Real Madrid fans rank best first-team players, Gareth Bale sits last 

Real Madrid clinched their 34th La Liga title with a 2-1 win over Villarreal on July 17, marking a truly impeccable turnaround of form with a well-deserved piece of silverware.

A brace from club talisman Karim Benzema ensured Los Blancos won the title with a game to spare. The win also saw Real Madrid sealing their 10th straight victory in the league.

The Real Madrid faithful were obviously buoyed by their team's title triumph following a fantastic comeback since the LaLiga restart. They participated in a poll conducted by Spanish publication Marca to vote for the best player of the season.

And it was no surprise to see star forward Benzema at the very top with over 5,100 votes.

---

---

Real Madrid's experienced players stand out in poll

Karim Benzema and Sergio Ramos were the standout players for Real Madrid

Benzema being picked as the best player by the fans is no surprise. The Frenchman has shepherded the front line with his sublime link-up play, experience and, sheer finishing nous.

21 goals and eight assists prove just how good the Frenchman was. The timing and nature of his goals translated into points for Real Madrid more often than not, underlining his capability to win matches.

Real Madrid's charismatic skipper Sergio Ramos, who even hit double figures in what was his most prolific season in front of goal, finished second with about 5,000 votes.

Thibaut Courtois is the first Real Madrid goalkeeper to keep 18 clean sheets in a La Liga season since 1988 🔒 pic.twitter.com/0n80yEQRlr

— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 10, 2020

Thibaut Courtois, who did not put a foot wrong all season, deservedly came third. This comes as no surprise, as he is in line to become the first goalkeeper to dethrone Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak and win the Zamora accolade in four years.

Casemiro, Toni Kroos, and the rock-solid Raphael Varane followed the Belgian, while club outcast Gareth Bale found himself last on the list.

Bale, despite his qualities, was never an option for Real Madrid boss Zidane. The blistering winger cut a frustrated figure early on, before deciding to take things on a much lighter note, as was seen in the final few games of the season.

Gareth Bale’s highlights against Alaves: ✅ Pretending to fall asleep on the bench 😴 ✅ Laughing when Zidane made his final sub 😂(via @Gol) pic.twitter.com/gqpN1Fbb6N

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) July 11, 2020

Bale's career is at an all-time low, owing to various reasons both on and off the pitch. Real Madrid's massive summer acquisitions — Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic — were a part of the bottom six. Left-back Ferland Mendy was in ninth place.

To summarise, Real Madrid's season was defined by the experience and quality of the players who have served the club for years. The nucleus of the team, which includes the likes of Ramos, Benzema, Kroos, Modric and Varane, were all among the top 10 players.

Real Madrid's summer signing Eden Hazard saw his season plagued by injuries

While this highlights the value of experience, it also indicates that the new players in the club need time to fit in.

---

Here is the list of Real Madrid players from bottom to top: (at the time of writing)

25. Gareth Bale, 24. James Rodriguez, 23. Luka Jovic, 22. Lucas Vazquez, 21. Nacho Fernandez, 20. Eden Hazard, 19. Brahim Diaz, 18. Alphonse Areola, 17. Mariano Diaz, 16. Isco, 15. Marcelo, 14. Eder Militao, 13. Marco Asensio, 12. Rodrygo Goes, 11. Vinicius Junior, 10. Dani Carvajal, 9. Ferland Mendy, 8. Luka Modric, 7. Federico Valverde 6. Raphael Varane, 5. Toni Kroos, 4. Casemiro, 3. Thibaut Courtois, 2. Sergio Ramos, 1. Karim Benzema

---