Since 1993,Real Madrid have won 10 La Liga titles alongside eight Champions League trophies, cementing their status as one of the leading clubs in the game.

Every great team needs great leaders and Real Madrid have been blessed in this regard as some of the leading players of their generation have worn the armband for Spain's most successful club.

Karim Benzema, who is the front-runner for the 2022 Ballon d'Or after his goalscoring exploits last season, is the latest legend to be appointed as Madrid captain – but how have his six immediate predecessors fared?

We've ranked every Madrid club captain since 1993 from worst to best.

6. Marcelo

Marcelo had been at Madrid for 14 seasons before being appointed the club's first non-Spanish captain in 2021.

And, while the Brazil international left the club after a single season of armband-wearing, he still guided the team to a La Liga and Champions League double in 2021-22.

While Marca claimed that Marcelo was Madrid's 'fifth-choice left-back', his experience was still crucial to the club's achievements last year.

5. Iker Casillas

After the departure of the two captains Raul and Guti in 2010, Casillas was their natural successor; the goalkeeper had just won the World Cup with Spain and was regarded as one of the best players around.

And Casillas did lead Madrid to La Decima in 2014, ending a club obsession for their 10th European crown that lasted over a decade.

But Saint Iker was on the decline during his five-year spell as club captain. While many sympathised when Jose Mourinho marginalised him in favour of Diego Lopez, Ancelotti only used him in the cup competitions too.

Casillas left for Porto in 2015 but he remains one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.

4. Fernando Hierro

Hierro, when he wasn't acting as Yogi Bear's body double, was an excellent defender with the happy habit of scoring goals on a regular basis.

Seasoned Premier League viewers may remember him best for his spell with Sam Allardyce's Bolton but Hierro spent 14 happy years at Madrid, winning La Liga five times alongside three European Cups.

While the centre-back only wore the Madrid armband for his final two seasons at the Bernabeu, he did guide his team to five major trophies including a victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 Champions League final.

His time at Madrid ended abruptly; Hierro locked horns with Florentino Perez on a number of occasions and the Madrid president let Hierro leave without a fight in the summer of 2003.

A club legend, we were surprised to learn Hierro wasn't club captain for longer.

3. Raul

Often regarded as one of the best Spanish footballers of all time, it's hard to imagine a more quintessential Blanco than Raul.

With 741 appearances and 325 goals, the striker is easily one of the greatest ever to wear the Madrid shirt and served as captain for seven seasons between 2003 and 2010.

While his captaincy coincided with Madrid's European drought, Sir Alex Ferguson's favourite footballer still led his side to two league titles and two Spanish Super Cups.

"Raul is synonymous with Madrid: the face of the club for the last 25 years," Jorge Valdano once said.

"If you wrote a list of Raul's qualities, it would be a list of the values of Real Madrid. He is the Di Stefano of our time. Quantity above quality, absolute commitment and endeavour above all else.

"Utter professionalism. Every. Single. Day. Of. His. Life."

Pretty good captain material then.

2. Sergio Ramos

Ramos personified modern-day Real Madrid; ruthless, cunning, brilliant and successful.

Three consecutive Champions League trophies, an unprecedented achievement in the modern game, is enough to lift the Andalucian into the pantheon of great captains.

1. Manuel Sanchis

Younger readers may not recognise the name but Sanchis is widely considered to be the most successful captain in the history of Real Madrid.

Part of the famous 'Quinta del Buitre' core of homegrown talent, Sanchis was an accomplished defender and inspirational leader that spent his entire career at the Bernabeu.

Sanchis wore the armband between 1993 and 2001, coinciding with Madrid's rebirth as a modern-day juggernaut. The defender led his team to a whopping 19 titles under his captaincy (two UEFA Champions League titles, an Intercontinental Cup, five La Liga titles, two Spanish Cups, five Spanish Super Cups, and a UEFA Super Cup).

He retired in 2001 at the age of 36, his final act as captain being to lift his La Liga trophy. It was hard to conceive of a more fitting ending for a true Madrid hero.

Hello and welcome to Sportz Point's another LIVE blog. 

Tonight we have the Real Madrid vs Osasuna match in La Liga 2025/26 as the 36-time Spanish champions look for a perfect start to the season under new coach Xabi Alonso.

Real Madrid, last season's runners-up in the league, did not have a great season overall under Carlo Ancelotti and will look for a fresh start this season. 

