The largest tifo at the center of the main Santiago Bernabeu stand reads- ” SOMOS LOS REYES DE EUROPA”. Real Madrid are the undisputed Kings of Europe. 13 European cup titles aside, the club’s aura, the Champions League nights at the Bernabeu, and the unfathomable comebacks add to the history of this great institution.
Numerous players with extraordinary skills have worn the hallowed badge of Real Madrid. Every one of them developed a special connection with the Champions League. As a result, we have witnessed exceptional individual performances. Real Madrid’s history is replete with so many special performances that it would be a disservice to rank only 10 of them and leave out the rest. However, here is a humble attempt to rank the top 10 individual performances by Real Madrid in the last few years.
10. Fernando Redondo vs Manchester United (2000)
After this game, Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson famously asked- “What does this player have in his boots?” “A magnet?” you may wonder.” Fernando Redondo was one of the best players during the 90s. He reached the zenith of European football during the 1999-2000 season when he was named the European player of the year.
Redondo was one of the chief architects of Real Madrid’s victorious Champions League campaign that year. He reserved his best for the quarter-final clash against Manchester United at the Old Trafford. This was not a mediocre United team that we are accustomed to seeing nowadays. It was the best side in Europe and the defending champions.
Redondo was unplayable in this match. He produced a spectacular play for Real Madrid’s third goal as he dribbled past the united players and backheeled the pass to Raul. The entire world watched in awe as Los Blancos defeated the defending champions League and went on to win the trophy.
9. Marcelo vs Bayern Munich (2017)
Marcelo produced one of the best performances by a full-back in the Champions League in one of the most epic clashes of all time. Eight key passes, nine dribbles, one assist, 105 touches and 81 passes to go with numerous vital defensive interventions. This was Marcelo at his peak.
Real Madrid was facing Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals with the match poised at 3-3 inside a tensed Santiago Bernabeu. As the extra time start both teams had to conjure the energy to get through the game. That is when Marcelo made the difference.
In of the most iconic moments, Marcelo having left the Bayern defense in the doldrums with his individual run found himself open in front of the goal. Instead of taking the shot, he passed the ball to Ronaldo who completed yet another Champions League hattrick that season. The entire stadium along with the players erupted with the famous ‘SIUU’ celebration. That moment and that gesture by Marcelo is still one of the most cherished by Real Madrid fans.
8. Thibaut Courtois vs Liverpool (2022)
Iker Casillas posted a tweet after the match saying it has been a long time since he saw such a decisive performance from a goalkeeper in a Champions League final. Of course, Saint Iker’s very own performance against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 Champions League final has attained legendary status. But it is hard to argue against the fact that Courtois’s exemplary display of shot-stopping against Liverpool will be remembered as the best goal-keeping performance in a Champions League final.
Liverpool kept coming hard at him with shots flying around from all over the 30-yard circle. But Courtois kept standing there like a human wall. After Salah’s umpteenth attempt to get past Courtois failed in the 75th minute, he banged the floor with his hand as if to concede defeat. You could not blame Salah for trying till the very end. We have witnessed players from all across Spain try against the Belgian giant this season but he has been an unmovable force.
Hopefully, the FourFourTwo magazine will find a place for Real Madrid’s goalkeeper in their top ten list next season!
7. Gareth Bale vs Liverpool (2018)
Gareth Bale has had a tumultuous career with Real Madrid. In the past few years, controversies have overshadowed his immense contribution to Real Madrid’s Champions League legacy. His induction to the side in 2013 catapulted Real Madrid to the European glory. He turned an excellent Real Madrid into a lethal team capable of achieving everything and anything.
Gareth Bale has had his fair share of ups and downs. However, nothing symbolizes his career more than the overhead bicycle kick against Liverpool in the 2018 Champions League. He was substituted onto the field and altered the course of the game single-handedly just when Liverpool was starting to dominate.
It is unfortunate to see Bale’s career dwindling in an unsavory manner. But the fact remains, Real Madrid would not achieve the unprecedented feat of three consecutive Champions League and four in five years without his contributions.
