. 

• Mario Corso (1957-1973) – 509 games, 95 goals – top ten for both most games and goals, set-piece specialist, 8 trophies
• Giuseppe Bergomi (1979-2000) – 758 games, 27 goals – entire career at Inter, second-most apps, winner of 3 UEFA Cups as captain
• Ivan Cordoba (2000-2012) – 455 games, 18 goals – second most apps by a foreigner, solid CB partnership with Walter Samuel
• Esteban Cambiasso (2004-2014) – 431 games, 51 goals – midfield partnership with Dejan Stankjovic and Wesley Sneijder in 2009/10 Champions League success
• Diego Milito (2009-2014) – 171 games, 75 goals – scored both goals in the 2009/10 Champions League final
• Samir Handanovic (2012-2023) – 455 games, 166 clean sheets – replaced Julio Cesar with aplomb for a decade

10. Lautaro Martinez

2018 – Current (261 games, 119 goals scored)

Major titles: Serie A, 2 Coppa Italia

Let’s start our list with the only guy that made it from the current squad. The Argentine World champion joined Inter from Racing Club in 2018. The striker is currently the club’s captain after Samir Handanovic and Marcelo Brozovic’s departures in the summer.

Martinez quickly settled as shown with his first Derby della Madonnina experience. He scored and assisted a goal against city rivals AC Milan as Inter completed the double over them for the first time in eight years.

With compatriot Mauro Icardi’s controversy isolating him from action, Martinez’s game time suddenly increased in the second half of his first season. Things were only about to get better for the young striker as Icardi left for PSG the next summer.

And, despite their group stage exit, Lautaro had a memorable Champions League season in 2019-2020. He scored in four competitive games of the competition including a memorable strike against Barcelona at Camp Nou.

It was also the first season for his iconic linkup with Romelu Lukaku. The duo helped Inter to reach the Europa League final with a striking partnership rarely seen since the 2010s.

Martinez was directly involved in 30 goals in all competitions the next campaign as he played in all 48 games. He netted his first Serie A hat-trick in the first game of 2021 against Crotone. Lukaku and Martinez had 41 combined league goals that season as Inter won the Scudetto for the first time in 11 years.

2021-22 saw Martinez complete the domestic set as Inter got the better of Juventus in the Coppa Italia final and Supercoppa Italiana. 21 of his 25 goals came in Serie A that season.

Once again, there was no luck on the European front, however. Martinez’s Inter lost to Manchester City in the 2022-23 Champions League final. He repeated his 21-goal tally from the season before, but there was a big shock at the end of the season.

Romelu Lukaku, who returned on a loan deal after initially leaving the club for Chelsea, upset Inter fans and Martinez as he joined fellow Serie A club AS Roma. As a replacement, Inter beat AC Milan for the signing of Marcus Thuram helping Simone Inzaghi keep his two-striker system. 

With the added motivation of captaining the side and Thuram’s strong start to life in Milan, El Toro is enjoying his best start to a season. In a rare substitute appearance against Salernitana, he even became the first Serie A player to net 4 goals coming off the bench.

While Inter fans were left frustrated with how Icardi and Lukaku ended their San Siro chapters, their new skipper showed passion and dedication for their beloved black and blue colors. And, further down the line, he’ll have his chances at surpassing some of the names from our prestigious list. 

9. Lothar Matthaus

1988 – 1992 (153 games, 53 goals scored)

Major titles: Serie A, UEFA Cup, Ballon d’Or, FIFA Best

Different from what would follow after this in our list, Matthaus only spent four years in Milan. But it was a very successful spell that culminated with individual accolades including the Ballon d’Or in 1990.

With Andreas Brehme, the scorer of the 1990 World Cup final, another Ballon d’Or winner Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Matthaus’ nemesis Jurgen Klinsmann, Inter relied on German internationals in the era Serie A could attract the very best from Europe.

Matthaus scored 40 Serie A goals in four seasons from his central midfield role. His first words were – “We won the league in my first year at Bayern. Now the same thing will happen with Inter”. And, of course, he won the Scudetto in his first season despite red cards in each of his last appearances. 

In 1991, he also helped them to UEFA Cup glory with goals in every round from the last 16 up to the two-legged final against fellow Serie A side AS Roma.

With his decision to return to Munich in 1992, Matthaus cut short his stay in Italy. But it’s one that he looks back in fond memories. In Inter, he was also given the freedom of operating in the No. 10 role as opposed to the more defensive style in Germany.

In a time when Italian clubs attracted superstars – from Napoli’s Maradona to Baggio in Fiorentina, from Michael Laudrup gracing Juventus to Vialli and Mancini at Sampdoria as well as city rivals Milan’s Dutch excellence – Matthaus was Inter’s answer.

8. Luis Suarez

1961 – 1970 (329 games, 55 goals scored)

Major titles: 3 Serie A, 2 European Cups, 2 Intercontinental Cups

Arriving in Italy as a Ballon d’Or winner and the world’s most expensive player, Luis Suarez left his mark with Inter Milan. One of the finest players in the club’s history, his transfer relied on the fact his former coach Helenio Herrera was at the helm of Inter.

Barcelona wanted to keep him, but not too dissimilar to the Catalan club’s current state, they had to let him go for financial reasons. His first season in Inter was plagued with injuries, but he finished second in the Ballon d’Or rankings at the end of the year.

If Matahaus thrived in an advanced role, it was the reverse that worked for Luis Suarez at the time. In Herrera’s famous Grande Inter side, Suarez was the deep-lying playmaker. He was even deployed as a sweeper on his final season at Inter.

The Spanish international used to think he deserved another Ballon d’Or for helping Inter win back-to-back European Cups beating the then-giants Real Madrid and Benfica.

The outspoken player even abruptly left the game when Barcelona fans booed him on his first return to the club in a friendly match.

Decades later, a namesake emerged from Uruguay and even made his name at the original Luis Suarez’s beloved Barcelona. El Pistolero (The Gunman) was even rumored to join Inter from Atletico Madrid. 

7. Armando Picchi

1960 – 1967 (256 games, 2 goals scored)

Major titles: 3 Serie A, 2 European Cups, 2 Intercontinental Cups

And the captain of that Le Grande Inter was Picchi. The central defender led the club to glory both with his leadership qualities and sweeping abilities.

As someone who started his career as a striker, Picchi was a quick defender in an era where most solely survive with their physical attributes. Yet he also possessed that aerial prowess as well as excelling in defensive skills.

Herrera also experimented with his future captain as he shifted from the right-back position to have him the team’s libero. The influence of Bruno Bolchi, the captain when Picchi first joined the club, was quite visible on the young defenders.

And he, then, transformed that wisdom into Giacinto Facchetti after replacing Bolchi, who joined Verona. Picchi had the armband for Inter’s seven major trophies in the 1960s. 

Unfortunately, he only lived two years after retiring from Varese. At the age of 35, a tumor cancer caused his premature death. In 2021, Picchi was inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame.

6. Walter Zenga

1982 – 1994 (473 games, 194 clean sheets)

Major titles: Serie A, 2 UEFA Cup

Goalkeeping is one playing position with which Inter blessed over the years. And Walter Zenga was the first to start this trend back in the 1980s. Yann Sommer currently received the baton with a flawless first half of the season.

Zenga was the product of Inter’s academy. After several loans, he finally joined the first-team as the legendary Ivano Bordon’s substitute in 1982. Zanega was the starting keeper the following season with Bordon’s move to Sampdoria.

Not only for Bordon, who was a goalkeeping coach in Italy’s 2006 World Cup triumph, Zenga also deputized for the iconic Dino Zoff in the 1982 World Cup success.

Alongside defenders Giuseppe Bergomi and Riccardo Ferri, the incoming coach Giovanni Trapattoni developed another stingiest defense in Italian football and Inter Milan’s history.

Zenga managed to concede fewer than 20 goals in two seasons at Inter. In 1988/89, Zenga’s Inter won the league title beating Diego Maradona’s Napoli and star-studded AC Milan in the process.

In his time at Inter, he was picked as the best goalkeeper in the world by IFFHS three times. He departed the club to fellow Serie A side Sampdoria after winning his second UEFA Cup in 1994.

5. Sandro Mazzola

1960 – 1977 (entire career) (566 games, 162 goals scored)

Major titles: 2 European Cup, 4 Serie A, 2 Intercontinental Cup, Serie A top-scorer, European Cup top-scorer

Fourth in both the number of appearances and goals, Mazzola was another one who rose to prominence under the legendary coaching of Herrera. It was the Argentine coach who first gave him the taste of first-team football.

Mazzola had a torrid childhood losing his father Valentino at the age of six. Valentino was expected to represent Italy in the 1950 World Cup before an air disaster killed the entire Torino team at the time.

The attacking midfielder would’ve made his father proud as he went places whilst playing for one club in his entire career. In 1971, he finished second in both Ballon d’Or and European Player of the Year awards after a certain Johan Cruyff.

Back to his first-team debut in 1961, Sandro Mazzola was thrown straight to action along with his peers as Inter fielded a second team as a protest to their game against Juventus replayed.

