Despite joining Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer, Antonio Rudiger will join the rest of his teammates in Valdebebas later, as he belongs to the group of players who played a couple of matches with their national teams until mid-June. He came to complete Real Madrid’s defense to become probably the first choice in the center with Alaba moving to his more natural position in the left.
Physically strong, hard working, never afraid of any oponent and living the peak of his career, Rudiger has the potential to become one of the main protagonists of the team and help Real Madrid extend this successful period even more. Rudiger is the 10th German player to have ever joined Real Madrid, with Gunter Netzer being the first to do so back in the summer of 1973.
Real Madrid also had a German player called Walter Rositzky, when football was not considered as professional yet. However he was often regarded as Polish instead of German. During the time in which he played professionally, he was commonly misspelled as "Rozitsky" and referred to be born in Poland, despite it was not a sovereign nation at the time. At the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in the gallery of all the Real Madrid players, he was also inscribed as a Polonia player (meaning Polish).
Gunter Netzer and The 'war' with Velazquez
Santiago Bernabeu fell in love with Borussia Monchengladbach's style of play in the early 1970s. That's why he signed their most talented player. Gunter Netzer arrived in exchange for 36 million pesetas as an absolute star, the player who was allowed to forget any defensive duties and could play as he pleased at Borussia.
In Madrid, something else awaited him. To begin with, his signing was seen as a challenge to Velazquez's gallantry. However, Netzer failed to convince the fans and Johan Cruyff's performances at Barcelona meant he was judged more harshly. He left after three seasons in which he won two league titles and two domestic cups.
The leftist Paul Breitner
Paul Breitner joined Real Madrid from Bayern Munich in exchange for 90 million pesetas. One day he said in the dressing room that he was going to Almeria to shoot a western film. This was no joke. Breitner appeared in the western 'Potato Fritz'. His left-wing ideas caused unease among the Real Madrid board, especially when he helped the striking Standard workers financially. The club told him it was not a good idea.
"With my money, I do what I want", he replied.
He stayed at Real Madrid for another three seasons to win two LaLiga titles and a cup. But he couldn't win the European Cup, which he had won with Bayern Munich just before joining.
Dedication and sacrifice: “Uli, Uli”
Stielike, who also arrived from Borussia Monchengladbach for around 50 million pesetas, won over the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu with his dedication and sacrifice. The chants of "Uli, Uli" became a rallying cry at the stadium. Stielike was at Real Madrid for eight seasons, winning four league, two cup and one UEFA Cup titles
Uli Stielike did not leave Real Madrid in good terms. His bad relationship with Juanito led to an ugly incident between them in a Real Madrid game against Neuchatel after the German left for Switzerland. They did not speak to each other and the 1983 Cup Winners' Cup final loss increased the tension between them.
Bernd Schuster leaves Barcelona to join Real Madrid
The relationship between Bernd Schuster and Barcelona deteriorated after the 1986 European Cup final defeat to Steaua. The then president Josep Lluis Nunez said in a press interview: "Barcelona need players with integrity and motivation who feel the colours of the club”.
The rebellious German prodigy spent a season on the sidelines. The following season he returned to action and won the cup with Barcelona, but took his revenge by signing for Real Madrid. His style complemented the group of home-grown Madrid players known as la Quinta del Buitre who led the team to a dominance of the Spanish Championship through the 1980s. Schuster spent only two seasons at Los Blancos, with two the league titles, as well as a Copa del Rey and two Supercopa de Espana.
His relationship with president Ramon Mendoza deteriorated and he departed the club in the summer of 1990, after receiving 250 million pesetas to terminate his contract. The October of that same year he joined Atletico Madrid to become the first player to play for all three LaLiga giants.
After becoming a coach, Bernd Schuster was also Real Madrid’s boss for the 2007-2008 season and a the first half of 2008-2009 season. During the spell he won La Liga 2007–08 and Supercopa de España 2008.
A big goalkeeper: Bodo Illgner
Fabio Capello wanted a tall goalkeeper. He was not convinced by Santiago Canizares and Francisco Buyo. He did not stop searching for one until September 2, 1996, when Real Madrid signed Germany international Bodo Ilgner from Colognefor just over 350 million pesetas (about 2.1m euros).
Los Blancos had just signed the goalkeeper with whom they would once again become European champions after 32 years of unsuccessful attempts. He spent five seasons at Real Madrid, winning at least one title in each of them. He hardly played in the last two season due to a shoulder injury that forced him to retire. Ilgner is now a Los Blancos ambassador.
Christoph Metzelder’s uninspiring spell at Real Madrid
Christoph Metzelder is one Real Madrid's flops. He was hit by injuries after he was released from Borussia Dortmund and he managed to play just 30 games in three seasons for Real Madrid. His career, compared to most, was undoubtedly great, since he played with great teams including his national team, but it was prevented from being so much more than that.
Everyone was shocked when he was sentenced for trafficking child pornography back in April 2021. Metzelder confessed before the Dusseldorf Administrative Court to sharing 18 files with child and youth pornography on the internet and apologised to the victims. He was handed a 10-month suspended prison sentence.
The genius Ozil
Mesut Ozil may be regarded as the most talented German to have ever worn the Real Madrid shirt. He arrived in the summer of 2010 for 18 million euros to add magic to the idea that Jose Mourinho had in his head. The Portugese coach saw a very big potential in his performances in Bremen and National team and signed him right away after the end of the World Cup. He then became one of the main men of Mourinho’s Real which was undoubtedly one of the strongest teams ever despite failing to win Champions League and more other trophies.
But in the summer of 2013, Ozil chose to leave Madrid in a decision that could be said that it is one of the great mistakes of modern football. With the 2014 World Cup in sight, he felt undervalued in Madrid, hurt by the signing of Isco and decided to leave for Arsenal, something that shocked a dressing room in which he had a great relationship with Sergio Ramos. At Real Madrid he won a LaLiga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana.
The 'Decima' starter Sami Khedira
Sami Khedira joined Real Madrid for 10m euros plus four in variable on the same season that Ozil signed for Los Blancos. He was part of the Mourinho’s 2010 list of “low cost big potentials”. Well known for his physical strength and work ethic, he managed to quickly become a very important player of the team.
After 5 seasons, with the latest two being not good as the first three due to injuries and lack of playing time, he left Real Madrid and for Juventus. He won two Copa del Rey titles, a league, Supercopa de Espana and a Champions League trophy at Real Madrid, being a starter in the Lisbon final against Atletico Madrid.
The German Sniper: King Kroos
There seems to be no debate here. Toni Kroos is the finest and the most long-lived German player to have played at Real Madrid and there is no need to make a longer description about this. Currently in his ninth season at the club, Kroos has won 16 titles as a Real Madrid player, including four Champions League titles. A genius, Kroos is the opposite of the rebellious personalities such as Netzer, Breitner or Schuster. Together with Casemiro and Modric he has formed a midfield trio that will go down in history as one of the best trios ever!
Real Madrid's relationship with Germany is different since Kroos has been wearing the eight on the back of his shirt. He is among the best investments ever made by Real Madrid and also among the best investments ever made in the world of football. Florentino had to send only 25M Euro to Bayern to secure the services of what would become one of the most important players in the next decade.
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