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It is hardly an easy task to run the most successful club in Spain and Europe consistently well. Real Madrid, who are on the brink of their 34th LaLiga Santander title, have dominated the game for many decades by doing precisely that.
They have had a plethora of superstars over the years at the Santiago Bernabeu and have won countless titles. Some of the greatest players over the last few decades have, at some point, been associated with Real Madrid.
However, it is often difficult to predict the impact of a transfer. Cristiano Ronaldo, for instance, became Real Madrid's most expensive player ever after his record-breaking move in 2009. Although they paid a record fee, Los Blancos recouped that money both literally and metaphorically. Ronaldo went on to become arguably the greatest player to don the white of Real Madrid, before moving to Juventus for €100m in 2018.
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On the other end of the spectrum, others have struggled upon their move to the capital. These are players who were overwhelmed by the pressure of the club and their ever-demanding fans. They succumbed to that pressure and the relentless criticism of the Spanish media.
Here, we take a look at five such renowned players who failed to live up to the hype after moving to Real Madrid.
#5 Asier Illaramendi | Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad academy product Asier Illaramendi was once viewed as the future of Spain's midfield. His emergence onto the scene gave Real Madrid the hope of replacing an ageing Xabi Alonso. They splashed a figure of €32.2m on the defensive midfielder, making him the most expensive Spaniard ever signed by the Blancos.
However, things did not end well as Illaramendi was sent back to La Real just two years after a disappointing spell. The now-30-year-old was at the periphery of things in the capital right from the very beginning. The signing of Mateo Kovacic left him in further doubt about his future despite the club telling him that he was in their plans.
A costly mistake in a UEFA Champions League away tie against Borussia Dortmund saw him hooked at half-time by then-coach Carlo Ancelotti. Since then, the Spaniard barely got a look in amidst other midfield stars Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Sami Khedira, and others at Real Madrid.
Speaking on his failed move, Illaramendi said in May this year;
"I was young and I had a different mentality, I lacked self-confidence in key moments, something you learn with experience. That was the key, I lacked self-confidence."
Real Madrid took a massive hit of over €15m on the La Real captain and sent him back to Anoeta Stadium. Overall, it was a disappointing move for everyone involved.
#4 Danilo | FC Porto
When Brazilian full-back Danilo was at FC Porto back in 2015, he had an assortment of European clubs on his trail. Most notable of them all were both Real Madrid and Barcelona, who went head-to-head for his signature.
He was tipped to be good enough to replace Dani Alves in the long run at the time, or indeed had the potential to do so. Real Madrid wasted no time in parting with €31.5m and tying him down to a six-year deal.
However, the move was far from what either the Blancos or Danilo expected. Much like Alvaro Odriozola in 2019, the Brazilian failed to challenge first-choice right-back Dani Carvajal and make the spot his own. Even during games where the Spaniard was rested or unavailable, the now-29-year-old couldn't step up, and was eventually shipped away.
Danilo had all the right traits to succeed at Real Madrid — he is a tall and imposing figure with an engine that lets him dominate the right flank on his own. It was particularly his decision-making and lack of tactical guile that let him down. Danilo also found it challenging to adapt to life in Spain, and eventually, his relationship with the club went sour.
The Brazilian moved to Manchester City where he mostly played as a deputy to Kyle Walker in 2017. Last summer, he was used by City in a trade deal with Juventus for Joao Cancelo.
Also read: 5 Players Manchester City should sign this summer
#3 Michael Essien | Chelsea
In what was a strange move back in August 2012, Michael Essien had completed a loan deal to Real Madrid after Lassana Diarra's move away from the capital. The Ghanian, who was at Chelsea at the time, was convinced by a phone call from then-Real manager Jose Mourinho.
Upon his unveiling at the Santiago Bernabeu, Mourinho referred to Essien as 'his son' as it was the second time the Portuguese signed him. Mourinho was the catalyst behind the defensive midfielder's €29m move to London from Lyon.
However, things quickly went south, and he had a very underwhelming year in Madrid. The Ghanian failed to become a pivotal member of the Real Madrid midfield and could not dominate the centre of the park. His tackles per game took a massive hit from 1.5 in the Premier League in 2011 to a mere 0.5 in his LaLiga adventure.
Essien was also accountable for a handful of individual errors during his time in Madrid as he failed to keep up with the opposition. On the other hand, there were also reports that he didn't get along well with the Blancos' squad, which only made matters worse.
All in all, it was an uneventful move for both Real and Essien, who played over 30 games in his solitary year away in Madrid.
#2 James Rodriguez | AS Monaco
Colombian superstar James Rodriguez has had one of the most well-documented falls from grace in recent times. The playmaker was in massive demand back in 2014 when he announced himself on the biggest stage there is — the World Cup.
James' scintillating displays in Brazil were absolutely phenomenal, and he won the Golden Boot for his six goals in the tournament. He also won the Puskas Award for his breathtaking volley against Uruguay from outside the box.
Naturally, Real Madrid were in for the services of a player such as James and signed him for approximately €70m. After getting off to a good start under then-manager Carlo Ancelotti, things quickly turned around since Zinedine Zidane's appointment as manager.
Although he won two Champions League titles and a LaLiga, James wasn't happy with the minutes he received and went to Bayern Munich on a two-year loan.
Upon his return, things are at an all-time low for James as he's managed just five LaLiga starts in the 2019/20 season. Real are actively attempting to sell the Colombian as he's one of their highest earners, drawing roughly €8.5m-a-year. There are rumours linking him with a move to Real's cross-town neighbours Atletico Madrid and Manchester United.
He was the last 'galactico' signing made by Real Madrid for five years, until their capture of Eden Hazard in 2019. It's safe to say that it unfortunately hasn't worked out by any stretch for James.
#1 Kaka | AC Milan
Speaking of Galactico signings that didn't work out for Real Madrid, there is not a more baffling transfer than that of Kaka. The AC Milan icon moved to the Bernabeu in 2009 for a fee of €68.5m amidst much hype and anticipation. The move came two years after his Ballon d'Or win in 2007 with AC Milan. The Brazilian was the last player to lift the Golden Ball ahead of the decade-long dominance of Lionel Messi and Ronaldo.
However, the superstar's move to the capital was an uneventful and forgettable one due to a combination of reasons. Kaka's recurring injuries and unavailability for sustained periods played a part in the club's and fans' frustrations surrounding him.
If that wasn't enough, the arrival of Mesut Ozil was a reason for further speculation. He had to compete with the likes of Angel Di Maria, Karim Benzema, and a host of other stars at the Bernabeu. Although Kaka is arguably a superior player to most players at the club, he couldn't handle the pressure of needing to perform week in week out.
The Brazilian's numbers took a hit, having achieved double figures for either goals or assists just once in his three years at Madrid. There were rumours towards the end of every campaign regarding a potential departure from the Bernabeu, and eventually, Kaka's exit materialised. He moved back to AC Milan and then to the MLS just a year later.
Kaka's failed move to Real Madrid is the leading example of the fact that not all transfers work out as perfectly as they would've hoped. He remains the biggest name in modern football to succumb to the pressure of the daunting Santiago Bernabeu faithful.
Also read: 5 Most valuable U-23 forwards in the world
