After winning every game since the resumption of football, Real Madrid are closing in on a historic LaLiga Santander title. It would be their first since 2017 and 34th Spanish top-flight title overall, the most of any club in the country.
Los Blancos have always known to be frivolous spenders in the transfer market. Their iconic 'Galactico' era was built around purchasing the finest talent available, such as the likes of Ronaldo Nazario, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and many others. Although they never stopped recruiting the best players in the world, Real's transfer strategy has seen a remarkable shift over the years.
Being the most illustrious club in Spain and Europe, Real Madrid's players would understandably be expected to be paid handsome amounts in wages. However, that is not exactly the case, with many of their players on relatively modest deals at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Here, we take a look at the wages of Real Madrid's first-team squad for the 2019/20 season.
Note: This list does not account for players who are on loan from Real Madrid.
#22 Vinicius Jr | Forward | £40,000-a-week
One of the many wonderkids recruited to the Santiago Bernabeu in the last decade, Vinicius Jr is one of the most promising young attackers in the world. The Brazilian winger was purchased for €45m from Flamengo in 2018 and has done commendably well in the Spanish capital so far. He etched his name into the hearts of the Blancos' faithful with a crucial goal in the latest El Clasico Vinicius participated in.
Vinicius is on a basic wage of £40,000 a week as one of Real Madrid's most modest earners.
#21 Brahim Diaz | Midfielder | £60,000-a-week
Former Manchester City starlet Brahim Diaz moved to Real Madrid to fulfil a lifelong dream of playing for Los Blancos. The promising Spaniard, who can operate in midfield as well as in the forward line, has been sparingly used by Zidane. He has seen just 31 minutes of LaLiga action this year with all his appearances coming off the bench.
Brahim moved to Real for €17m in January 2019 and is on a wage of £60,000 a week.
#20 Lucas Vazquez | Midfielder | £60,000-a-week
One of the handful of La Fabrica products in the first-team squad, Lucas Vazquez has been one of Zidane's most favoured players in the side. The versatile Spaniard who has been deployed in various positions by his manager is out of contract in the summer of 2021. Rumours have suggested that Tottenham Hotspur are interested in taking Vazquez to England as a free agent.
As of now, Vazquez is said to be on a basic weekly wage of £60,000 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
#19 Rodrygo Goes | Forward | £60,000-a-week
Much like his compatriot Vinicius, Rodrygo was recruited as an 18-year-old due to his unbelievably high ceiling. The talented Brazilian has impressed profoundly with both attacking flair and defensive contribution for Real Madrid. He's done particularly well in the UEFA Champions League, scoring goals in as many appearances.
Rodrygo was brought in from Santos for €45m by Real Madrid and is said to earn £60,000 per week.
#18 Ferland Mendy | Defender | £62,500-a-week
One of football's most inspiring comeback stories, Ferland Mendy's career was under threat due to injuries until not too long ago. However, he's come back stronger than ever and sealed his dream move to Real Madrid. The Frenchman was tasked with deputising for Marcelo and has done a phenomenal job so far. He's accumulated 16 starts this season under Zidane.
The Frenchman was signed from Lyon last summer and is on a deal worth £62,500-a-week.
#17 Nacho Fernandez | Defender | £70,000-a-week
Another La Fabrica product, Nacho Fernandez, is Zidane's go-to utility man in defence. The Spanish centre-back has served as an able deputy for Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane in the heart of Madrid's defence. The 30-year-old had also played as a full-back on several occasions when Los Blancos were hit with an injury crisis.
Nacho is currently out of action with a hamstring injury and is set to return in the coming week. He earns a figure of £70,000-a-week at his boyhood club.
#16 Marco Asensio | Midfielder | £90,000-a-week
Real Madrid's boy wonder Marco Asensio has had to endure a challenging year or so after his horrible injury in late June 2019. The Spaniard suffered an ACL rupture in a friendly against Bayern Munich last year and was sidelined for over 400 days of action. However, he remains an integral member of Real Madrid's core and is one of Los Blancos' most trusted players.
