Ranking Real Madrid's 5 most creative players in the 21st century

#3 Mesut Ozil

Real Madrid v Manchester United - UEFA Champions League Round of 16

Mesut Ozil arrived at Real Madrid when rivals Barcelona were at their peak. The attacking midfielder's arrival helped Los Blancos get back on their feet as he had a huge impact under Jose Mourinho's tutelage.

Ozil helped Real Madrid win a domestic double at the end of 2011/22 - winning the league with a record number of goals scored.

Ozil seamlessly fit into Mourinho's counter-attacking style of football, forging a bond with Cristiano Ronaldo on the pitch. He had a magical left foot, which he used to provide amazing passes. Being mercurial in the final third, the German wizard had little difficulty in creating chances.

During his three year tenure at the Spanish capital, Ozil racked up 27 goals and 80 assists. In this brief period of time, only a few footballers on the planet created more chances than Ozil.

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#2 Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane of Real Madrid and Michael Ballack of Bayer Leverkusen

One of the greatest players of all time, Zinedine Zidane was a 'Galactico' in its truest sense. Before he succeeded at Real Madrid as a manager, Zidane won the hearts of Los Blancos' fans with his grace on the pitch. His stunning volley against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 Champions League final remains a fond memory among Madridistas across the globe.

Zidane personified creativity with his elegance on the ball, dislodging defenses at will. It is still a mystery how he eluded defenders with such ease, just gliding past one opponent after the other with magic feet. With a unique mixture of supreme tactical intelligence and technique, the French genius' vision was extraterrestrial to say the least.

Zidane bagged 49 goals and provided 68 assists for Real Madrid but he is not a footballer who can be judged by mere statistics.

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#1 Luka Modric

RCD Espanyol v Real Madrid CF - La Liga Santander

Real Madrid's chief orchestrator in recent times has taken our No. 1 spot. Luka Modric has done more for Los Blancos' success in the last decade than any other midfielder.

The Croatian magician helped the club win three consecutive Champions League titles, among other notable accolades. Due to his exploits, Modric broke the monopoly of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the Ballon d'Or in 2018.

Despite not getting any younger, Modric remains an integral part of Real Madrid with his caliber. Everything flows through the Croatian maestro as he acts as a connection between the team's defense and attack.

Due to his impressive passing range and vision, Modric dictates the tempo of the match. The midfielder operates as a deep-lying playmaker and creates space with his movements, intelligence and passes. He is not just any creator but one who controls how Real Madrid perform on the pitch.

Modric made 400th appearances for the club a few days ago, and has bagged 28 goals and 63 assists so far for them. There is a significant chance he can add a few more honors to his name with Los Blancos.