Real Madrid's Current XI vs. Active Past Players XI
Real Madrid aren't shy about improving their team in the transfer market, but as is naturally the case, when new faces arrive, those already in place have to make way.
Sometimes that can mean the Santiago Bernabeu club offloading players the fans would rather see stick around for a while longer; either those who have already performed well or those whose potential is clear to see. They don't all go on to better things, and of course, on some occasions, a player is sold who is past his best, but some sales are tinged with regret in time.
But overall? Are the decisions made in the market to the benefit of Real's XI, or would a combined team of those they sold have the upper hand?
We've put together the best possible current side formed of former Real Madrid players and pitted them against Zinedine Zidane's current XI, to see which might triumph.
For the Past XI, we're only counting those who have left on permanent deals—so not those on loans away from Madrid—and current or recent form is valued over how the individuals played at Real Madrid, so no Esteban Cambiasso for example, a tremendous player in his prime but now in the final stretches of his career at Olympiakos.
Current XI
1 of 13
First, the current Madrid side. Naturally, the squad has options within it, and arguments can arise over who is best—generally that argument is affected by form—but we've opted for the below XI.
GK: Keylor Navas
DF: Dani Carvajal, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo
MF: Casemiro, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos
FW: Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Isco's recent form, Alvaro Morata's more impressive season than Benzema's and Nacho's run in the team all make them big considerations for the XI, but since Zidane has habitually reverted to this side when all players are fit, it makes sense for us to go with it as the strongest available one, too.
GK: Iker Casillas, Porto
2 of 13
The roll call of former Real Madrid goalkeepers is longer than some might think, simply because Iker Casillas dominated the No. 1 shirt for so long. The likes of Fernando Pacheco, Antonio Adan and Diego Lopez are all still active in Spain's top flight, but Casillas remains top of the pile.
Now at FC Porto, Casillas has rediscovered some of his better moments away from the spotlight of the Bernabeu captaincy and has produced some big performances for his new side.
He'll never return to his elite level of his Real Madrid days, perhaps, but he's still one of the better options around Europe and the pick of Real's former stoppers.
RB: Juanfran, Atletico Madrid
3 of 13
In truth, although Real Madrid have had problems defensively over the last few years, there hasn't been an awful lot of movement in those positions, in or out of the club.
It means a small pool to pick from for still-playing, top-tier talent, but it doesn't mean we need to suffer a drop in quality to start with, thanks to Atletico Madrid's Juanfran.
After briefly featuring in Los Blancos' side in 2004/05, the academy graduate moved on to Osasuna before joining Atleti in 2011. Of course, since crossing the divide in Madrid, Juanfran has gone on to become one of the most consistent, reliable and impressive full-backs in Spain, winning a regular place in the national team and winning both La Liga and the Copa del Rey.
Missing off his CV is the Champions League—having twice been beaten by his old club in the final, including last season, when he missed the decisive penalty kick.
CB: Raul Albiol, Napoli
4 of 13
With Sergio Ramos in place for over a decade and each of Nacho, Pepe and Raphael Varane also long-term features in Real's squad, there hasn't been too much outward movement in the centre of defence.
To be precise, there are three who have left over the last eight years or so and are still active, but one—Christoph Metzelder—is no longer playing at the elite level.
Thankfully, the other two are pretty good, starting with Napoli's Raul Albiol.
The Spanish defender has been a fixture in the Serie A side for the last four seasons since departing the Bernabeu, and this term is no different. Now 31 years of age, he is playing a big part in the team's continuing quest to match Juventus in Italy's top flight and is a Champions League regular.
Albiol has played more than 50 times for Spain.
CB: Ezequiel Garay, Valencia
5 of 13
Alongside Albiol, it's a current La Liga defender in Ezequiel Garay.
His time at Real Madrid perhaps came too early in his career; still developing as a player and under Jose Mourinho who didn't promote youth over experience, he stalled and had to go elsewhere to find the game time he needed.
Garay has not quite hit the heights he should have in his career, at least in terms of consistency, but spells at Benfica and Zenit both yielded silverware, and now at Valencia, he'll be hoping to help them rebuild.
The Argentinian international is now 30 and should be approaching some of his best years as a defender.
LB: Miguel Torres, Malaga
6 of 13
There is not too much choice at left-back, but with Alvaro Arbeloa making no impact at West Ham United, we opt for Malaga's versatile Miguel Torres.
Although he has played across the back line, much of the time in the centre, for the Andalucian club, he was a full-back at Real in his younger years and offers solidity, reliable defensive acumen and no shortage of determination in his play these days.
At age 31 it means our entire goalkeeper-plus-back-four are over the 30 mark, but against Madrid's front three, that experience could prove vital.
CM: Asier Illarramendi, Real Sociedad
7 of 13
Midfield provides far more dilemmas for selection, and the biggest of all is over the holding role: The majestic name of Xabi Alonso or the didn't-make-it-at-Madrid Asier Illarramendi?
We've gone for Illarra for two reasons.
First, Xabi Alonso is on the verge of retiring. He's still active, but he no longer controls matches the way he did for so long, and he's not at the absolute top of his game, not the pivotal figure in midfield for his team. Secondly, and more importantly, Illarra dominates. His form for Real Sociedad this season has been spectacular.