He reportedly earns a figure of £90,000 per week at the Santiago Bernabeu.
#15 Casemiro | Midfielder | £90,000-a-week
One of the 13-time European champions' most important players, Casemiro has been Real Madrid's immovable object in midfield. The Brazilian destroyer has been one of Zidane's most reliable players and allows his more creative teammates to express themselves. Casemiro's performances in the ongoing season, in particular, have been nothing short of spectacular. He's made the joint second-most appearances for the club this season in LaLiga.
The four-time Champions League winner earns a basic wage of £90,000-a-week at Real Madrid. He is reportedly in line for a considerable pay rise after his stellar season and is set to extend his contract with the club.
#14 Dani Carvajal | Defender | £100,000-a-week
One of Real Madrid's most seasoned defenders, Carvajal has been an unstoppable figure on the right-hand side of the defence. Players such as Alvaro Odriozola and Achraf Hakimi failed to dislodge the 28-year-old as he continues to dominate the right flank. Carvajal is one of the most accomplished full-backs over the last decade or so and has started 29 of Real Madrid's 35 games so far.
The Leganes-born defender is said to be on a £100,000-a-week contract with the capital club of Spain.
#13 Eder Militao | Defender | £100,000-a-week
Talented Brazilian defender Militao was brought in by Real Madrid as a reliable back-up and potentially a successor for Sergio Ramos. Despite a shaky first season from Militao, there is a belief that he could grow into a valuable asset for Los Blancos in the future. He was one of the most in-demand centre-halves in Europe for his stellar performances in the UCL with Porto.
The Brazilian earns a salary of £100,000-a-week at his new club.
#12 Isco | Midfielder | £120,000-a-week
Spanish playmaker Isco was once one of the most promising midfielders in the world. However, his stock as plummeted significantly over the last couple of years and has remained a peripheral figure at the club. With just one goal to show far in 13 starts in the league, the attacking midfielder has had another poor campaign on an individual note.
Nonetheless, Isco draws a salary of £120,000 every week and has two years left on his contract.
#11 Raphael Varane | Defender | £140,000-a-week
One half of Real Madrid's impeccable defence, Raphael Varane is undisputedly one of the finest central defenders in the world. The towering Frenchman has already won an astonishing number of trophies including four UCLs with Real and a World Cup with France. At the age of 27, he could potentially become even better and take over as the leader of Los Blancos' defence upon Sergio Ramos' retirement.
The French world champion is currently on a deal which sees him earn a reported figure of £140,000-a-week at Real Madrid.
#10 Marcelo | Defender | £150,000-a-week
Real Madrid could not have dreamt of a more suitable heir to Roberto Carlos' throne than his compatriot Marcelo. The Brazilian full-back has been one of the most influential defenders in the world for some time now. Apart from helping Real win countless accolades, Marcelo has redefined the role of a modern full-back.
Although his powers have begun waning due to age, he remains a vital component of Zinedine Zidane's squad and earns a salary of £150,000-a-week.
#9 Karim Benzema | Forward | £150,000-a-week
One of the greatest forwards to have graced the Bernabeu, Karim Benzema is set to go down as one of the best foreign imports in Real Madrid history. The Frenchman has been everpresent for Los Blancos for over a decade since his move from Ligue 1. Benzema has led Madrid's assault on LaLiga from the front, scoring most league goals (18) and making most appearances (32) for the club.
His contract is set to expire in the summer of 2022 and he is said to earn a wage of £150,000-a-week in Madrid.
#8 Thibaut Courtois | Goalkeeper | £150,000-a-week
After a shaky start to life in Madrid, Thibaut Courtois is on the verge of one of the most spectacular seasons by a goalkeeper in LaLiga, let alone for Real Madrid. The towering Belgian has conceded an astonishing 18 goals in 32 league games for Los Blancos and is all set to win the coveted Zamora Trophy for his performances. He is one of the cornerstones of Real Madrid's unbreachable defence.
