Real Madrid's cursed number 16: A goodbye ticket

For a decade now, eight Real Madrid players have fallen victims to the 'cursed' number 16.

The story began in the 2010-2011 season when a young Sergio Canales joined Los Merengues from Racing Santander. He was given the number 16 shirt, which was vacant since Gabriel Heinze's departure in 2009.

Canales's journey was short-lived in Santiago Bernabeu. He played only 15 matches in all competitions, scored none, and left by the end of the season.

The next to wear the number 16 shirt was Hamit Altintop.

The Turkish joined Madrid in the summer of 2011 from Bayern Munich. He represented Real Madrid in 12 matches, scoring only once.

Altintop then left Spain to return home to Galatasaray the next summer.

Ricardo Carvalho inherited the shirt after the departure of Altintop.

Although he was already an established player in the team, he found himself out of it one season after taking over the 'cursed' shirt.

The Portuguese left Madrid to join Monaco in 2013.

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In the 2013-2014 season, Casemiro was still a young talent in Real Madrid.

He swapped his number 38 shirt, which he wore in his debut season with the first team, with number 16. He played 25 matches, making only a single assist.

One year later, he was gone to Porto on loan.

Another young Brazilian talent wore the number 16 shirt the following season, Lucas Silva. And he followed in the footsteps of his predecessors.

Silva left Real Madrid on loan to Marseille after only eight months.

Mateo Kovacic was the exception during this decade, being the only player to last two seasons in Real Madrid wearing the 'cursed' number. However, he could never become a starter and left for Chelsea to get more playing time.

The number 16 shirt remained vacant for two seasons before the return of James Rodriguez from a loan stint at Bayern Munich. Like everyone before him, James too struggled to get playing time and left a year later to join Everton.

The last to wear the #16 jersey at Real Madrid was Borja Mayoral upon returning from loan at Levante this summer. He played only two matches in La Liga before leaving for Roma.

The 'cursed' Real Madrid's #16 shirt remains vacant today, but it maybe waiting for its next victim.