Read Also: Mallorca vs FC Barcelona, La Liga 2025/26 Highlights: Barcelona win by 3-0 against 9-men Mallorca

In the meantime, Osasuna missed Champions League qualification despite finishing well last season. They will hope for a top-five finish this season, and doing well against a team like Real Madrid will do wonders for them.

This is Barnali Debnath, who will bring you all the LIVE updates of the match, including the build and post-match analysis. So, stay tuned and enjoy the coverage. 

Whenever a new transfer window arrives, with more money coming into the game, we see more spending and expensive buys from clubs around the world. However, along with experienced and proven footballers, football clubs always tend to buy new, exciting teenage footballers, even before they become stars.

Today, in this article, we will list the 20 most expensive teenagers in football transfer history.

20 Most expensive teenagers in football transfer history

Please note that the fee is based on Transfermarkt's data and is accurate as of August 7, 2025.

20. Javier Saviola – River Plate to FC Barcelona – 2001 – €35.90m (Age 19)

Javier Saviola's transfer to FC Barcelona from River Plate was the record fee for any teenager till it was later broken by Wayne Rooney. After scoring 24 goals in 41 matches, besides his 11 assists for River Plate, while winning the Argentine league in consecutive years, Saviola became the star FC Barcelona were looking for.

However, the transfer did not work that well for both him and the club as he was loaned out many times and went to play for Real Madrid in future as well. Saviola was recently the assistant manager of the Barcelona U19 team as well.

19. Josko Gvardiol – Dinamo Zagreb to RB Leipzig – 2021 – €36.8m (Age 19)

A Croatian defensive prodigy, Gvardiol impressed with his versatility and speed by playing as a ball-playing centre-back and left-back. His performances for Dinamo Zagreb and Croatia’s national team stirred RB Leipzig to break their transfer record.

Along with skill, Josko Gvardiol's physical strength and tactical intelligence made Leipzig pay €36.8m for the defender in 2021.

Two years later, Leipzig sold Gavrdiol to Manchester City for a whopping €90.00m.

18. Wayne Rooney – Everton to Manchester United – 2004 – €37m (Age 18)

One of England’s greatest ever talents, Rooney was signed for a then-record fee for a teenager. His all-around attacking prowess, vision, and finishing skill justified the huge investment.

In the 2003/04 season for Everton, Rooney had already scored nine goals in the Premier League as a teenager, which made Sir Alex Ferguson sign the youngster for a record €37m.

Rooney became Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer with 253 goals in 559 official games, winning five Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy.

Read Also: Most Premier League titles as a player

17. Luke Shaw – Southampton to Manchester United – 2014/15 – €37.5m (Age 18)

A highly rated left-back, Shaw was signed for his blend of strong defensive skills and speed. He was seen as the next big defender from England after John Terry, as he had done quite well at Southampton and England U-21s then.

Luke Shaw was bought by Manchester United in 2014 with a transfer fee of €37.5 million, making him one of the most expensive teenage footballers ever.

Despite serious injury setbacks, he has developed into a dependable member of United’s backline since then and continues to be a member of Ruben Amorim's team.

Two years ago today, @LukeShaw23 signed for #mufc. We can't wait to see him back in action! pic.twitter.com/uHXr6q10Pt

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 27, 2016

16. Yankuba Minteh – Newcastle United to Brighton – 2024 – €38.8m (Age 19)

A direct, pacey Gambian forward, Yankuba Minteh, earned his big move as Brighton always invests in young, aggressive talents to shape their Premier League competitiveness and future development.

Newcastle United were the first to sign him, but sent him on loan to Feyenoord, where he scored 11 goals and had five assists. Brighton then signed him permanently in the 2024/25 season, for €38.8m, making him one of the most expensive teenagers in football transfer history.

Last season, he had 12 goal contributions for Brighton in the Premier League.

In 2024, Sportz Point named Minteh among the top 10 future stars of the Premier League.

In case you missed the big news overnight... 😜 Yankuba Minteh is an Albion player! 💙🤍 pic.twitter.com/hA9HVaeHc6

— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) July 1, 2024

15. Dejan Kulusevski – Atalanta to Juventus – 2019/20 – €39m (Age 19)

Dejan Kulusevski, the Swedish winger, scored 10 goals and assisted 9 times in Serie A in the 2019-20 season, leading Juventus to pay a premium to have him in the Winter transfer window.

Although he was brought to Turin with a €39m transfer fee from Atalanta BC, he was soon loaned out to Parma and Tottenham Hotspur. In 2023, he was eventually bought by Spurs with a transfer fee of €30.00 million.

