Ranking the six Brits to play for Real Madrid as Bellingham becomes number seven

14 June 2023 , 13:39

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Jude Bellingham's Real Madrid move has been made official (Image: Getty Images)

In moving from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham has joined a select group of footballers.

The England midfielder will move to the Bernabeu for an initial £88m, off the back of successive top-two finishes in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund. Real Madrid confirmed the news on Wednesday, with the teenager due to be presented before the media on Thursday afternoon.

When he makes his debut for the Spanish side, Bellingham will become just the seventh British player to turn out for Los Blancos. Here, Mirror Football ranks the first six to wear that famous white shirt, from worst to best.

6. Jonathan Woodgate

There are nightmare starts, and then there are nightmare starts like Jonathan Woodgate's. The England centre-back missed a year through injury upon signing in 2004, and his long-awaited debut brought an own goal and a red card.

Woodgate made just 14 appearances across two seasons at the Bernabeu, with injury plaguing the defender before he returned to the Premier League with Middlesbrough. A Marca poll would see him named the worst signing of the 21st century, based on readers' votes.

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5. Michael Owen

Can Jude Bellingham climb to the top of this list? Have your say in the comments section

Michael Owen spent just one season with Real Madrid (AFP)

Owen joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2004 when Woodgate also arrived. However, the England forward had moved on before his compatriot's first game for Los Blancos.

On the pitch, Owen impressed enough with an enviable goal-per-minute record. He struggled for starts in a squad containing Ronaldo and Raul, though, and left for Newcastle after just one year in the Spanish capital.

4. Laurie Cunningham

The first British player to sign for Real Madrid, Cunningham joined from West Brom in 1979. The London-born winger ended his first season with a league and cup double, but injuries soon took their toll.

Laurie Cunningham won a league and cup double in Spain (Mirrorpix)

Cunningham played 41 times in that first season but added just 25 further appearances before leaving in 1984. He was tragically killed in a car accident in 1989, having returned to Spain months earlier to sign for Rayo Vallecano.

3. Steve McManaman

McManaman's time in Madrid was short-lived, but he achieved a fair amount in that time. He never won the Premier League with Liverpool but won two La Liga titles after moving to the European mainland.

The England winger didn't stop there, though. He played his part in two successful Champions League campaigns, scoring in the 2000 final against Valencia and coming off the bench two years later as Vicente del Bosque's team beat Bayer Leverkusen.

2. David Beckham

Beckham enjoyed four seasons at the Bernabeu (AFP/Getty Images)

The lack of trophies won by Beckham during his time in Spain might make this look like a curious choice. Just one league title, and a difficult few years in the Champions League, but there were mitigating factors.

Real Madrid went through an array of managers during Beckham's four seasons, damaging any sense of progress they might have shown. The England man fulfilled his galactico promise when it came to off-field matters, and there was plenty of quality on the pitch amid the chaos.

The fact that Fabio Capello attempted to stop Beckham from leaving for the MLS speaks to the hard work which went alongside the natural talent. A lack of trophies leaves him second, though, behind a man who won it all...

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1. Gareth Bale

Bale's performance in the 2018 Champions League final was a highlight (Getty Images)

If Gareth Bale had ridden off into the sunset after the Champions League final in 2018, he would top this list comfortably. The fact that he's still there after how things ended for him speaks to how much he achieved even after things went south.

The Welsh international joined in a mega-money move from Tottenham in 2013, and his highs were extremely high. His performance in that 2018 final against Liverpool is the most obvious point of reference, but there's also the fantastic solo effort against Barcelona.

Then, unfortunately, you have the final four years, with just 69 appearances and 18 goals for his parent club as well as a year on loan back at Tottenham. Sections of the fanbase had turned on him by the end, as had some in the media, but the achievements speak for themselves.

Tom Victor