Both Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid have been fixtures in the very top echelon of world football for years, and as a consequence, some of the world’s finest players have played in this iconic cross-city derby. Here are five who have really stood out over the past few decades. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.
Raúl (Real Madrid, 1994-2010)
He may have been in Atlético de Madrid’s academy as a kid, but Raúl crossed the capital city divide as a teenager and, after finishing his footballing education at Real Madrid, haunted his former team in the derby for over a decade and a half. Until Cristiano Ronaldo came along and pushed up the goal record in the fixture to 22 times, Raúl was the derby’s joint-top scorer along with the legendary Ferenc Puskás with 11 goals. One derby from the 1996/97 season was even named after him. It was labeled ‘La Noche de Raúl’ – ‘The Night of Raúl’, in English – after he scored twice and provided two assists in a 4-1 victory.
Paulo Futre (Atlético de Madrid, 1987-1993 and 1997-1998)
Signed in 1987, Ballon d’Or runner-up Futre became an Atlético legend. The derby seemed to bring out the best in him. Not only did he score in his first Madrid Derby in a 4-0 win at the Santiago Bernabéu, he also scored in the 2-0 victory over Los Blancos in the 1992 Copa del Rey final while wearing the captain’s armband.
Miranda (Atlético de Madrid, 2011-2015)
Atlético de Madrid didn’t win a single derby between 1999 and 2013. Los Colchoneros played 25 games without beating their neighbors before casting away their demons in the 2013 Copa del Rey final, held, appropriately, at the Santiago Bernabéu. In extra time, with the scores deadlocked at 1-1, Atleti center-back Miranda headed in the winner to immediately become a legend of the capital city derby. He dedicated the goal to his son, who he stated would no longer be teased in school about the 14-year drought!
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid, 2005-2021)
Another goalscoring centre-back, Ramos broke Atleti hearts in Lisbon and Milan in the Champions League finals these teams contested in 2014 and 2016. In the first, he equalized in stoppage time with a header to force extra time, after which Los Blancos ran out 4-1 winners. Two years later, he opened the scoring in a match that Real Madrid won in a penalty shootout… in which he also scored. In the last final between the two, the 2019/20 Spanish Super Cup, he once again scored the decisive goal in the penalty shootout to hand Real Madrid the title.
Koke (Atlético de Madrid, 2011-present)
Koke, the current Atlético de Madrid captain, has also contributed a lot to this fixture over the years. He has played in 40 Madrid Derbies in total, winning 12, drawing 13, and losing 15 of them, and he has scored two goals and created seven assists too. In fact, Koke provided an assist in his very first Madrid Derby back in 2011, so he has always been a key contributor when facing Real Madrid. His two Madrid Derby goals were both crucial ones. One came in a LALIGA EA SPORTS match in 2013/14, earning his side a 2-2 draw that proved key to winning that year’s championship. The other arrived in extra time of the 2018 UEFA Super Cup, to help Atleti win 4-2.