14. Fabio Silva – Porto to Wolves – 2020/21 – €40m (Age 18)

Portuguese striker Fabio Silva came with impressive youth goal-scoring records for FC Porto U19 and the FC Porto team from the 2018-2020 season. Seeing his talent, Wolves paid a significant fee of €40m, hoping that his technical finishing and physicality would translate well into Premier League success.

However, he was soon loaned to various clubs. Last season, he joined the team after spending a season at UD Las Palmas on loan.

13. Vitor Roque – Athletico Paranaense to FC Barcelona – 2024 – €40m (Age 19)

Barcelona acquired Roque to bolster their attack during a rebuilding phase. Known for his goal instinct, technical skill, and agile movement, Roque had scored 21 goals in 45 games for the Brazilian club Paranaense to attract a €40m bid from the Catalan club.

However, after only 2 goals in 16 games for the Spanish, he was sent back on loan to Real Betis and eventually signed for Palmeiras last season.

12. Archie Gray – Leeds United to Tottenham Hotspur – 2024 – €41.25m (Age 19)

A promising English defensive midfielder, Archie Gray, made a high-profile resume after winning the U21 Euros and doing well for Leeds United.

This helped Tottenham sign him for €41.25m in 2024 as they continued to focus on developing young home-grown talent.

Archie played 28 Premier League and 11 Europa League games for Spurs in his first season at the club.

Read Also: Most goal contributions in every season since 2001 [Updated]

11. Jorrel Hato – Ajax to Chelsea – 2025 – €44.18m (Age 19)

Dutch defender Jorrel Hato, who came through Ajax’s ranks, secured a big move to Chelsea. With Enzo Maresca and Chelsea’s long-term strategic vision for rebuilding their defence, Hato was supposed to be the next big thing for the Blues.

The left-back has a knack for scoring and contributing to goals as well. He had eight goal contributions in the 2024/25 Eredivisie for Ajax.

Read Also: Premier League Stats: Top 5 defenders with the most goals

10. Franco Mastantuono – River Plate to Real Madrid - 2025 - €45m (Age 18)

With a €45 million coming on 14th August 2025, Argentine U21 star Franco Mastantuono is all set to be the most expensive teenager in the football transfer window of the 2025/26 season.

The right-winger had a successful 2024/25 season with River Plate, scoring seven times in 22 games along with four assists, which led him to make his senior debut for Argentina as well.

9. Vinicius Jr. – Flamengo to Real Madrid – 2018 – €45m (Age 18)

Real Madrid and Brazilian youngsters have always been a love affair made in heaven. After scoring 10 goals and assisting four times in 32 goals for Flamengo in the 2017-18 season, Vinicius Jr.’s electrifying pace, dribbling, and flair made him a valued acquisition for Real Madrid.

Vinicius was brought to Real Madrid for €45m, which made him one of the most expensive teenagers in world football of the last decade.

Despite a slow start, he developed into a key player, helping Madrid win three La Liga titles and two UEFA Champions League trophies.

Read Also: Players with the most Champions League titles

8. Rodrygo – Santos to Real Madrid – 2019 – €45m (Age 18)

As I was saying, Real Madrid and Brazilian teenage stars stand in a love affair made in heaven.

Following Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo was signed to strengthen Real Madrid’s attack with a versatile winger capable of playing across the frontline. Rodrygo had already done well for Santos in the previous season, which caught the eyes of Los Blancos, and soon he was signed for €45m

Since then, he has won three La Liga titles and two Champions League titles with the club, while scoring 68 crucial goals and providing 51 assists.

Read Also: Most Champions League titles won by Football Clubs

7. Endrick – Palmeiras to Real Madrid – 2024 – €47.5m (Age 18)

Now it would be boring for you if I repeated the same thing. But what can I do if we have three back-to-back, same transfer patterns on our list of the most expensive teenagers in football transfer history?

Hailed as one of Brazil’s brightest prospects, Endrick’s prolific youth scoring and sharp finishing caught the eye of Real Madrid.

Endrick was brought to Bernabeu by Carlo Ancelotti after he helped Palmeiras win the Brazilian league in successive previous seasons.

6. Anthony Martial – Monaco to Manchester United – 2015 – €60m (Age 19)

🗓️ On this day in 2015...