The 9-1 defeat, where Mazzola scored the only goal from the penalty spot, didn’t deter him one bit. In Herrera’s catenaccio system, Mazzola soon became a force to be reckoned with in the final third of the pitch.

He finished joint top-scorer when Inter won the 1964 European Cup with seven goals. Including four league titles and a back-to-back European success, Mazzola won eight trophies with Inter.

For the last seven years, he was Inter’s captain. After a brief time as sports director, Mazzola turned his attention to the broadcasting world. He worked as a commentator for RAI in Italy’s World Cup triumphs in 1982 and 2006.

4. Ronaldo

1997 – 2002 (99 games, 59 goals scored)

Major titles: UEFA Cup, Ballon d’Or, Serie A Footballer of the Year

This could be a bit confusing. Ronaldo didn’t even crack the 100-game mark at the club. He never won the league. Had recurring injuries that limited his playing times. And, a few years after his departure, he signed for their city rivals, AC Milan.

But it was a very influential and memorable spell for Inter faithful. It all starts with how they signed him from Barcelona for a world-record fee. A repeat of the Luis Suarez saga.

In his first season, the Brazilian maverick scored 25 Serie A goals. Along with the other South American Gabriel Batistuta, he was the finest striker in Italy. Whether it’s for scoring key goals like in the Derby della Madonnina or striking beautiful ones, Ronaldo had it all in Italy.

It was common to see his teammates pretend to shine his shoe in admiration after he scored. And, for his only trophy in Nerazzurri colors, he scored a trademark goal against Lazio in the final.

A year after the controversial ending to the 1998 World Cup, Ronaldo was appointed as Inter’s new captain. But things were about to turn sore as the striker struggled to shrug off fitness issues.

The first of which happened against Lecce on November 21, 1999. On his return, six months after the first incident, Il Fenomeno left the pitch only after six minutes. A knee injury meant he would miss the entirety of the next season.

He only returned for the final weeks of the 2001-02 season as he scored four in the last four league games. Ronaldo subsequently joined Real Madrid as Inter had no chance of keeping him at the club after a perfect World Cup.

While in Italy, Ronaldo was a big spectacle not only for the fans, but his own teammates in training. He netted 42 goals in just 58 Serie A games before the first serious injury. As such, he was one of the first four to be inducted into the Inter Milan Hall of Fame back in 2018.

3. Giacinto Facchetti

1960 – 1978 (entire pro career) (637 games, 76 goals scored)

Major titles: 2 European Cups, 4 Serie A, Copa Italia, 2 Intercontinental Cups

We’re back into Hererra’s “Grande Inter” team. Facchetti was another key figure who thrived more with the coach’s visionary change of his playing position. He was a striker with his youth team Trevigliese. But Herrera saw him as a full-back or wing-back.

And, with that role, he became one of the very best in the world. Not only did he create scoring opportunities for his teammates, but he also had 76 goals from the flank. Perhaps his striking instinct wasn’t lost here. 

Besides the footballing ability, the human factor also has a lot of say in him cracking the top three. Only Javier Zanetti and Giuseppe Bergomi played more games for the club, yet he only saw a red card once. He captained both club and country for several years, including leading his nation to their only European Championship in 1968.

One of the first truly attacking fullbacks, Facchetti had it all. He was quick, very adept with the ball, tactically sound and physically able to challenge the best wingers at the time. 

His powerful shot ability had a certain trademark move. Cut it into the center to strike the ball on goal unlike any of the full-backs at the time. The left-footer won nine trophies including the domestic cup in his last season at the club with Herrera’s replacement Eugenio Bersellini.

After spending his entire professional career in Milan, Facchetti worked in different roles at the clubs until he died in 2006 due to pancreatic cancer. Nine years later, the most prolific defender in Serie A history was posthumously inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame. 

2. Giuseppe Meazza

1924 -1940, 1946 – 1947 (409 games, 284 goals scored)

Major titles: 3 Serie A, Italian Cup, 4x Serie A top-scorer

While San Siro is the most common name for the arena the two Milan clubs share, it’s Giuseppe Meazza for Inter fans. The two-time World Cup winner also played for AC Milan and Juventus, but it was at Inter he started and finished his career.

The prolific goal-scorer is the youngest to have 100 goals in Serie A. Back in 1980, a year after his passing, he was honoured with the naming of the principal stadium in Milan.

Just like Franz Becknbauer, who was very close to joining 1860 Munich before Bayern, Meazza flirted with Milan before they rejected him for his small physique. That was not a problem for Inter as the 14-year-old joined his local club.

He started his professional debut season with a record 31 goals. And he didn’t look back. Meazza helped Inter win the inaugural Serie A season as well as the club’s first Coppa Italia.

In his first spell at Inter, Meazza won the league three times and finished top-scorer on four occasions, including one before Serie A’s foundation. As an Inter player, he played a starring role in Italy’s back-to-back World Cup success in the 1930s.

After winning his last championship in 1939-40, Meazza joined his childhood dream club AC Milan. Injuries held him back since his last years at Inter and he had four clubs In six years before closing the chapter with a player-coach role back in Nerazzurri.

1. Javier Zanetti

1995 – 2014 (858 games, 21 goals scored)

Major titles: 5 Serie A, Champions League, UEFA Cup, Club World Cup, 4 Coppa Italia 

Meazza has the biggest honour of the stadium calling after him. But we’re not having him at number 1. Shocking? Not exactly. 

The Argentine is Mr. Inter. And it’s not only because of his role as vice-president of the club since his retirement in 2014. Zanetti joined Inter from Banfield at the age of 22 as Massimo Moratti’s first signing.

He is the most capped player for both Inter and Argentina. At Inter, Zanetti won 16 trophies in total including both European titles and five Scudetto. He also went 12 years without being sent off.

From Ottavio Bianchi to Walter Mazzarri, Zanetti played under 19 coaches in Inter. He was also a versatile player as he played in both flanks as well as at the heart of midfield, like the 2010 Champions League final against Bayern Munich in what incidentally was his 700th appearance.

Not one to find his name too often in the scoresheet, his memorable goal came when he won his first trophy with the club at the Parc des Princes – a 3-0 win over Lazio in the UEFA Cup final.

He wore the captain’s armband for more than a decade at Inter. That distinction first came his way when Ronaldo was out injured for an extended period. 

Inter decided to retire his number 4 jersey after Zanetti decided to hang up his boots. His 19-year spell as a player had a little bit of everything. And that’s how you beat the man who had the stadium named after him.

El Tractor is our pick for the all-time best Inter player.

AC Milan

Elsewhere in European top leagues, it’s not common to have a fierce rivalry with the club you shared stadiums with, but here we are. Although they proposed a plan to migrate to new homes a while ago, the two Milan clubs still share the iconic San Siro. 

This made Derby della Madonnina a rare major crosstown derby played in the same stadium all the time.

Why are they rivals?

Milan supremacy. As two of the biggest clubs in the economic capital of Italy, Inter and AC Milan will always thrive both in the domestic and continental sphere for the throne.

How did the rivalry start?

Curiously, the two clubs were one back in the day when Milan Cricket and Football Club ended Genoa’s dominance in Italian football. But, by 1908, a split formed Internazionale, a new Milan-based club.

The 1926-27 Divisione Nazionale, the inaugural season in a new dawn for Italian football, started a true rivalry between the clubs. Further down the line, the 1960s saw this derby played with some of the big names in the land.

AC Milan was the dominant side for decades after that, but Inter now holds the bragging rights as they are the last Italian club to both win and reach the final of the Champions League.

Biggest Games

18 October 1908

AC Milan 2-1 Inter

This rivalry started with a trophy on the line. The first-ever meeting between the clubs was in the final of a tournament played in Switzerland, Chiasso Cup.

6 November 1949

Inter 6-5 Milan 

1949 was one of the worst years for Italian football with an air disaster claiming the lives of the entire Torino squad. A few months after the tragedy that ended Torino’s dominant years, Inter and Milan played out in a high-scoring Derby della Madonnina.

The fantastically named Amadeo Amadei netted a hat-trick for the winners. The two clubs won six Serie A titles in the following decade.

28 October 1984

Milan 2-1 Inter

England international Mark Hateley scored one of the most memorable goals in this fixture. At a time when clubs were only allowed to have two foreigners at the same time on the pitch, the striker leaped the highest to net the winner for Milan.

Milan fans revisited this incident time and again, including before a Madonnina in 2016 with a “Sovrastiamoli” banner which essentially meant “We tower above them”.

11 May 2001

Inter 0-6 Milan 

The Red and Blacks will forever remember this performance as one of their finest in the derby. Andriy Shevchenko was the star man with a brace in their only win out of the last six league games of the season they finished sixth. 

Inter finished one above in the standings, but this solitary result completely changed the complexion. Gianni Comandini scored three goals as a Milan player with a couple of them on this night.

12 April 2005

Inter 0-3 Milan 

In the Champions League quarter-finals, Milan won the first leg by 2-0 with goals from Japp Stam and Shevchenko. The Ukrainian targetman scored again early the next week to extend Milan’s advantage.

