NFL
By: Brock Vierra
Real Madrid is the best club to ever exist in the history of football. They have a record 35 La Liga titles, a record 14 European titles, a record 5 UEFA Super Cups, a record 5 Club World Cups, 20 Copa del Rey titles including their victorious triumph in 2023, and 12 Supercopa de Espana titles. Their success on the pitch is a direct result of their financial backing. One of the most popular and financially successful clubs in the world, they and their supporters demand championships every season and with a mass exodus of players already underway, we could be on the verge of a third Galacticos era.
First I must talk about what a Galactico is. It’s the Spanish word for superstar. The Galacticos Era refers to two different periods when Real Madrid spent exorbitant amounts of money to bring in the best players worldwide. Spearheaded by club President Florentino Perez, the first era lasted from 2000-2006. In that time, Real Madrid purchased Luis Figo, Claude Makelele, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, David Beckham, Michael Owen, Robinho, and Sergio Ramos for a combined 290 million Euros. Adjusted for inflation, that works out to 365.67 million Euros or $391 million dollars in today’s market. A somewhat successful six-year stretch that saw Real win two La Ligas and 1 European title, their successor would be even more successful.
Perez would once again be elected in 2009 after a three-year hiatus and he wasted no time shelling out the cash. An expensive summer of over 200 million euros saw Real break the world record fee for a transfer when they purchased Cristiano Ronaldo along with the signings of Ballon D’or winner Kaka, Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso Alvaro Arbeloa, Raul Albiol, Ezequiel Garay, and Esteban Granero. This much more successful era which lasted about 10 years also saw the signings of superstars Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Mesut Ozil, Angel Di Maria, Isco, James Rodriguez, Gareth Bale, Vinicius Jr, and Rodrygo. They would win two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey titles, and four Champions League (European Cup) titles.
Now we enter the end of 2023. Ballon D’or winner and Real Madrid’s best attacker Karim Benzema announced that he would be leaving the club to play in Saudi Arabia. Joining him in leaving are Marco Asensio, Eden Hazard, and Mariano. Within the past five years, clubs legends and contributors such as Casemiro, Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Gareth Bale, Isco, Marcelo, and others have left Madrid, and with Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and a few other Madrid players looking like they could be out the door sooner rather than later if history has told us anything, we are upon a new era of Galacticos.
Some could say we’re already in a new era. Real Madrid was already looking to get younger and did so with the acquisitions of two French midfielders under twenty-three years of age in Eduardo Camavinga for 31 million euros and Aurelien Tchouameni for 80 million euros. Real Madrid is linked for big money moves involving Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Kai Havertz, and potentially, even more, depending on the vision for Carlo Ancelotti’s squad in 2023.
I believe it is coming and it will come quickly. Real Madrid has avoided making multiple major purchases in the post-COVID world but with their financial commitments to their stadium’s reconstruction almost complete and the profits made via player sales and tournament money in these past four years, they have the cash to spend. If it happens, expect Ancelotti to already be in the hot seat. He only lasted two years in Madrid during his first go and he won a European Cup. If he doesn’t deliver a European title in 2024, he’s gone. If Ancelotti leaves, we could see the return of Zinedine Zidane or potentially Ruud Van Nistelrooy after his impressive season at PSV Eindhoven. I think Bellingham and Kane become Madristas unless Kane goes to Chelsea first. I also think Benzema leaving reopens the door to Kylian Mbappe but Real would have to pay a huge amount of money in that case.
Some names not being mentioned but could end up in Madrid are Rafael Leao, Lautaro Martinez, Victor Osimhen, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Mathius De Ligt. However, this is talk for tomorrow. The point is Madrid isn’t okay with just winning the Copa del Rey like they did this year. They will spend and they will spend a lot.