The former Chelsea man earns a reported wage of £150,000-a-week at the Santiago Bernabeu.
#7 Luka Jovic | Forward | £170,000-a-week
One of Real Madrid's more disappointing seasons in recent times, Luka Jovic's transfer has not panned out the way either party hoped for it to. The Serb was in cracking form in the 2018/19 campaign and was brought in as Karim Benzema's eventual successor. However, he's failed to hit those heights and notably struggled for form in Madrid. To make matters worse, he made headlines during the lockdown for the wrong reasons.
The recently-recruited striker is on a deal that sees him earn a figure of £170,000 per week and is contracted to Zidane's side until 2025.
#6 Luka Modric | Midfielder | £180,000-a-week
Luka Modric remains, so far, the only Ballon d'Or winner in an era dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The Croat was arguably one of the best midfielders of the last decade, but his powers have begun to wane over time. Despite that, Modric has amassed 29 league appearances under Zidane this season. He is widely expected to part ways with Los Blancos in the near future.
The World Cup finalist turns 35 in less than two months and is currently on a £180,000-a-week deal at the club.
#5 Toni Kroos | Midfielder | £200,000-a-week
It is difficult to think of a trophy that Toni Kroos has failed to capture in what has been a fairytale career so far. The German midfield controller has won every trophy he's competed for barring the UEFA Euro with Germany. Kroos will retire as one of the greatest midfielders of a generation for his unbelievable ability to regulate the tempo of a game. The 30-year-old has been at the heart of Real Madrid's achievements since his move in 2014.
The midfielder orchestrator earns a salary of £200,000-a-week at the Santiago Bernabeu and is contracted until 2023.
#4 James Rodriguez | Midfielder | £200,000-a-week
Ah, how the mighty have fallen. James Rodriguez once had the world quite literally at his feet after a stellar World Cup 2014 campaign where he won the Golden Boot. After a fantastic couple of seasons with Real Madrid, Rodriguez was sent out on loan and is now struggling to break into the first-team setup, let alone the first XI. He has been repeatedly left out of Matchday squads by Zidane and has managed just five LaLiga starts this year.
Regardless, he is one of their highest earners at a whopping £200,000-a-week salary and is expected to depart from the capital this summer.
#3 Sergio Ramos | Defender | £200,000-a-week
If there is one player who could personify the mentality of this Real Madrid side, it just has to be their leader and legend, Sergio Ramos. The veteran defender is one of the greatest defenders to have donned the white of Real Madrid. Ramos has been in fine form this campaign and has been key to the best defence in Spain. On the other end of the pitch, he's scored a whopping ten goals in his 32 LaLiga games.
The captain's expiring contract and future has been a topic of much debate and is said to currently earn £200,000-a-week at the club.
#2 Gareth Bale | Forward | £350,000-a-week
Gareth Bale is undisputedly the most polarising figure in the Spanish capital. On ability, the Welshman is one of the best players in the world on this day and has been pivotal to Los Blancos' recent success. However, he has mostly been a peripheral figure under Zidane and has been continuously criticised by Spanish media for his affinity to playing golf. Bale has made only 12 LaLiga starts this year, adding to 1092 minutes.
The Welsh winger has come close to leaving Madrid a few times in the past, particularly last summer. He is the second-highest earner at the Bernabeu, earning £350,000-a-week.
#1 Eden Hazard | Forward | £400,000-a-week
Eden Hazard was Real Madrid's first 'Galactico' signing since James Rodriguez in 2014. Despite the hype particularly after his breathtaking 2018/19 season with Chelsea, Hazard has had a turbulent season in the Spanish capital. The Belgian has been repeatedly hit by injuries in his debut season and has had not had anywhere close to the impact he was tipped to have. Los Blancos would hope for the talismanic winger to rediscover his touch ahead of the 2020/21 season after just 13 starts this campaign.
He earns a whopping £400,000-a-week in the Spanish capital, being their highest earner by some distance.