But that was it for the action. Inter fans threw flares in frustration after Markus Merk disallowed Esteban Cambiasso’s goal and things got out of control. In particular, one flare struck Milan’s Brazilian goalie Dida.

The German refereed canceled the game after an initial attempt to calm down the fans went astray. At least, the incidents created an iconic image with Marco Materazzi and Rui Costa gazing at the wild atmosphere from afar.

29 August 2009

Milan 0-4 Inter

In Inter’s magical 2009-10 treble season, this was the first big moment. Wesley Sneijder, having joined the club only a few days earlier, was the star of the show with an excellent debut performance.

Diego Milito, who ended the season with a brace against Bayern Munich, was among the goal-scorers.

6 May 2012

Inter 4-2 Milan

When it comes to comeback stories in Derby della Madonnina, this one is tough to beat. After the two clubs dominating in Serie A in the previous years, Juventus won the title at the end of the season.

For that, Inter coming from a 2-0 half-time deficit against Milan played a big part. Milito scored a hat-trick on the penultimate day of the season to deny his fierce rivals defending their league title.

2022-23 Champions League semi-final

Milan 0-3 Inter (in agg)

This time both of their Champions League knockout games played in its entirety. After knocking out fellow Serie A side Napoli in the previous round, Milan couldn’t match Inter’s level in the last four.

Inter scored twice in the first 11 minutes of the first-leg through strikes from vastly experienced duo Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Milan welcomed Rafael Leao in the decisive fixture, but the story was no different. Skipper Lautaro Martinez scored the goal that guaranteed Inter’s first final in 13 years.

It was their respective first semi-final appearance since winning the trophy in 2007 and 2010, respectively. But Inter couldn’t repeat the feat as they lost the final to Manchester City.

Inter won each of the last five Derby della Madonnina fixtures including a 5-1 success in Serie A earlier this season.

Played for both

Hakan Calhanoglu is the latest player to make a direct transfer between the clubs. The Turkish midfielder spent four years at AC Milan before he joined Inter on a free transfer in 2021.

Current AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli had a brief unsuccessful stint at Inter in the 2016-17 campaign. There have been some huge names to play for both teams over the years, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Hernan Crespo, Clarence Seedorf, and the legendary Ronaldo. A full list of players who played for both teams can be seen here

Juventus

The name itself tells the story. Derby d’Italia (Derby of Italy) reserved for the clash between Inter and Juventus. Sports journalist Gianni Brera coined the term back in 1967.

Both clubs are from the Northern side of the country. In Turin, Torino couldn’t match Juventus’ stature, making this the biggest rivalry for the Old Lady.

Why are they rivals?

While the two clubs are not far from each other geographically, the main reason was sporting rivalry. Over the different times, the clubs competed with each other to finish top of the pile.

How did the rivalry start?

The 1950s and ’60s were the first sights of a Juve v Inter rivalry. Much of their shared history involves controversial refereeing decisions. And, later, the Calciopoli. Inter were the benefactors when Juventus stripped a league title in 2005-06.

Biggest Games

16 April 1961

Juventus 9-1 Inter

The first controversy started with the two club presidents’ rift. Angelo Moratti accused the Italian football association of favoring Umberto Agnelli’s Juventus for deciding a replay after overflowing stands ended up in a field invasion. 

Moratti’s Inter decided to field a reserve team for the replayed game. The result: Juventus recorded their biggest Derby d’Italia victory with future Ballon d’Or winner Oman Sivori scoring two hat-tricks in a 9-1 victory.

26 April 1998

Juventus 1-0 Inter

With only four games to go, Juventus host Inter with a single point separating the sides at the top of Serie A’s standings. Alessandro Del Piero scored the only goal with a tidy finish in the first-half.

But the sequence of play that remained the biggest Derby d’Italia story appeared after the break. Piero Ceccarini refused to award Inter a penalty-kick for Mark Iuliano’s foul on Ronaldo. The ball was still in play when he gave one to Juventus.

Del Piero missed the resulting penalty, but those two decisions created a huge uproar that even went to the Italian parliament. Those incidents are still mentioned whenever the talks centered on Serie A’s bad reputation for match-fixing.

19 October 2002

Inter 1-1 Juventus

There are times when a game wakes up in the dying minutes. And this one is a perfect example of that. Two goals and red cards arrived after the 89th minute.

Another controversial penalty started the chaos once again. Del Piero converted this one before both teams were reduced to ten men after Antonio Conte and Dominic Morfeo were expelled for their parts in a mass brawl.

Inter dramatically secured a point with the 95th-minute header from Christian Vieri. The assist came from their goalie Francesco Toldo.

2005-06 season

The Calciopoli scandal has shaken up Italian football in the mid-2000s. Inter were awarded the Serie A championship for the 2005-06 season as title-winning Juventus relegated and Milan deducted points for their respective involvements with match-fixing.

5 December 2009

Juventus 2-1 Inter

Not one remembered for its good value, sections of Juventus fans were targeting Mario Balotelli with racial remarks in the buildup to the game. And they pelted Inter’s team bus when it arrived in Turin for the game.

On the pitch, it only took 20 minutes for Jose Mourinho to be sent to the stands for sarcastic applause as a reaction to a free-kick decision that led to Juventus’ opener. At the end of the hotly-contested tie, ten-man Juventus had three points, but their fans left a pretty bleak reputation.

3 November 2012

Juventus 1-3 Inter

Inter knocked out Juventus from Coppa Italia and won the reverse league fixture that season, but Juventus were a dominant force in the next two years, winning each of the last three Derby d’Italia before this meeting.

They were also in a 49-game unbeaten streak in the league when Inter came into town. That run looks to be extended when Arturo Vidal scored 20 seconds after kickoff. But Inter secured their first league win in Turin since 2005 thanks to goals from Argentines Diego Milito (2) and Rodrigo Palacio.

2015-16 Coppa Italia semi-final

Inter 3-3 Juventus (Juventus won 5-3 on penalties)

Inter managed to reverse a 3-0 first-leg defeat at San Siro, but they lost on penalties with Palacio having a night to forget with a glaring miss in extra-time before another one in the shootout.

Leonardo Bonucci, who is a product of Inter’s academy, scored the final kick to send Juventus through to the final.

28 April 2018

Inter 2-3 Juventus

Juventus were in a title race with Napoli when they had to avoid defeat at any cost in San Siro in the penultimate month of the season. Gonzalo Higuain, who was signed from Napoli, scored a late winner as Inter fought hard despite playing more than 70 minutes with ten men.

11 May 2022

Juventus 2-4 Inter

The first Coppa Italia final between the clubs since 1965 was decided by Ivan Perisic’s two goals in extra-time. Juventus lifted the cup in the first two Derby d’Italia finals and they were on course to repeat that trend ten minutes from time.

But, from 12 yards, Hakan Calhanoglu forced extra-time in which the Croat scored from another penalty-kick and a direct free-kick in one of his last games as a Nerazzurri. 

2023-24

Just like the old days, the title race looked set to be between these two rivals once again this season. The last two champions AC Milan and Napoli are having tough times while former Serie A champions Jose Mourinho and Maurizio Sarri are not throwing punches at the Rome clubs.

While Simeone Inzaghi’s side is considered both entertainer and robust in defense, Massimiliano Allegri has his Juventus thriving off of 1-0 wins.

Played for both

It is very common to play for rival clubs in Italy, especially for the best part of the 2000s. Guiseppe Meazza (the reason why Inter named San Siro Guiseppe Meazza), Roberto Baggio, Christian Vieri, Patrick Vieira, Edgar Davids, Andrea Pirlo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Leonardo Bonucci are among the names who played for all three top clubs – Juventus, Inter and AC Milan.

The most remarkable piece of business between the two clubs was when Inter let Fabio Cannavaro, who ended up winning the Ballon d’Or and World Cup as Italy’s captain, join Juventus for an exchange of reserve goalkeeper Fabio Carini.

Sepp Maier (1960-1980) [his entire career] – 706 games, 217 clean sheets – the story of Bayern and legendary goalies starts with Die Katze. Sepp has won everything there is to win with club and country.

• Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck (1966-1981) [his entire career] – 554 games, 31 goals – remembered as Franz Beckenbauer’s less-known partner in crime and for that pivotal goal against Atletico Madrid in the run to Bayern’s first European Cup, the down-to-earth center-back won it all with his local club.
• Uli Hoeness (1970-1978) (1979) – 341 games, 112 goals – Mr. Bayern Munich was a game-changer winger in his playing days. A sequence of injuries cut his career short before he turned 30, but there was a blessing in disguise with a larger-than-life influence at the club since retirement. 
• Paul Breitner (1970-1974) (1978-1983) – 352 games, 110 goals – the self-styled maverick started and ended his playing days at Bayern. The graceful midfielder/defender perfectly fits Bayern’s Hollywood tag.
• Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (1974-1984) – 422 games, 217 goals – if we were talking about an overall influence, Rummenigge would even make it into a top-five list. He’s also the closest to making the list as a two-time Ballon d’Or winner as a Bayern player.
• Mehmet Scholl (1992-2007) – 469 games, 117 goals – known for his dazzling technical skill and set-piece prowess, Scholl won eight Meisterschale and the 2001 Champions League with FC Hollywood
• Bixente Lizarazu (1997-2004) (2005-2006) – 273 games, 8 goals
• Willy Sagnol (2000-2009) – 277 games, 8 goals
• The two French fullbacks were instrumental in Bayern’s 2001 Champions League triumph. Exemplary professionals and consistent throughout their respective times at the club, their careers were the perfect examples of how top-level fullbacks operated in the early 2000s.
• Stefan Effenberg (1990-1992) (1998-2002) – 234 games, 48 goals – the hard-tackling midfielder was a very influential and polarizing figure in German football, twice signing for Bayern from old foes Borussia Monchengladbach.
• Claudio Pizarro (2001-2007) (2012-2015) – 327 games, 125 goals – the current club ambassador is a Bundesliga legend with a fans’ favorite status at both Bayern and Werder Bremen.

10. Bastian Schweinsteiger

1998 – 2015 (500 games, 68 goals scored)

Major titles: Champions League, 8 Bundesliga, 7 DFB Pokal

Joining the club at the age of 14, Basti is one of the academy players who worked his way into legendary status at Bayern Munich. In 17 years at Bayern, he won multiple times, including the 2013 Champions League.

His first playing position was on the wing before the change to central midfield, where he became one of the best players in the world. We could associate passion, energy, passing range and shooting power to the 2014 World Cup final star.

When he first joined Bayern’s first team, he had a bad reputation with disciplinary issues. But, as time went on, Schweinsteiger was helped by the guidance of top coaches like Ottmar Hitzfield and Louis van Gaal.

He reunited with former coach Louis van Gaal with a move to Manchester United in 2015. That transfer also ended his Bayern Munich chapter, although the fans never had a grudge against him for chasing a new experience.

9. Oliver Kahn

1994 – 2008 (632 games, 242 clean sheets)

Major titles: Champions League, 8 Bundesliga, 6 DFB Pokal, UEFA Cup, Intercontinental Cup

The three-time World Goalkeeper of the Year, Kahn was also an influential figure for Bayern and the German national team. The Titan joined the club at the age of 25 from minnows Karlsruhe.

But he was quick to embody Bayern’s winning mentality. The final matchday of the 2000-2001 season was the perfect night to showcase that character as he inspired the team to win the league in injury-time.

In 14 years, Kahn won plenty of individual accolades. As a team, eight of those campaigns saw Bayern lifting the league title. And he was also pivotal in his only Champions League triumph.

Although it wasn’t his strong point, Kahn miraculously saved three penalties in the shootout win against Valencia in 2001. He also won the UEFA Cup with Bayern in 1996. For such an iconic career, his farewell game in 2008 saw Bayern and the German national team play against each other.  

Kahn went all the way to replace Rummenigge as Bayern’s CEO in 2021, but he was ousted from the position in dramatic fashion at the end of last season when Bayern repeated the 2001 feat of winning Meisterschale at the eleventh hour.

8. Lothar Matthaus

1984 – 1988, 1992 – 2000 (410 games, 100 goals)

Major titles: 7 Bundesliga, 3 DFB Pokal, UEFA Cup

Well before his first step at the club to his last kick, Matthaus wrote his unique history at Bayern Munich. He signed a pre-contract with Bayern when he missed his kick for Borussia Monchengladbach in a penalty shootout defeat to his future employers in the 1983-84 DFB Pokal semi-final.

In his first spell at the club, Matthaus won the domestic league and cup, but Bayern squandered their lead to fall to a European Cup final defeat to Rabah Madjer’s Porto in 1986/87.

A year later, he was tempted by the emergence of Serie A as he joined Inter Milan alongside his Bayern teammate Andreas Brehme. After a successful spell that saw him winning the Ballon d’Or, Matthaus returned to Bayern in 1992.

Again, he won domestic trophies on bucketload as well as the UEFA Cup (the then-Europa League), but the biggest one eluded him with another Champions League final defeat after Bayern scored the first goal.

That was his dark moment as a Bayern player with fans still pointing fingers at him for asking Hitzfield to substitute him when the club needed him the most. In the first season after his retirement, Bayern finally reunited with a Champions League title.

Putting the story of European glory aside, Matthaus engraved himself as one of the most iconic figures at the club. Whether it’s with the way he controlled games from midfield or how his second spell was highlighted by a rivalry with teammate Jurgen Klinsmann, Matthaus is part and parcel of Bayern’s history.

7. Manuel Neuer

2011 – Current 

Major titles: 2 Champions League, 11 Bundesliga, 6 DFB Pokal, 2 Club World Cups

Neuer is a strong candidate for the greatest goalkeeper in the history of the sport. And Bayern has a big part in that claim since the sweeper-keeper has been playing for the club since 2011.

Including trebles in 2013 and 2020, Neuer won 28 trophies as a Bayern Munich goalie. He finished third in the 2014 Ballon d’Or ranking and UEFA picked him Goalkeeper of the Year on five occasions.

Even with injuries ruling him out of action for extended periods, he never lost his starting berth at both Bayern and Germany. His numerous records and game-winning performances on big nights put him in such a high place in the football world.

Neuer held the record for most clean sheets (both overall and in a season) in Bundesliga. But, before all of that, he had to win the hearts of the Bayern faithful as his transfer from Schalke wasn’t popular amongst the Bavarians.

In the 2011/12 Champions League season, Neuer took huge steps in doing that as he helped Bayern reach a home final by saving penalties from Real Madrid’s superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka. When the final was also decided by penalties, Neuer scored Bayern’s third kick, but his efforts weren’t rewarded at the end.

But he won his first league title that season. Neuer the Wall repeated his European heroics the following season as he kept clean sheets in four knockout stage games against Juventus and Barcelona.

He saved eight shots in the Wembley final against Borussia Dortmund as Bayern won the treble. Neuer and Bayern repeated that feat in 2020 as Neuer once again kept Thomas Tuchel’s PSG at bay with spectacular saves.

As for the league crown, since his very first title in 2012, Bayern won eleven Meisterschale in a row. Neuer, who extended his contract once again, already leapfrogged Sepp Maier and Oliver Kahn to be considered Bayern’s greatest goalkeeper.

6. Phillip Lahm

1995 – 2003, 2005 – 2017 (517 games, 16 goals)

Major titles: Champions League, 8 Bundesliga, 6 DFB Pokal, Club World Cups

Bayern’s long-time captain had a reverse transformation from the one Schweinsteiger had the decade earlier. While he’ll always be mentioned as one of the greatest full-back in football history, Pep Guardiola used him to great effect as a central midfielder.

Apart from a two-year loan spell at VfB Stuttgart, Lahm played his entire career at Bayern Munich. His leadership qualities were visible even before he joined the first team as he won the U19 Bundesliga as team captain.

On his return from loan, Lahm couldn’t jump into action right away due to an ACL injury. But, soon after, he managed to replace experienced figure Bixente Lizarazu as Bayern’s preferred option at left-back.

But the story nearly ended there when Barcelona came close to signing him before a turnaround saw Lahm extending his deal at Munich. The following season, there was also another hiccup as Lahm was fined for criticizing the club’s transfer policy and lack of planning.

Once again, instead of separation, Lahm reconciled with the club as Louis van Gaal’s appointment even had him shifted to his primary position of right-back, where he formed an iconic linkup with Arjen Robben.

Taking over the captaincy from departed Dutch international Mark van Bommel, Lahm led the way as Bayern won the treble in 2013. It was all the more satisfying with Bayern losing two finals in the previous three seasons.

While Bayern came short of their Champions League target in Lahm’s remaining time at the club, he retired from football alongside Xabi Alonso after winning his eighth Meisterschale. He entered the club’s Hall of Fame only a week after his last game for the club.

5. Robert Lewandowski

2014 – 2022 (375 games, 344 goals)

Major titles: Champions League, 8 Bundesliga, 3 DFB Pokal, Club World Cups

It was a decisive transfer when the two-time champion left Borussia Dortmund to join Bayern in 2014. Lewy added eight Mesiterschale to his name before another high-profile move to Barcelona.

While that decision left a sore taste in Bayern’s camp, Lewandowski’s numbers at the club will have his name among the very best. And he did win the coveted Champions League trophy when Bayern won their second treble in 2020.

Although he lost on his debut to his ex-club in the Super Cup, the transfer was a big factor in the power shift of German football. Lewandowski won Torjagerkanone – the league’s top-scorer canon – six times as a Bayern striker.

Amongst his countless records in Germany, two of them stand out from the rest. On 22 September 2015, to Pep Guardiola and the football world’s amusement, he scored five goals in nine minutes as a substitute against Wolfsburg. That feat made history as Lewandowski even made it into Guinness World Records.

The second big achievement was rather a season-long effort. In the 2020/21 season, the Poland international broke Gerd Muller’s record for most goals scored in a single campaign with 41.