Anthony Martial introduced himself to Old Trafford with THAT goal against Liverpool on his #MUFC debut 🥲🫶pic.twitter.com/2pbOF0B6F3

— Stretford Paddock (@StretfordPaddck) September 12, 2024

Martial’s dazzling speed, dribbling, and flair from France made Manchester United break their teenage transfer record. After a great season with AS Monaco, where he scored 12 goals and provided five assists, United broke every record to bring him to Old Trafford.

He had an immediate impact with 17 Premier League goals in his debut season, though injuries and form fluctuations have tempered his career since.

5. Leny Yoro – Lille to Manchester United – 2024 – €62m (Age 18)

Manchester United invested heavily in Leny Yoro’s defensive attributes, physicality, and maturity beyond his years. Yoro was signed by United under Erik ten Hag for €62m, a record transfer fee for a teenage defender.

He still continues to be one of the pillars of the United defence under new boss Ruben Amorim.

4. Romeo Lavia – Southampton to Chelsea – 2023 – €62.1m (Age 19)

Belgian midfielder Romeo Lavia’s combination of technical skill, tactical intelligence, and defensive contributions enticed Chelsea to pay a club-record fee of €62.1m for a teenager.

Lavia was first discovered by Manchester City, where he flourished for the Manchester City U-21 and U-23 teams. Then, he did well for Southampton to be able to attract a large bid from Chelsea.

3. Matthijs de Ligt – Ajax to Juventus – 2019 – €85.5m (Age 19)

Matthijs De Ligt captained a young Ajax side to the 2018/19 Champions League semifinals and even scored a decisive goal for them in the quarter-finals. Juventus rewarded him with one of the highest fees ever for a teenage defender when he was bought for a record fee for a teenage defender, €85.5m.

After spending seasons with Juventus and FC Bayern Munich, the defender signed for Manchester United in 2024, under former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag.

Read Also: European treble winners in men's football history

2. Joao Felix – Benfica to Atletico Madrid – 2019 – €127.2m (Age 19)

Touted as a generational talent, Joao Felix was signed as a creative attacking replacement for Antoine Griezmann by Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a club record €127.2 million.

Felix had scored 20 goals in 43 games for Benfica, along with 11 assists, before joining the Spanish club. However, he could not justify the price tag and soon found himself playing for different clubs.

At 25, he has now signed for Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr FC.

Read Also: Reliving Barcelona's Golden Era: A Tribute to Footballing Brilliance

1. Kylian Mbappe – Monaco to Paris Saint-Germain – 2018 – €180m (Age 19)

Kylian Mbappe's transfer from AS Monaco to PSG in 2018 is still the most expensive football transfer for a teenager.

Mbappe's blistering pace, clinical finishing, and football intelligence at such a young age had already made him a star.

Read Also: Top 12 players with most hat-tricks in football in the 21st century

In the 2016/17 season, Mbappe scored 28 goals and had 14 assists in 46 games for Monaco, which had set him up as one of the greatest footballing talents on earth. Among those 28 goals, 6 were in the Champions League in just 9 games.

Monaco have agreed to loan Kylian Mbappe to PSG with an option to sign him for €180m next summer. Medical tomorrow. (Source: L'Equipe) pic.twitter.com/cXSjQRva3K

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) August 27, 2017

PSG thought of Mbappe as an investment as they looked to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time.

PSG’s record fee of €180m paid off as he became Ligue 1’s all-time top scorer, a World Cup winner, and one of the world’s best players.

Real Madrid and England star midfielder Jude Bellingham has finally decided to undergo the shoulder surgery, which he injured in 2023. Jude had suffered the injury during his first season for the Los Blancos against Rayo Vallecano on November 5, 2023.

The  21-year-old star will go for surgery today and is all set to miss twelve weeks after shoulder surgery in London. He will return to action in mid-October, following the completion of his rehabilitation process.

Jude has been suffering from the pain for 2 years now. After dislocating the shoulder against Rayo Vallecano, Jude did not want to go for the surgery right away and decided to play with the pain. He started wearing a shoulder brace, which gave the shoulder a bit of solidity. Jude then went on to have a great 2023-24 season in which he won the  La Liga, the Champions League, and the Spanish Super Cup with Real Madrid.

With time, although Jude's pain became a bit less, the shoulder brace started to frustrate him a bit. Due to wearing the shoulder brace for a long time, he was "losing a lot of weight from sweating so much". Not only that, he also mentioned that his "patience is running out" with all the limitations the brace was forcing on him.

