As we enter the New Year, all football fandoms around the world cannot help but go down the memory lanes recollecting their best moments of the past year for their clubs. Real Madrid, too, had an eventful 2021, to say the least.
Yes, there was one major missing this year and that was a trophy. Going trophy-less is a big miss any day for a club like Real Madrid.
However, when we rewind the tapes a little, all Madridistas are left with a collection of exceptional linkup plays, unreal golazos, and moments of absolute magic on and off the field. It becomes extremely difficult for writers like me to sum up a whole year of football in these limited number of moments.
This is why such lists tend to get personalized. Here is my attempt at summing off a very promising year of football for Real Madrid within their ten most unforgettable moments.
10. Miguel Gutierrez introduces himself to the world
Real Madrid discovered a fine talent in Miguel Gutierrez in 2021. The Castilla prodigy broke into the first team and attracted interest in the summer transfer window. There was no way the youngster would be allowed to leave. In his very limited game time in the season, Gutierrez manages to make an entry into this list.
In his first start for Real Madrid, it only took him 16 and a half minutes to make a mark. His delicious outside of the left foot pass to Modric found the Croatian with a lot of space inside the box for him to control it and then shoot past Rui Silva passing the ball into the net through the goalkeeper’s legs.
His delicious outside of the left foot assist to Luka Modric to score the opener against Granada at Los Carmenes is undoubtedly one of the most unforgettable moments of the year. At least I have played this particular piece of play over a hundred times.
9. Benzema scores a stunner at San Mames
After Karim Benzema scored a curler past Unai Simon in the Nations League Final, Real Madrid fans were waiting in anticipation for the big Frenchman to score a similar goal for the club. And, it did happen, on the very last game of the year. Benzema inspired a victory with a brace on the year’s last Matchday of the League. And, of his two goals, the first was a moment that I’d never forget.
Three minutes into the game, Vinicius Junior had the ball wide on the left flank. He plays it to Toni Kroos lining up on the edge of the box. The German finds Benzema with the simplest of all passes. Benzema, on the other hand, hits the ball first-time to curl it past Julen Agirrezabala’s far post. The goal was simply an act of magic. There are team goals and there are pieces of individual brilliance, this goal would be my pick for the best goal of 2021 in the second category.
8. Eder Militao drops a masterclass at La Real
Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane leaving the Spanish Capital in the same transfer window was probably one of the moments to be forgotten for Madridistas. Little did we know what was destined to follow. Real Madrid’s new signing David Alaba and a breakout hero from last season, Eder Militao are setting high standards in the defense currently. While the big Austrian’s best moment will follow later in the list, it’s time to appreciate the mighty Brazilian.
Militao’s best moment of 2021 is a hands-down uncontested masterclass he dropped away at La Real on Matchday 16 of 2021-22 season. He won five tackles, had 2 interceptions and 10 clearances while making two crucial blocks. This game was also an example of how Militao can create counterattacks out of nothing. His pass to release Vinicius Junior towards the end of the match could have potentially added a third for Los Blancos. This was probably one of the best individual performances of the season in Europe’s top five leagues. Needless to say, he scored a 10 on 10 in our player ratings for the game.
7. A brilliant new signing and a great start
Real Madrid has always been a club that isn’t afraid to splash the cash to rob in their transfer targets. However, the prevailing financial conditions due to the COVID Pandemic limited their activity in the transfer market in the last couple of windows. They, however, managed to make one statement acquisition reclaiming their old image a little.
Rennes young midfielder, Eduardo Camavinga was robbed in for a very economical 30 million euros plus add-ons deal. Real Madrid had their target, a very sought-after target nonetheless. Moreover, the price at which they secured his services was very sensible. And lastly, Real made a huge statement about shaping their plans for the future with a transfer as such.
The Frenchman didn’t disappoint, he went off to an amazing start scoring a goal on his debut and then assisting the winner for Rodrygo Goes against Inter Milan at San Siro in his very next game. He now has a super-sub status among the squad and a bright future is seemingly on its way.
6. Toni Kroos’s perfect ball for Vinicius Junior
Real Madrid drawn against Liverpool for the Champions League Quarterfinals was a blockbuster draw in itself, given the history the two clubs share. It was only usual that fans expected fireworks. For this season’s meetings, the fireworks came from Real Madrid only as they thrashed a visiting Reds’ side 3-1 at Madrid.
Of the many smart moments of the game, one specifically stands out. In the 26th minute, Toni Kroos dropped deep to support the defense. He then saw Vinicius Junior with enough space ahead of him and thus he launched one of the most satisfying long ball assists you’d ever see. Vini had to run through two defenders and the ball reached Vini perfectly. He controlled it with his chest and fired past an advanced Alisson Becker to score the opener.
5. David Alaba’s first goal for Real Madrid
David Alaba’s transfer happened as it was planned. A simple and silent free-agent signing and yet, this signing has been the most effective one in LaLiga this season. David Alaba fit into this team like a glove. He replaced the commanding figure of Sergio Ramos in the backline and has done his best so far to stabilize the central defense.