Lewandowski was the favorite to win the Ballon d’Or in 2021, but the award committee decided to skip that season due to COVID-19. In the following season, Lewandowski ended his tie with Bayern and German football as he joined Barcelona.

With an unprecedented start to a Bundesliga season, Harry Kane threatened to break Lewy’s 41-goal mark in his very first attempt.

With second-most goals for the club and countless memories at the Allianz Arena, Lewandowski will get back his flowers for the commendable service to the club when the dust settles on the Barcelona transfer.

4. Franck Ribery

2007 – 2019 (425 games, 124 goals scored)

Major titles: Champions League, 9 Bundesliga, 6 DFB Pokal, Club World Cup

Arjen Robben

2009 – 2019 (309 games, 144 goals scored)

Major titles: Champions League, 8 Bundesliga, 5 DFB Pokal, Club World Cups

At the very beginning, we had French full-backs Willy Sagnol and Bixente Lizarazu mentioned together under our Honorable Mention. And we’re doing the same thing here for the Robbery connection.

It’s very difficult to separate the Bayern careers of the flying wingers. Signed under Louis van Gaal, both of them had a fairytale ending as they shared the final game of their careers.

Both Ribery and Robben played a lot less due to injury problems. But, when they’re out on the pitch, Bayern’s chances of winning football games would always have a better advantage.

29 August 2009 was the landmark day for their partnership. Ribery twice assisted his new teammate Robben in a 3-0 win against Wolfsburg.

When they won the Champions League in Wembley, the duo combined for the winning goal against fellow Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund. And, on 18 May 2019, they both came off the bench to bid their respective farewell with a goal against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Bayern’s dominant era started with the dazzling display from the flanks. From Van Gaal to Pep, they remained key players in Bayern’s stride under different managers. Many contemplated what was next every time there was a change of scenery, but the duo were decisive until their last kicks for the club.

The numbers tell the story. Their telepathic understanding resulted in a combined 268 goals and 284 assists from their time in Munich.

Ribery went on to play a few seasons in Serie A after Bayern, while Robben also returned to a very brief spell after initially calling it a day after Bayern.

3. Thomas Muller

2000 – Current (entire professional career)

Major titles: 2 Champions League, 12 Bundesliga, 6 DFB Pokal, 2 Club World Cups

Just like Neuer, Thomas Muller extended his Bayern contract by another year recently. He might not have been the most technically gifted player in the squad, but few can rival Muller for his sheer consistency and team chemistry.

When he first broke into first-team action in 2009, Louis van Gaal was certain he’d soon be joining his untouchable list. And, in 2011, fresh from winning the Youngest Player of the World Cup, he was nearly the Champions League final matchwinner when he scored in injury-time against Chelsea.

But Bayern couldn’t handle the pressure at their ground as Ivorian striker Didie Drogba inspired the Blues to a comeback win. The next season, Muller and Bayen were rewarded with a victory against Dortmund.

His record of 12 league titles, 11 of which were in back-to-back seasons, meant the academy graduate can be considered as one of the greats. His 21 assists in the second treble season also reached record books.

In the current 2023-24 season, he became the first Bayern player to feature in 16 Bundesliga seasons. And, against Real Madrid, Thomas Muller joined the 100-goal club in Champions League history.

While Tuchel first reduced his minutes, Muller clawed back to win his place at the club. As Germany will host the Euros in the summer, Muller hopes to play a key part under Julian Nagelsmann.

2. Gerd Muller

1964 – 1979 (611 games, 568 goals scored)

Major titles: 3 European Cup, 4 Bundesliga, 4 DFB Pokal, Intercontinental Cup

From the current day Muller to the most-loved striker in the club’s history. Gerd, Der Bomber, is not only highly regarded by Bayern, but he was also considered one of the finest goal-scorers in the history of the game.

Muller’s first steps at Bayern were very similar to that of Ferenc Puskas at Real Madrid. His physique led to many questions as to how he could compete at the very top level of Bundesliga when he signed from his local club Nordlingen.

With Franz Beckenbauer and Sepp Maier, Gerd Muller shaped the formative years of Bayern Munich. As they were competing for a promotion to Bundesliga, it wasn’t to be expected for what came next.

Bayern achieved the first target in the first season of the three future stars. They followed it up with domestic and continental titles in the 1960s and 1970s. Including their prolific striker, Bayern also contributed the most to West Germany’s successful World Cup and European Championships.

Muller scored 365 Bundesliga goals in just 427 matches. While Robert Lewandowski broke Gerd’s record of a single-season tally, that all-time stat remained intact for over half a century.

Finishing top-scorer on seven occasions where he scored a goal per game or better, Gerd Muller had 53 more strikes than the Polish striker, who departed the league last season.   

After the end of his playing career, Gerd Muller was severely affected by alcoholism. And, in 2015, it was announced that he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Just months before Lewandowski broke the single-season record, Muller died in a nursing home at the age of 75.

1. Franz Beckenbauer

1964 – 1977 (582 games, 74 goals scored)

Major titles: 3 European Cup, 4 Bundesliga, 4 DFB Pokal, Cup Winners’ Cup, Intercontinental Cup

Der Kaiser is the guy who had the most influence in the club based on his playing days. While Gerd Muller’s goals were in desperate need, Beckenbauer was the star performer pulling the strength with the utmost freedom of roaming the pitch.

If he joined 1860 Munich as he initially intended, the story of the Munich clubs would’ve been different right now. But Bayern managed to convince him at the time when they were in the second division.

The rest is history. Beckenbauer played with aura and technical prowess as Bayern dominated Europe in the first half of the 1970s. On the domestic front, his competition with Gladbach’s own maverick Gunter Netzer was a sight to behold.

Beckenbauer twice won the Ballon d’Or as a Bayern Munich player. He was the captain of the side when Bayern first lifted a league title in 1968-69.

With Beckenbauer in the side, Bayern won three league (1972-74) and three European Cups (1974-76) in a row.

Although he had some more success as a manager of Bayern and Germany, he later became a controversial figure with wrongdoings in the process of the 2006 World Cup hosting right. On 7 January, Beckenbauer dies at the age of 78.

1978-79 European Cup

When the long-time managerial duo of Bryan Clough and Peter Taylor joined Nottingham Forest, the club was in the bottom half of the second division. The pair were also coming at the end of a mere 44-day spell at Leeds United.

But it was a match made in heaven. They won the club’s first trophy in nearly two decades with the 1976-77 Anglo-Scottish Cup. For Clough, this was the cup that made all the difference.

At the time two points used to be awarded for a win, Forest got promoted back to First Division football with one of the lowest points tallies. But they were about to take it up a notch amongst England’s top clubs.

On their return to top-tier football, Forest won the First Division for the first time in the club’s history. Defensive solidarity was the main reason behind the remarkable feat as they only conceded 24 goals in 42 league games.

The league title gave them the passage for the 1978-79 European Cup. Back then, except for the defending winner of the European Cup, all participants were champions of their respective leagues. 

First Round – vs. Liverpool (2-0, 0-0)

As fate has it, England’s two representatives were drawn together in the First Round. Nottingham Forest’s European Cup debut sees them face last season’s champions Liverpool in a two-legged affair.

Months after this crossover, Liverpool ended Nottingham’s record 42-game unbeaten run in English’s top division. But it was the First Division champions that knocked out European Cup holders in this encounter.

Off of chances created by Tony Woodcock, Garry Birtles and Colin Barrett scored either side of the half-time break in the first-leg at The City Ground. A fortnight later, Clough only made one change to the side with Frank Clark replacing the seriously injured goal-scoring left-back Barrett.

Peter Shilton played his part as Forest kept their advantage from the home game with the goalless draw knocking Bob Paisley’s Liverpool side at the first hurdle.

Round of 16 – vs. AEK Athens (2-1, 5-1)

Next up for Clough’s inexperienced team was Greece champions AEK Athens. Semi-finalist two years ago in the UEFA Cup, the club managed by Real Madrid great Ferenc Puskas had the advantage of exploring European football in comparison to their opponents from England.

The two teams met each other in the pre-season friendly at Athens Stadium. Forest are back in this arena for the first-leg a couple of months after the 1-1 draw in the warm-up game.

The hosts conceded early to John McGovern’s strike and they had to play 70 minutes with ten men following Milton Viera’s red card. As such, the 2-1 home defeat wasn’t considered the end of AEK Athens’s chances of progressing to the next round.

But Forest played them off the park with an emphatic five-star display in the City Ground. They were 3-0 ahead by the minute 40. After the break, Birtles, who scored the second goal in Athens, added two for the final scoreline of 5-1. 

Quarter-Finals – vs. Grasshoppers (4-1, 1-1)

In the next round, Forest had to come from behind for the first time in the European Cup as Switzerland’s champions Grasshoppers took the lead in the tenth minute at the City Ground.

Birtles once again came up with the goods as his fifth of the competition tied the score at the half-time break. John Robertson’s penalty-kick seemed the difference between the two sides until Forest added two more goals in the final five minutes for an emphatic 4-1 first-leg lead.

