Real Madrid: Ranking the 5 best players of the ’90s
Real Madrid has had an alluring history of over a century. There is always scope to pin-point decades of glory and for Real Madrid, the choices are in plenty. There was a stint of a glorious run at the European Stage with five back-to-back wins, there also was the stretch that saw the coveted prize return in form of La Decima and the subsequent three-peat under Zinedine Zidane, the coach.
As such, another glorious decade happens to be the ’90s when Real Madrid was on a transitional mission much like the condition they are in right now. The ’90s were of greater importance as Real conquered Europe after a long wait of 32 years whilst they struggled domestically against Johan Cruyff’s FC Barcelona. A decade that started with the unfortunate death of club icon Juanito, ended with two European Cups within three seasons and Real Madrid was named the best club of the 20th century by FIFA. The ’90s will go down as one of the most eventful decades in Real’s history and undoubtedly, one that the current squad and management will have a lot to learn from given the club is going through another transition.
Every great story has a protagonist and for Real’s fabulous story there was not one but many protagonists. They included new signings like Clarence Seedorf, Davor Suker, Roberto Carlos, Predrag Mijatovic, and club icons like Fernando Hierro and Raul Gonzalez. All of whose collective efforts brought curtains to a brilliant story stretching over ten years. Here is my attempt to rank the club’s five best players of the ’90s.
5. CLARENCE SEEDORF
Clarence Seedorf, who appeared on our list of best number 10s as an honorary mention makes a real case to appear in this list at the fifth position. Seedorf was a new face for the club but one that went down as a vital piece in their squad, an absolute key to winning the European Cup in 1998 for the seventh time (La Septima).
An Ajax prodigy, Seedorf was a special talent who made headways in the first team at 16 years of age. His proficiency made him heard all over Europe as top clubs lined up for his signature. He finally joined Real Madrid in 1996 after a short career at Sampdoria. He was brought in to target major trophies. The times weren’t easy when he arrived at the club. Real were dethroned from LaLiga’s summit by city rivals Atletico Madrid and the European Challenge was alive as ever with no success since 1966.
Seedorf delivered exactly when he was asked to. In his first season, he played an instrumental role in Real’s LaLiga triumph doubling up with Redondo in midfield. He had a massive presence on the pitch with immense physical strength that made him an unorthodox player in the middle of the park. He gave every opponent a hard time. His second season saw Real Madrid reconquer Europe with La Septima seeing its way to the Bernabeu’s Trophy Cabinet and his final season bore him an Intercontinental Cup.
He transferred to Inter Milan in 1999 after three successful seasons with the whites where he went on to win two more European titles making him the only player to have won four European Cups with three different teams. The Dutchman was one for the record books! His days at Madrid included 159 official appearances and twenty goals for the club. But, his impact was way more than what these numbers can ever tell.