So, eventually, after two years, Jude decided to let go of the problem and do the surgery. 

Read Also | Who is Olivia Smith? Arsenal are ready to pay the most expensive transfer fee for her

An arthroscopic shoulder surgery will be done on Bellingham, and the full process of recovery can take more than three months. However, Fernando Ramos of the Spanish Association of Physiotherapists feels that players with similar injuries generally require four months to return to training, with competitive play resuming potentially five to six months post-surgery.

Read Also | Top 10 Best Attacking Trios in football in 2025

During his rehabilitation process, Jude will miss eight LaLiga matches and the beginning of the Champions League group stage for Real Madrid under new manager Xabi Alonso. Not only that, he will also miss England's World Cup qualifying fixtures against Andorra and Serbia in September 2025.

What does it truly mean to be a world champion club? The FIFA Club World Cup provides the answer, pitting the best against one another in a quest for global dominance.

As the 21st edition of Club World Cup concluded with Chelsea lifting the title after a dominating 3-0 victory over PSG, it is time to look back at the history of this tournament.

This article will explore all the past winners, top scorers, most successful teams, all at once.

FIFA Club World Cup: Past Winners

The FIFA Club World Cup, a tournament designed to crown the world's best club team, first took place in 2000. It then paused for several years, from 2001 through 2004, before returning as an annual event.

Now, 2025 marked the beginning of an entirely new era for the Club World Cup, featuring an expanded format and a fresh vision for global club football. Chelsea FC, with an incredibly successful campaign, stood victorious in this format.

Check out the past winners list below:

FIFA Club World Cup: Top Scorers

Here comes the elite list where individual dominance shines:

FIFA Club World Cup: Most Successful Teams

Real Madrid holds the tag of most successful team in FIFA Club World Cup history with 5 titles. Check out the other clubs that follow:

• Real Madrid: 5 wins
• Barcelona: 3 wins
• Bayern Munich: 2 wins
• Corinthians: 2 wins
• Chelsea: 2 wins

Current UEFA Champions League winners PSG thrashed and humiliated 2024 UEFA Champions League winner Real Madrid by 4-0 to enter the final of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. PSG will now face Chelsea in the final on 13th July.

Fabian Ruiz scored a brace for the club from France, while Ousmane Dembele and Goncalo Ramos scored the other two goals for them. Real Madrid legend and six-time Champions League winner with the Los Blancos, Luka Modric, played his last game for the club. 

What happened in the match?

Luis Enrique had to name a team without Willian Pacho and Lucas Hernandez, who were suspended for two games for their red cards in the game against FC Bayern Munich. However, after the win against Bayern, the Parisians looked confident to face Real Madrid. 

First half

PSG had a flying start as they scored as many as three goals within the first 25 minutes of the game. The first goals came within the first ten minutes of the semi-final. 

Fabian Ruiz started the goal fest for them. After two nearly missed chances, PSG finally converted as Dembele won the ball from Raul Asencio inside the box and managed to find Ruiz, who opened the scoring in the 6th minute. 

Three minutes later, Dembele, one of the contenders for Ballon d'Or 2025, turned goal scorer as he snatched the ball away from Antonio Rudiger inside the box and found the back of the net easily. 

After the first two mistakes, Real Madrid could not bounce back. In the 24th minute, Ruiz scored his second of the game, as Dembele proved to be the main man for the Parisians. 

In the counterattack attack the Frenchmen initiated the attack, finding Hakimi with a cross, who found an unmarked Ruiz for the third goal of the match. 

Read Also | FIFA Club World Cup: Past Winners, Top Scores, Most Successful Teams

Second half

In the second half, the game slowed a bit, and Real Madrid tried to find gaps through the PSG defence, but failed.

Mbappe's shot in the 52nd minute went over the goal, while Valverde's attempt in the 72nd minute was blocked by Beraldo. Apart from those two occasions, Xabi Alonso's men could not provide any genuine chances in the second half. 

During the final minutes of the game, Goncalo Ramos put the final nail in the coffin. In the 87th minute, Ramos made a quick turn and found the net after receiving a pass from Barcola. 

A lovely tribute from Goncalo Ramos to his former international team-mate, Diogo Jota, with the imitation of his video game celebration.#PSGRMA | #FIFACWC pic.twitter.com/LHDShOW1G1

— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) July 9, 2025

When the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 final will be played?

The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 final will now take place between PSG and Chelsea at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on 14th July, 12.30 am Indian Standard Time.