In Zurich, Grasshopper scored the first goal in the half-hour mark, but Forest replied with the equalizing goal through midfielder Martin O’Neil three minutes later. England’s best defensive team, Clough’s men had no difficulty finishing the game with the 5-2 aggregate score.

Forest were through to the semi-finals where they were joined by FC Koln, Austria Viena and Malmo FF. One thing was certain at this stage – it would be the first European Cup for the team lifting the trophy at Olympiastadion on 30 May 1979.

Semi-Finals – vs. Koln (3-3, 1-0) 

For the first time in their European campaign, Forest failed to win the first-leg fixture. And the 3-3 scoreline meant Koln had the away goal advantage before the showdown at Mungersdorder Stadion.

But the manner they salvaged the draw at the City Ground inspired Forest to maintain the spirit of the team. After a two-goal deficit in 20 minutes, they overturned the result to lead 3-2 before Japanese international Yasuhiko Okudera’s late equalizer for the Bundesliga outfit.

Ian Bowyer, who was also on target in the first-leg, scored the only goal of the game in Koln as another English club reached the European Cup final. Including the all-important one, out of their four semi-final goals, three of them scored with headers.

The 1973-74 UEFA Cup semi-finalists missed out on the chance of playing the final on home soil as Clough’s fairytale run earned him a first European final. With Derby, Clough and his coaching team reached the 1972-73 European Cup semi-final, where they lost to Italian side Juventus.

Finals – vs. Malmo (1-0) 

In the middle of the season, Forest broke the record to add a striker to their ranks. Trevor Francis became Britain’s first £1mil player when he joined them from struggling Birmingham City.

But the striker was unavailable during Forest’s European campaign as UEFA’s rule for January transfer kept him out for three months. That wasn’t in place for the big final at the Olympiastadion, however.

In place of injured Martin O’Neill, Francis, who scored six league goals in the second half of the season, started in his unfavoured wing position. Clough started the game with the striking partnership that got them here – Woodwock and Birtles.

But the two wingers produced the magic moment in Munich. After a dazzling run in the left flank, John Robertson played a perfect ball to European debutant, Francis. The England international planted home his header to give Forest the lead at the stroke of half-time.

With Malmo’s defensive approach, the goal opened the game in the second half, but Birtles couldn’t add to his six-goal tally. The result meant English clubs won the European Cup for three seasons in a row.

Since both the finalists happened to be smaller clubs, the Olympiastadion was far from its full capacity. But, for Forest, it was a remarkable feat to be crowned as European kings in only their second season since returning to the First Division. 

79-80 European Cup

With success translated to more funding from club chairman Stuart M. Dryden, Clough had a new-look squad for the new season. Some issues from the team that spectacularly won the European Cup also meant more new faces in the door.

The start of the campaign continued their European magic as they beat Barcelona in a two-legged Super Cup. It was Forest’s sixth major trophy under the guidance of Clough.

First Round – vs. Osters IF (2-0, 1-1)

Bowyer was the star of the first leg victory against Swedish outfit Osters in the first test of the 1980-81 European Cup campaign. The midfielder scored twice in the second half to secure a 2-0 win for Forest.

Clough’s side started the new season the same way they ended the previous one as they saw off their opponent from Sweden. Tony Woodcock scored a massive equalizer in Vaxjo ten minutes before time as Osters looked for the goal that leveled the tie for them.

England’s other representative Liverpool once again eliminated in the First Round with a 4-2 aggregate defeat to Dinamo Tbilisi.  

Round of 16 – vs. Arges Pitesti (2-0, 2-1)

For only the second time, Arges Pitesti won the Romanian first division in the 1978-79 season. However, their emphatic 5-0 victory against AEK Athens in the previous round sent cautions to Nottingham Forest.

Indeed, it wasn’t to be an easy ride for the defending champions. In City Ground, goals from strikers Woodcock and Birtles gave Forest another 2-0 lead to the return leg.

In Pitesti, Forest extended the lead to four goals by the midpoint of the first half. But the hosts finished the game stronger, despite failing to add more goals to entice a nervy finale.

Quarter-final – vs. BFC Dynamo (0-1, 3-1)

For the first time in the European Cup, Nottingham Forest lost a game when East Germany’s BFC Dynamo stunned Clough’s side at the City Ground. In their first European Cup season, Jurgen Bogs’ team pulled a minor upset with the winning goal coming from Hans-Jurgen Riediger.

It was Forest’s first defeat in the competition after some 14 games. With the club also struggling in domestic football, few expected a reverse result from East Germany.

Including in the League Cup final, Forest lost twice to Wolves in the space of three days before the all-important game. But, once again, they played a superb first half, heading to the break with a 3-0 lead. Back from his injury, Francis scored a brace before Robertson extended the score from the penalty spot. 

Semi-final – vs. Ajax (2-0, 0-1)

This time around, the last four of the European Cup had a very different outlook. All of them had a history of winning a European trophy, including the holders Forest. Clough’s side met Johan Cruyff-less Ajax while Hamburger SV and Real Madrid locked horns in the other semi-final.

Although they didn’t have their talismanic leader with them, Ajax had a team filled with stars from the 1978 World Cup. But Trevor Francis continued his excellent European Cup form with the opening goal in the first half.

Robertson doubled the score from the spot as Forest held a two-goal advantage before the Amsterdam clash. It was all about keeping Leo Beenhakker’s side at bay in the return leg, but Soren Lorby scored his tenth of the European campaign with enough time on the clock.

In the end, the English team saw out the result as they progressed to the final on the back of a 2-1 aggregate victory. Despite winning each of their last seven home games in the league, it was clear Forest would not qualify for continental competition based on domestic form.

Final – vs. Hamburger SV (1-0)

Beating Real Madrid 5-1 in the semi-finals, Kevin Keegan and Felix Magath’s Hamburg were the clear favorites before the game. The Spanish giants missed the chance to play a final at home since the game took place in Santiago Bernabeu.

Robertson, who delivered the pass to Francis’ strike the previous season, scored the only goal as the trophy stayed in England and Nottingham. The team who finished fifth in the league table were the European Kings… again.

Since their goal in the 20th minute, Forest had to repeat Malmo’s trick from the year before. The team kept a clean sheet in each of their last five games and that form also translated to the big final in Madrid.

This was one last hurray for one of the most unthinkable European runs in the history of football. For their third and (so far) last European Cup appearance, Forest were knocked out by Bulgarian champions CSKA Sofia.

They planned for a squad rebuilt with the team that won major titles no longer in place. A controversial defeat to Anderlecht put an end to an equally ambitious run in the 1983-84 UEFA Cup.

But that was the exception for what followed the successful spell for Forest. After assistant coach Taylor opted for an early retirement, Clough ended his 18-year spell on a sour note as they relegated from the inaugural Premier League season.

Yet there was a positive anecdote as Clough’s son, Nigel, scored the final goal of his father’s reign. That’s also how Nottingham Forest fans see their current situation. This might not be the best of times for the club, but the good memories and the giant-killing stories will forever stay with them.

Barcelona

Not just the biggest rivalry for Real Madrid, El Classico is widely considered the best club football game in European football. It is also among the best-viewed sporting events in the world.

Although sportsmanship lost its place in their duels too often, this matchup always produces high-intensity entertainment value while still maintaining the passionate side. The two clubs’ global following played a vital role in making the fixture the most-followed sporting clash.

Why are they rivals?

There is a political meaning at the root of this rivalry. While FC Barcelona is seen as Catalonia notion representative, Real Madrid is from Spain’s capital and largest city.

These differences in political identifications meant Real is for the Spanish and Barca is for Catalan nationalism. As for the sporting institutions, these clubs are among the most successful in the football world.

How did the rivalry start?

With the 1930s credited for the period with which Barcelona developed the Catalan identity more than the centralized nationalism, the rivalries of Real Madrid and Barcelona also took a huge lift.

Under Spain’s long-serving Prime Minister Francesco Franco, FC Barcelona had to play a role outside the football pitch. And it was the reasoning behind Més que un club (More than a club).

While Franco’s reign ended in 1975, Catalan’s independence is still questioned during games at Camp Nou. The ultra culture in the 1980s gave this rivalry another dimension. And, with Barcelona a force to be reckoned with in Europe since the mid-2000s, the Champions League add another venue for the iconic rivalry.

Biggest Games

Every tie between the two Spanish giants has its story. But let’s look at some of the most defining encounters.

13 June 1943

Real Madrid 11-1 Barcelona 

In the return leg of the then-Spanish Cup semi-finals, Real Madrid overturned a 3-0 deficit from Catalan with the biggest scoreline in El Classico’s story. Both of these games were controversial with refereeing decisions.

It formed the era in which Madrid showed dictatorship to Barcelona the biggest victim in the process.

27 April 1960

Real Madrid 3-1 Barcelona 

Alfredo Di Stefano’s transfer to Real Madrid was another decisive move in keeping the trend. Barca fought hard for his signing from River Plate, but the capital city’s side won the battle that helped them dominate Europe.

And, in 1960, the first-ever European Cup meeting opened a new chapter. Real progressed from the semi-final clash on their way to winning Europe’s premier competition for a record fifth time.

