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Real Madrid is the only club to receive the prestigious "Club of the Century" award, and it is no surprise that some of football's greats have plied their trade at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Los Blancos has the distinction of winning the highest number of European Cups (13) and the most La Liga trophies (34), eight more than arch-rivals Barcelona.
The likes of Di Stefano, Zidane, Raul, the two Ronaldos, and Beckham have helped establish Real Madrid as the most dominant club in world football. Los Blancos president Florentino Perez devised the famous "Galactico" transfer policy, bringing the biggest names in world football to the Spanish capital.
While these players have received the bulk of the recognition and plaudits for Madrid's success in recent years, there are a few who have quietly made a significant impact.
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Today, let's take a look at:
5 most underrated Real Madrid players of the 21st century
#5 Keylor Navas
Kicking off our countdown is Real Madrid's successor to club legend Iker Casillas. Keylor Navas had huge boots to fill, but proved to be incredibly adept at the job.
The treatment meted out to Casillas by Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid's manager at the time, received all the media attention, especially when he moved to FC Porto after 16 years at the club. Following his departure, Navas stepped in as Madrid's No. 1 and went on to make 162 appearances for Los Blancos in five seasons. The Costa Rican established himself as one of the finest keepers in La Liga, owing to his consistency and reliability.
Currently at PSG, Navas became the only non-Spanish goalkeeper to make 100 appearances for Real Madrid, and is the first and only Costa Rican to win three Champions League trophies. Navas also has one Copa del Rey, one Supercopa de Espana, four FIFA Club World Cups, and three UEFA Super Cups in his trophy cabinet.
#4 Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale moved to the Spanish capital from Tottenham on a then-world record fee of over £90 million. Huge things were expected of the Welshman, and comparisons were made with Ronaldo - who made a similar move from the Premier League to La Liga - but Bale failed to reach those historic heights.
However, he played a crucial role in Madrid's attacking trio, along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. It is widely accepted that Bale has underachieved during his stint at Santiago Bernabeu, and despite that, he has been involved in 173 goals (105 goals, 68 assists), which is no mean feat for a winger.
The Welshman had a dream start to life at Madrid, scoring 41 goals from 44 appearances in his debut season, along with six goals and four assists to help Los Blancos lift a record 10th Champions League trophy.
The now-Real Madrid loanee will always be in El Clasico's history books for his sensational solo goal in the Copa Del Rey final, where he sprinted past Marc Bartra after being shoved off the touchline and finished with a fantastic curler past the goalie.
#3 Angel Di Maria
Taking the third spot on the podium is another former Madridista currently residing in Paris: Angel Di Maria.
The Argentine was brought in from Benfica by then-Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho and became one of the top names in his four seasons at the club. Making 190 appearances for Los Blancos, Di Maria was involved in 121 goals (36 goals, 85 assists). The Argentine displayed tremendous ability with the ball at his feet, along with a silky touch and a keen eye for passes. He was a dynamic operator on the flanks and provided quality supply into the 18-yard box.
Di Maria has one Champions League trophy during his time at the club, along with a La Liga winners' medal, one Supercopa, and two Copa Del Reys before moving on to PSG in 2015.
#2 Guti
Next up, we have a modern Real Madrid great: Jose Maria Gutierrez. The Spaniard was criminally underrated during his 16-year spell at the club and was overshadowed by the likes of Zidane, Raul, Beckham, and Figo, to name a few.
Guti started his professional career with Los Blancos and worked his way up from the youth level to become a vital cog in Madrid's lineup. Mainly operating as a central midfielder, Guti has also played in the center forward role for Madrid due to a long injury list at the club. Guti had one of his best goalscoring seasons in the makeshift role, finding the back of the net 14 times to help the men in white lift their 28th La Liga trophy in the 2000/01 season.
A lifelong Madrid fan, the Spaniard won 14 trophies in his stint with the club and was renowned for his exceptional vision and mouth-watering skills. Guti notched up a mammoth 542 appearances for the club, and was involved in 167 goals (77 goals, 90 assists)
#1 Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema's role at Real Madrid over the years cannot be overstated enough, and the Frenchman has been as crucial as Ronaldo in earning Los Blancos' four Champions League titles in five years.
With the departure of Ronaldo, Hazard was brought in by Madrid to replace the world-beater but failed to make a mark at the club. Los Blancos were desperate for someone to step up, and Benzema took over the mantle, scoring 52 goals from 84 appearances at an exceptional xG (expected goals) of over 16 since Ronaldo's departure. The Frenchman has been exceptional with the ball at his feet as well, linking up play between the likes of Vinicius Jr. and Asensio, with 17 assists and an xA (expected assists) of 3.99. The 33-year old has been involved in a mammoth tally of 415 goals (274 goals, 141 assists) in 549 appearances for Los Blancos.
With the departure of Ronaldo, Benzema was freed from the shackles of matching up to the ridiculous achievements of his teammate and is finally getting his due recognition from football fans. The "Benz" has maintained his scintillating form over the years and we're just beginning to take notice.