However, he makes it into this list for his attacking exploits. His first goal for the club would always be an unforgettable one for Madridistas. Not only did this goal come in El Clasico, the most coveted fixture in Spain but also, because the goal clearly reflected Alaba’s abilities in the attack.
Alaba recovered the ball and passed it to Vinicius Junior who got past Oscar Mingueza very easily and lofted it over to Rodrygo Goes. Rodrygo would get his assist for finding David Alaba who had continued his run from the defense. The Austrian fires a shot from distance that beats Marc-Andre ter Stegen and swirls in the net. Alaba waits for the exact correct number of matches to start scoring for his new club!
Winning the ball, making runs, long shooting confidence, and accuracy. Name me any other Center-back who’d give his team so much in the attack. Alaba is a gem of a free signing and dare I say it, the best one since Lewandowski’s move to Bayern Munich.
4. Thibaut Courtois’s ‘Face-save’ in El Derbi
There was no way Real Madrid’s Belgian wall would miss out on this list. Thibaut Courtois has been in fine form this season. Although Real Madrid has been stretched at the back and hasn’t kept many clean sheets, Courtois cannot be blamed for most of the conceded goals.
Thibaut Courtois’s best moment of the year came in this season’s first Madrid Derbi at Santiago Bernabeu that Los Blancos won 2-0. The two goals from Benzema and Marco Asensio were both clinically finished but, Los Blancos has Thibaut Courtois to thank for this win. According to FBref, Courtois had six saves at a save rate of 100% in the game that included a free-kick from Antoine Griezmann, reflex saves at the near post, and shots driven low.
Apart from all of it, one save in particular stands out where he denied Joao Felix any consolation within injury time when a shot in point-blank range hit Courtois’s Face and stayed out to preserve the clean sheet. Goalies use all parts of their body and as long as the shot stays out it’s a credit to the Goalkeeper. Tibo had enough courage to literally face that shot and keep it out. Even if that meant some attention from the medical staff right afterward.
3. Vini Jr recreates two CR7 Golazos
Vini Junior is having a stellar individual season. This is easily his best season so far in his Real Madrid career and there wasn’t any doubt that his moments would be added so higher up in this list. While a lot of Vini’s moments stand out in 2021, I specifically choose two great goals that drew comparisons with the left-wing GOAT Cristiano Ronaldo.
Firstly, an 87th-minute strike to win the game against Sevilla who is Real’s closest competition in the league this season. CR7 scored a very similar goal in LaLiga too with videos flooding on the internet of the two. Moreover, Vini also pulled out the iconic ‘Calma’ celebration after the goal. It was a moment for the ages.
The next one, in fact, happened earlier on in the season when Real traveled to Kyiv to humiliate Shakhtar 0-5 in the Champions League. For Vini’s second of the match and Real’s third, the young Brazilian had something special on his mind. In the 56th minute, he received the ball from Benzema and dribbled his way through the Ukrainian defense to finally finish it onto the roof of the net. The resulting product was so, so similar to CR7’s golazo against Galatasaray in 2013.
2. Luka Modric bosses El Derbi
Luka Modric has been working to his fullest potential this season. He had to cover for Toni Kroos’s absence at the beginning of the season. Then, he was totally in his element once the German joined him in the middle of the park. Moreover, this season has also been the one with rare ‘Luka the captain’ sightings in Spain. The maestro has elevated responsibilities this season and he has been at it, more so in big games.
His best moment of 2021 and Real’s second most unforgettable moment of the year comes from the last Madrid Derbi that was played in the Bernabeu. Modric had one spectacular shift in midfield. The 36 years young Croatian was quick to win the ball, pick up all sorts of pieces and absolutely dominate play with his God-blessed holding and passing abilities to anchor play.
Real’s first goal was a result of Modric’s recovery in the mid-way line. He ended the game with four dribbles, two tackles, and three interceptions along with many, many more recoveries. Stats will hardly come to show the impact the Croatian maestro had on this very, very special win.
1. Karim Benzema humiliates ter Stegen
To round this list off and so to round off a great 2021 for Real Madrid, here is the best moment of the year in my opinion. And the player giving us fans, this most unforgettable moment of the year is none other than the undisputed striker King of Madrid, Karim Benzema.
This was from the second Clasico of the league of the 2020-21 season. It was a match for more than just bragging rights. With the league race getting tighter at the top, winning against Barca would give Real Madrid a definitive advantage.
And, it was none other than King Karim who roared the loudest yet again. Fede Valverde played a major part in the goal in carrying the ball into the attacking third before laying in wide for Lucas Vazquez who in turn found Benzema who scored with one of the most deceptive finishes we’d ever see in LaLiga. He flicked the ball with his heel and the ball rolled into the net leaving Marc-Andre ter Stegen bamboozled at his near post. The German did get a touch, but he knew absolutely nothing about what had just happened. Real Madrid added another through Toni Kroos’s deflected freekick and registered a third straight Clasico win.
But, that opener from Karim Benzema will live on longer in our memories and would continue to haunt the Catalans every time they see the striker King of Madrid advancing on their defense.