11 July 1968

Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona

Winning the Copa del Generalisimo final at the Santiago Bernabeu to lift the trophy in front of General Franco produced one of the finest moments for Barcelona at the time. The Bernabeu audience threw bottles onto the pitch to protest Antonio Rigo’s decision, but the referee accused Real Madrid of attempting to bribe him with a pre-match gift.

7 January 1995

Real Madrid 5-0 Barcelona

Long gone the Franco days, this performance and the result are regarded as one of the favorite El Classico by Real Madrid fans. It was also a crucial game in the race for the La Liga title.

Chilean striker Ivan Zamorano became the first Real Madrid player to score a Classico hat-trick in 30 years. Only Karim Benzema, in the 2022-23 Copa del Rey, repeated this feat since then.

23 November 2002

Barcelona 0-0 Real Madrid

A rare goalless draw will forever be remembered for the hostile reception awaited Luis Figo at Camp Nou. What started with banners hanging around the stadium continued with missiles of oranges, bottles, cigarette lighters, mobile phones, coins, and, most notably, a pig’s head.

As part of Florentino Perez’s ploy for a presidential election, Figo’s transfer caused a big reaction from Barcelona fans.

19 November 2005

Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona

In such rivalry, three Barcelona players managed the impossible of getting applauded for their performance at Bernabeu. Ronaldinho, after scoring twice with majestic dribbles, was the recipient of the biggest appreciation.

Diego Maradona and the 2014 World Cup final winner Andres Iniesta were the other players to win the hearts of Madrid faithful. In 1980, Real Madrid’s Laurie Cunningham received applause from Barcelona fans at Camp Nou.

29 November 2009

Real Madrid 2-6 Barcelona

Pep Guardiola’s troops dominated Europe in 2009, but their biggest story came from a visit to Bernabeu. The 6-2 victory was the result of a lethal striking partnership of Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry and Samuel Eto’o.

All of them scored twice in a night the dominant Barca side had three times more shots than their hosts. Barcelona also scored five against Madrid the next season in one of Jose Mourinho’s worst defeats.

2011

In 2011, Barcelona and Real Madrid played each other four times in only 18 days. This sequence included a Copa del Rey final as well as a semi-final tie in the Champions League.

As feared by Spain’s national team coach Vicente del Bosque, the tensions, war of words and red cards created friction between Spanish players at the time.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo era

2009-2018

In the 1950s, the individual battle was between Barcelona’s Hungarian star Laszlo Kubala and Di Stefano. Since CR7’s mega transfer to Real Madrid, another big chapter opened with the era of the Portuguese international and Messi.

For some, this rivalry eclipsed the one between Real Madrid and Barcelona to the point that it doesn’t have a similar feel since Ronaldo left for Juventus. MSN (Messi, Suarez, Neymar) and BBC (Bale, Benzema, Cristiano) partnerships also left their mark in this era. May 6, 2018

Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid

There were three historical occasions in which a pasillo, a team given a guard of honor by their next opponent after clinching the league trophy, took place before an El Clasico fixture. But, in 2018, Zinedine Zidane’s Madrid refused to do so citing an incident from three years ago, where Madrid didn’t get one for a Club World Cup triumph.

Played for both

Marcos Alonso is the latest player to feature for both clubs, but he spent years in England and Fiorentina between the two spells. Javier Saviola (Barca-Real) and Luis Enrique (Real-Barca) were the last transfers involving the clubs.

As mentioned above, Luis Figo’s transfer was the biggest footballing story outside of the pitch between the clubs. 

Atletico Madrid

El Derbi is what comes next for Real Madrid. The two Madrid clubs also branched their rivalry to Europe since the 2014 Champions League final in Lisbon.

With Diego Simeone revamped Atleti’s chances of competing at the top level, their games gained more importance in comparison to the previous decades.

Why are they rivals?

But that didn’t mean there was no background story to it. This rivalry can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th century as we’ll see in the next chapter. And Franco’s ruling also had its impact on this story.

How did the rivalry start?

Real Madrid – or more precisely Madrid Foot-Ball Club, as known in its formative years – used to acquire clubs in the Spanish capital. Even if that’s not workable, they used to sign the best players from those clubs to force them into giving up. 

Athletic Club Madrid, with the help of their then-parent club Athletic Club Bilbao, is credited for resisting this movement. And the battle takes another shape during Francoist era. 

For this rivalry to mark its place internationally, the 1959 European Cup semi-final tie played a massive role, however.

Biggest Games

1959 European Cup semi-final

Real Madrid needed a replay since both clubs won their respective home games by a solitary scoreline. Meanwhile, the next two seasons saw Atleti crowned domestic cup winners beating Real Madrid in the final both times.

7 March 1965

Real Madrid 0-1 Atletico Madrid

Jorge Mendonca, who later played for Barca, scored the only goal of the game as Atleti became the first team to beat Real Madrid in Bernabeu in eight years.

Five Copa del Rey finals

Despite the vast difference between the trophy cabinets of the two clubs, Atletico Madrid won in four of the five occasions they met in the domestic cup final.

Real’s only win was in 1975 at Atleti’s ground Vicente Calderon after a penalty shootout. The latest Atletico Madrid victory saw the reverse with Real Madrid losing the title at Santiago Bernabeu back in 2013 in a final their future superstar Thibaut Courtois was named man of the match.  

24 May 2014

Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid (A.E.T.)

Simeone came very close to adding the Champions League to his Europa League triumph before Sergio Ramos’ injury-time goal changed everything. Having to defend for their lives since Diego Godin’s first-half strike, Atletico players had no gas left on their tanks for the extra-time.

28 May 2016

Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid (Real won 5-3 on penalties)

That was the first European Cup (Champions League) final between clubs from the same city. And it repeated only two years later. Ramos’ goal (his first in the Champions League since the 2014 final) came early on this one and it was Atletico’s turn to force extra-time with Yannick Carrasco scoring in the last quarter of the game.

But Real Madrid once again lifted the trophy with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the winning penalty after Juanfran’s miss.

2016-17 Champions League semi-final

Real Madrid 4-2 Atletico Madrid (on agg) 

There was another meeting in the later stage of the European competition the next season with Real Madrid making the job difficult for Atleti with a 3-0 first-leg victory ahead of the final European fixture in the iconic Vicente Calderon.

15 August 2018

Real Madrid 2-4 Atletico Madrid (AET)

Despite another Ramos goal, the first UEFA Super Cup tie involving teams in the same city ended with Atletico Madrid winning the competition for the third time. Diego Costa scored in the first minute, but Real Madrid clawed back to lead before the naturalized Spanish international found the net once again.

In the first-half of the extra-time, long-time midfielders Saul and Koke scored to lift the underdogs to glory.

12 January 2020

Real Madrid 0-0 Atletico Madrid (Real won 4-1 on penalties)

The Supercopa final in Saudi Arabia was memorable for Federico Valverde’s tackle on Alvaro Morata as the last man. The Urguyan saw a red card, but it was a brave decision to keep the score level with the teams edging closer to a penalty shootout. 

And it worked. Real won on penalties as Valverde picked up the man-of-the-match trophy.

Played for both

Morata is one of those names from the list of players who played for both clubs. Atleti’s versatile midfielder Marcos Llorente and Real’s custodian Courtois are the other ones currently plying their trade in Madrid.

European Rivals

For Real Madrid’s pedigree in Europe, it’ll be fitting to mention a couple of their biggest rivals in the continent.

Bayern Munich

Real Madrid v Bayern Munich played for a record 26 times in the Champions League/European Cup history. Yet they have never clashed in the final of the competition.

The Spanish giants have the upper hand with 12 victories to Bayern’s 11. Real progressed to the next round in each of their last three meetings with Bayern.

Liverpool

The same happened with Real Madrid’s clashes with Liverpool, but two of them in the grand final – 2018 and 2022.

This rivalry has a unique history since it’s the most repeated fixture in the Champions League final. Liverpool were victorious in the first episode back in 1981 at Parc des Prince.

Before delving deep into the careers of our top 10, here are some honourable mentions that narrowly missed to cut.

• Bryan Robson: 1981-1994 (461 games, 99 goals) – long-serving club captain
• David Beckham: 1991-2003 (394 games, 85 goals) – iconic brand for Fergie’s Fledglings 
• Rio Ferdinand: 2002-2014 (455 games, 8 goals) – colossal partnership with Nemanja Vidic
• Gary Neville: 1991-2011 (entire career) (602 games, 7 goals) – most-capped defender 
• Norman Whiteside: 1978-1989 (238 games, 57 goals) – great career plagued by injuries 
• Mark Hughes: 1978-1986, 1988-1995 (467 games, 163 goals) – crucial in Man Utd’s resurgence under Sir Alex
• Duncan Edwards: 1953-1958 (177 games, 21 goals) – Star of Busby Babes team before losing his life at Munich Air Disaster 

10. Peter Schmeichel

1991-1999 (398 games, 328 goals conceded, 180 clean sheets)

Major titles: 5 Premier Leagues, Champions League, 3 FA Cups

Best remembered for his intimidating physique and commanding abilities, the Great Dane departed the club with a treble – the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.

