Real Madrid: 5 players who have an important leadership role

Real Madrid have veterans who can help guide the team to the title this season.

The word “Revolution” comes up when discussing Real Madrid’s future in Zinedine Zidane’s second stint as manager, as the three-peat Champions League-winning manager has designs on assembling a team capable of replicating his Champions League success with the core built around Cristiano Ronaldo.

Much of that core remains after Ronaldo’s departure to Juventus, and most of those players are still highly effective. They currently hold key leadership roles and are managing the transition as Real’s squad evolves into something even more powerful than what it was before.

Here are five current players on Los Blancos who have a key leadership role in the squad.

CB Sergio Ramos

Of course, we have to start with the captain. Sergio Ramos sets the tone for everyone else, and if there’s a goal that needs to be scored, you can bet Ramos will be the one to score. In fact, he’s found the back of the net in three of the team’s four games since the restart, including a penalty against Real Sociedad and a perfect free kick vs. Mallorca. 

No defender has scored more goals in La Liga history than Ramos, who provides more goal-scoring threat than just set pieces and headers. He’ll often bomb forward to join the attack when an extra man is needed, positioning himself well to either pounce on a loose ball or head home a Dani Carvajal or Toni Kroos cross.

Real Madrid simply wouldn’t be Real Madrid without Ramos.