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#3 Ronaldinho | Paris Saint-Germain to Barcelona
Former Blaugrana president Joan Laporta was intent on bringing in one of David Beckham, Thierry Henry, or Ronaldinho to kickstart a new era at the club. While he missed out on the Englishman to Florentino Perez's Galactico project and the latter opted to stay in North London, Barcelona completed the signing of Ronaldinho a year after his 2002 World Cup heroics.
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The €30m signing of the magical Brazilian brought about a radical change in Barcelona's fortunes. The Catalans failed to win even a single LaLiga title in the 2000s until he entered through the doors of the Nou Camp. Ronaldinho proved to be the catalyst for an immensely successful few years in Barcelona.
The South American played an instrumental role in Barcelona's revival in the 21st century, leading them to two straight LaLiga titles and ending their 14-year wait for a UCL title. Ronaldinho also won the Ballon d'Or after a domestic double with Barcelona in 2005. However, it wasn't just the accolades and his ability that made them so lethal.
The morale of the team was at an all-time high during his spell in Spain as Ronaldinho is an infectiously positive personality. A player of his character helped bring about a sense of joy to Barcelona's football, which ultimately played a critical role in their success. Even Lionel Messi, who was mentored by the Ballon d'Or winner, was in awe of Ronaldinho. Speaking on his former teammate, Messi expressed;
"Ronaldinho was responsible for the change in Barca. It was a bad time and the change that came about with his arrival was amazing. In the first year, he didn’t win anything but people fell in love with him. Then the trophies started coming and he made all those people happy. Barca should always be grateful for everything he did."
Ronaldinho eventually left for AC Milan ahead of Pep Guardiola assuming his role as the manager of Barcelona. The Brazilian's spell at the Nou Camp is widely regarded as one of the turning points of their recent history.
#2 Eric Cantona | Leeds United to Manchester United
In 1992, Leeds United initiated contact with Manchester United over the availability of Denis Irwin, a former Leeds player. Sir Alex Ferguson rejected the possibility of Irwin's sale, but that phone call eventually led to the Red Devils signing Eric Cantona for a record fee of £1.2m. Little did the world know, however, that it would go on to be a transfer that would send shockwaves through the football world.
The French legend came to Old Trafford and helped United to their first league title in just under 30 years, sparking an era of undisputed dominance. Sir Alex's men went on to win a total of four Premier League titles and two FA Cups in his five years at the club. Cantona scored a total of 64 goals in 143 league appearances for United, but it was not solely his prolific scoring that made him different.
Cantona was always someone who looked to achieve the spectacular. He was flamboyant and was someone who could change the course of a game with one moment of breathtaking magic. The impact that he had at a club that was in need of inspiration at the time is immeasurable as Cantona was their maverick who was capable of the extraordinary.
His arrogance, flair, and perception of football made him an exceptional player in every regard. It is important to note that he also was at the heart of several controversies, but what he did on the pitch (except jump-kick a spectator) was simply sensational. The man from Marseille came to Old Trafford as a flamboyant and talented striker and left as the man fondly referred to as 'The King'.
#1 Alfredo Di Stefano | Millonarios to Real Madrid
Real Madrid are widely regarded as the biggest club on the planet due to their immense success on both domestic and continental fronts. Los Merengues have the record tally for both, having amassed 34 LaLiga titles and 13 Champions Leagues. A considerable part of such an illustrious history was achieved in the 20th century, with one signing triggering arguably the club's greatest-ever era.
The controversial signing of Alfredo Di Stefano from Colombian club Millonarios in 1953 will forever remain one of the most extraordinary pieces of business ever conducted by Los Blancos. Real Madrid snatched the Argentine-born striker from Barcelona's grasp after it was revealed that his club never approved the transfer to the Nou Camp.
Di Stefano quickly struck up a partnership with another man who would go on to become a legend of the game, Ferenc Puskas, in the capital. Real Madrid would go on to win a staggering eight league titles and five consecutive European Cups with Di Stefano at the tip of their attack.
He won two Ballons d'Or while at Madrid, and spent an unbelievably successful 11 years with Los Blancos. The Buenos Aries native also racked up over a stunning 300 goals for Real Madrid.
His legacy lives on to this day, with several accolades such as Marca's annual Alfredo Di Stefano award dedicated to the late Real Madrid legend. The club also named their La Fabrica stadium in his honour. Di Stefano lives on not only as Los Blancos' greatest player in their fabled history, but also as one of the most complete attackers of all time.
Also read: 10 Greatest free-kick takers of all time