He joined United from his local club Brondby in 1991. At the end of his first season in England, he led Denmark to an improbable European Championship success. In six of his eight seasons at Old Trafford, Schmeichel conceded fewer goals than games.

Keeping 21 clean sheets from 35 Premier League appearances in 1994/95 was his best number. Only David de Gea made more appearances as a goalkeeper for the Red Devils. 

A year after his move to Sporting CP in the wake of winning it all at Manchester, the shot-stopper returned to England with brief spells at Aston Villa, where he became the first goalkeeper to score a goal in the Premier League era, and Manchester City.

Nowadays, he’s working for American-based CBS where his passion for the club stands tall in their UEFA Champions League broadcast.

9. Eric Cantona

1992-1997 (185 games, 82 goals)

Major titles: 4 Premier Leagues, 2 FA Cups

It’s an understatement to say Frenchmen Arsene Wenger and Eric Cantona shaped the new Premier League brand. After helping them to a league triumph in his first England experience, Leeds United fans were angered to see Cantona joining their fiercest rivals.

Although disciplinary issues were feared because of incidents at Marseille and Leeds, his excellence and grace were more on display here, apart from the infamous kung-fu incident that had him suspended for nine months.

Curiously, that was the only season he didn’t win the league. It all started with his first half-season at Manchester United where he lifted the side from fifth-place to the club’s first league title in 26 years. In 1996, he was voted Football of the Year. In his relatively short spell at United, Cantona did more than enough to be considered as one of the greats.

Since retiring from the beautiful game at only 31, Cantona embarked on all sorts of ventures not familiar with professional footballers. The King is still in the spotlight whether because of his acting career or strong comments on political and philosophical matters.

8. Roy Keane

1993-2006 (478 games, 51 goals)

Major titles: 7 Premier Leagues, Champions League, 4 FA Cups

Another player full of self-confidence and controversies, Roy Keane is one of the best captains in the Premier League era. While his footballing ability seemed to be overshadowed by his aggressiveness and attitude, he gets his flowers as a true leader in a dominant side.

Keano joined Manchester United from Nottingham Forest for what was a British record sum at the time. He didn’t leave the club and Sir Alex on good terms, but his Manchester United connection is still visible in his punditry career.

Perhaps the biggest regret would be missing out on the historic Champions League win against Bayern Munich due to suspension. He won Football of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year the next season. Keane had those career-defining harsh tackles, but he was also known for his efficiency in passing the ball.

7. Cristiano Ronaldo

2003-2009, 2021-2022 (346 games, 145 goals)

Major titles: 3 Premier Leagues, Champions League, Club World Cup, FA Cup

CR7 at seventh. He’ll surely have a better ranking in the discussions of the all-time best footballers. At Manchester, Cristiano had his first breakthrough. His debut against Bolton had many doubting his readiness, but he won the first of his five Ballon d’Or awards after a starring role in Manchester United’s 2018 Champions League triumph.

He also topped the Premier League scoring list with 31 goals in that 2017/18 season. With goals in all knockout stage games, he was also a key factor in Man Utd reaching another final the following term. The mega transfer to Real Madrid had the same storyline as David Beckham’s move six years earlier.

The Portuguese megastar is still going strong with Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. Just before fleeing to the Middle East, CR7 returned home to Old Trafford, where he finished as the club’s top-scorer in his first season before falling out with the new boss Erik ten Hag.

6. Paul Scholes

1991-2011, 2012-2013 (entire career) (716 games, 155 goals)

Major titles: 11 Premier Leagues, 2 Champions League, Club World Cup, 4 FA Cups

The next one on our list also played for the club in two spells. But he has never worn another badge. After enjoying (or suffering, it seems) retirement for a bit, Scholsey came back to play for the Red Devils for 18 months.

The most-capped English international for Manchester United, Scholes is regarded as one of the finest midfielders of his era. His long-range passes and shots were delightful to watch.

Only one game short of the 500 Premier League club, Scholes’ longevity at one club will always be exemplary. He bid farewell to the game alongside Sir Alex Ferguson with his 11th league title and a memorable 5-5 away at West Brom.

Scholes is another former Man Utd legend to enter the media landscape after hanging up his boots. He also has a 10% share at fourth-tier Greater Manchester club Salford City.

5. Denis Law

1962-1973 (404 games, 237 goals)

Major titles: 2 First Division, European Cup, FA Cup

The 1964 Ballon d’Or winner first played First Division football and ended his career at Manchester City in two spells, but it was on the other side of Manchester his name rose to the untouchable.

After a single season with Torino, the clinical Scott joined Matt Busby’s historic team. On his return to Manchester, he didn’t even have to find a new home as he boarded with the same landlady.

And his form was only getting better. He scored more than 20 goals in each of his first three seasons. Although he didn’t play a part in the extra-time win against Benfica, Law added the European Cup to his trophy collection in 1967/68.

He finished top-scorer of the next season’s competition. The Scotland international scored the third-most goals in Manchester United’s history. Law is the only man to have two statues dedicated to him at Old Trafford.

4. George Best

1961-1974 (470 games, 179 goals)

Major titles: 2 First Division, European Cup, FA Cup

470 games isn’t a mean feat and he won it all at Man United, but George Best could’ve been a bigger star if it wasn’t for his troubled life outside of the pitch. That was a testament to El Beatie’s unique talent and dazzling wing play.

The 1968 European Cup final was his biggest moment as he won the Ballon d’Or at the end of the year. That same season he was the league’s top-scorer as well as the Footballer of the Year. He was the undeniable best.

The Northern Ireland star joined Manchester United’s academy at the age of 15. Including spells in South Africa, Hong Kong and Australia, he played for 14 clubs in just about a decade since leaving Manchester United. 

Due to his extravagant lifestyle including severe alcoholism, Best suffered financial and health problems even on his playing days. He died at the age of 59 as a result of lung infection and multiple organ failure.

3. Ryan Giggs

1987-2014 (entire professional career) (963 games, 168 goals)

Major titles: 13 Premier Leagues, 2 Champions League, Club World Cup, 4 FA Cups

Only Gareth Barry played more Premier League games than Ryan Giggs. He is also top of the appearance list at Manchester United. Paul Scholes, who is also a one-club man, had 247 fewer games despite sitting second on this all-time list.

All the more impressive when you consider the Welshman has never been sent off in 24 seasons. He won 45 trophies at Manchester United, including a record 13 league titles.

While he later played briefly as a central midfielder, the left wing was his forte down the years. He scored one of the most iconic goals in the club’s history in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal. That moment and his subsequent celebration were beyond iconic.

He briefly worked as David Moyes’ assistant while he was still kicking the ball around. That role even grew into an interim player-manager title for the final four games of the 2013-14 season after the Scotsman’s sacking.

Life after retirement hasn’t been smooth sailing, however. Until he lost the job due to assault charges, Giggs served as the Wales national team manager for four years.

2. Wayne Rooney

2004-2017 (559 games, 253 goals)                           

Major titles: 5 Premier Leagues, Champions League, Europa League. FA Cup, Club World Cup

The same is true for Wazza. Time and again, Rooney finds himself in tabloids for the wrong reasons. And his managerial tenures haven’t been inspiring.

But the story is strikingly different when he used to do the talking with the ball on the pitch. Wayne Rooney was a big reason to have a generation of fans get into Manchester United. 

An epitome of a player sacrificing his potential for the best of the club, Rooney shoehorned into different roles and systems when he had the capabilities to be the main actor. Still, he left the club as an all-time top-scorer with 253 goals.

Some of those goals have been nothing short of spectacular. A delightful chip over Portsmouth’s David James, a long-range volley against Newcastle United and an immortalized bicycle kick in the Manchester Derby. Those are simply the pick of the bunch. 

Rooney’s all-roundedness would make it difficult to pick a standout quality of his. And it’s very rare to see a top individual in both his work rate and technical ability like the former Evertonian possessed for two decades.

1. Sir Bobby Charlton

1953-1973 (758 games, 249 goals)

Major titles: 3 First Division, European Cup, FA Cup

When the news broke that Sir Bobby Charlton passed away, the memorials and testimonies gave the younger generation glimpses of the man’s extraordinary influence at the club.

Without a doubt, he was Mr. Manchester United. And he stayed a prominent figure even after retirement as the director of the board and ambassadorial role. Sir Bobby has a larger-than-life status at Manchester United.

Back in his playing days, the 1966 World Cup winner was the first Manchester United player to win the Ballon d’Or. And, two years later, he helped the club to its first European Cup glory as he scored twice against the favorites Benfica.

A survivor of the Munich Air Disaster, that triumph had a special place for Bobby Charlton and his beloved coach Matt Busby. He wasn’t a typical striker as his mesmerizing passing range helped him dictate matches from midfielder 

Yet he was the club’s all-time top-scorer before Rooney, who can also be identified as a midfielder, finally broke the record. 

And that’s it. We concluded the list with the two top goal-getters. But they’re simply more than that. These are some of the eternal legends at England’s most successful club.