Playing as the mobile, destroying rampager in the centre for Eusebio Sacristan's side, Illarra is showing the full range of his talents—he breaks up opposition play, sets his own team off from deep and strides forward with purpose, aggressive and combative while retaining the finesse in his passing which so attracted Real Madrid in the first place.
Another year of this kind of form and he'll once again be back on the radars of top teams in Spain and Europe, particularly if he and his team qualify for Europe.
CM: Sami Khedira, Juventus
8 of 13
Alongside Illarra's industry and defensive determination, one of the best box-to-box midfield operators in all of Europe in Sami Khedira.
The German was pigeonholed as a defensive midfielder at Real Madrid for some reason, when in reality his best traits come from being able to storm the entire pitch, let loose at the opposition to offer his mix of late runs into the area, fine passing from deep and tracking back to offer extra protection.
Khedira is a key figure in Juventus' central midfield in their revamped 4-2-3-1 system and remains important for Germany's national team, too.
Real Madrid have a fantastic midfield of their own, but ostracising and then losing Khedira for free is up there with the worst bits of business the club have ever done.
AM: Mesut Ozil, Arsenal
9 of 13
One player who didn't leave for free was Mesut Ozil, who takes up our playmaker role in the team.
Now with Arsenal in the Premier League, the German has been almost as prolific with the Gunners as he was with Los Blancos, in terms of creating chances and claiming his place as the assist king.
According to Transfermarkt, Ozil claimed 29 assists in 2011/12 and 24 the following season, his last one at Real, before hitting the 20-mark last year and registering 11 so far this campaign, albeit in a stuttering side not competing on the same level as Madrid did and continue to do.
Wesley Sneijder, Sergio Canales, Nuri Sahin and Fernando Gago are some of the other creative talents to have left Real Madrid over the past few seasons—different roles, different areas of the pitch—but Ozil trumps them all with ease.
RW: Arjen Robben, Bayern Munich
10 of 13
Onto the forward line, and from the right side, we opt for Arjen Robben, impressive at Real Madrid but far better, more consistent and more explosive since his move to Bayern Munich, where he remains eight years after leaving the Bernabeu.
Robben is one of Europe's great dividers; there are some who can't get enough of his ability to glide past defenders, cut inside and bend shots into the top corner, while others see him as one-dimensional and still all-too-prone to going to ground easily.
Given that he's won five league titles, four cups and the Champions League during his time in Germany, as well as reaching the World Cup final, he probably doesn't care too much.
Aged 33, he's in the latter stages of his effectiveness as a weekly starter given how much he relies on dynamism and change of direction, but 10 goals and six assists from just 18 league starts, per WhoScored.com, showcases how he can still influence matches.
LW: Angel Di Maria, Paris Saint-Germain
11 of 13
On the opposite wing, it's Angel Di Maria.
At Real Madrid, he was used on the right more often than not, until his last campaign, where he was a hugely influential figure from central midfield, but at PSG, he's genuinely multifunctional—he'll play either wing, withdrawn and driving from deep or high upfield and attacking the bylines.
Di Maria is a relative rarity in our team in that he's not yet 30—he turned 29 in February—and as the sprightly youngster in the Past XI, he'll be the energetic presence to turn defence into attack, launch counters and aid tactical flexibility from a three to a four in midfield.
In other words, everything he already does with regularity at his French club.
Di Maria remains a great talent, an important player for club and country and, again, one who still had much to offer Real Madrid at the time of his departure.
CF: Gonzalo Higuain, Juventus
12 of 13
Up front, there's less competition than might be imagined; Jese, Jose Callejon and Roberto Soldado are all possibilities, but nobody who can touch Gonzalo Higuain for longevity, goals and price tag.
Unlike Khedira or Di Maria, Higuain needed to leave Madrid after Benzema won the battle to be starting striker; at Napoli he blossomed into an elite-club striker, and his move to Juventus for €90 million in the summer is one of the world's most expensive deals ever.
He has 23 goals in Serie A this season and is the predatory striker finishing off the build-up of the vast array of talent behind him, and as an all-round forward, there aren't too many who offer the combination of traits that Higuain can.
Certainly, given the difference in seasons between he and Benzema, he can feel he has made a point to his former club on their decision back in 2013...and he might well have the chance to do that on the biggest stage of all next month, with both Juve and Real hoping to reach the Champions League final, having been kept apart in the semis.
Comparison
13 of 13
Which would come out on top?
The defences are hard to predict; Real's current side has great names, but they are a dysfunctional group much of the time and, in theory, Garay and Albiol would be a solid partnership. At full-back the Past XI probably loses out due to Miguel Torres' presence, though most players would lose out in comparison to one of the world's finest in Marcelo.
In midfield, there's a good balance in the Past XI. Illarra and Khedira provide protection, work rate and on-the-ball ability, while Ozil brings the genius.
It's a trio that would stand up to most sides, quite possibly including Real's current triumvirate—though if subs came into the equation, bringing on Isco, Mateo Kovacic or James Rodriguez against bringing on Sahin, Gago or Alonso tilts the balance in favour of the current team, and by quite some distance.
Up front, though, is where the game could be won, and despite a stellar attack in the Past XI, the fact they're up against a slightly better defence could make all the difference.
We'll just about opt for Zidane's current side to win out overall, but the front six of sold Real Madrid players is almost as good as might be found in a purposely constructed team anywhere else.
.png?w=600 "Who Will Panthers Take at No. 9 ? 🤔")