6. Sergio Ramos Vs Bayern Munich (2014)
El Capitan, a defender par excellence and a true leader of men ruled the Allianz Arena in this match. During a run-up to the La Decima title, Real Madrid had to face the Bavarian giants Bayern Munich in the knockout round. Having missed a penalty in the 2012 Champions League semi-finals at the Bernabeu, Ramos had to redeem himself.
Not only did Ramos score two headers to stun Pep Guardiola’s side, but he was also impeccable at the back. He did not allow the superstar attack of Bayern comprising Muller, Robben, Ribery, etc. to have a shot at goal. Ramos’s twin goals laid the foundation for Ronaldo’s brace as the third goal arrived as a result of a devastating counter-attack once the spaces opened up.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored 17 goals in the Champions League that season. However one may argue that without Ramos’s performance against Bayern and the infamous 93rd-minute header against Atletico in the final, Real Madrid may not have won the La Decima.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo vs Juventus (2018)
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored tons of goals in his career. But in this match, he scored a goal that lives in his memories to this day. Yes, we are talking about that goal. You know it is a special moment when Gigi Buffon and the entire Juventus stadium stand and applaud an opposition player in their own stadium.
Real Madrid made early inroads into the Juve defense as Ronaldo opened the scoring after directing a cross from Isco into the back of the net. It was in the 64th minute that Ronaldo delivered this iconic Champions League moment. Real Madrid went on to win the first leg 3-0.
Juventus did come back in the second leg at the Bernabeu by scoring three goals themselves. However, a Real Madrid won a penalty late into the injury time which was duly converted by Ronaldo. This was Mr. Champions League with yet another memorable performance on the biggest stage.
4. Ronaldo vs Manchester United (2003)
2003 was the height of the Galactico era at Real Madrid. The club had a galaxy of stars representing them including Zidane, Figo, etc. It was the ‘El Fenomeno’, Brazilian Ronaldo who stole the show that day.
Ronaldo is one of the greatest strikers of all time. He was a predator inside the box. He left defenders on the floor and was capable of scoring goals from all angles and areas inside the box. He was the personification of the fox in the box.
Real Madrid was leading Manchester United 3-1 going into the second leg of the Champions League knockout fixture at Old Trafford. Ronaldo lit up the stadium much to the dismay of home fans with an exhilarating display of finishing. All three goals that he scored on his way to the hattrick were ruthless without giving even an iota of chance to the defender.
Sir Alex Ferguson had grimace written all over his face as his team played along helplessly. Ronaldo wasn’t the fittest player on the pitch. But his ability to mercilessly kill defenses with his sharp movements and dribbling was on full display that day.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo vs Atletico Madrid (2017)
Once Diego Simeone remarked that if not for Cristiano Ronaldo, he would have already won a couple of Champions League titles. Here we were, another European night against Atleti, another CR7 masterclass.
There was an air of superiority around this performance as Ronaldo stepped on the field as if he was better than everyone else. A touch of inevitability in his goals. And he was better than every footballer on earth that season. Atletico Madrid had no answer to his hat-trick that night at the Bernabeu.
It all started with a header during the early stages of the game. The second goal was a thing of beauty. The ball bounced in front of Ronaldo. Atleti players could watch in slow motion as Ronaldo thumped the ball into the back of the net. After his hattrick goal, Ronaldo stood and looked up at the colossal stands of Bernabeu as if saying to the Real Madrid fans, it is all in his control. And it was, Real Madrid did win the Champions League that season and Ronaldo had reached the zenith of the football world.
2. Karim Benzema vs PSG (2022)
Real Madrid was appalling in their defeat in the first leg of their Champions League knockout match against PSG this season. There was little hope going into the second leg at the Bernabeu as PSG not only had batter players on paper but they looked superior in all aspects.
Kylian Mbappe scored the second goal of the tie for PSG. At that point in time, it felt as if a new prince had arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu albeit he belonged to the opposition team. Well, let us just say by the end of the game Karim Benzema showed that he is still the king.
It took 17 minutes of pandemonium for Real Madrid to script a memorable comeback that night. PSG players were shell-shocked at what happened. Benzema basked in the glory as he followed up his hattrick with another against Chelsea away. He has scored 10 goals till now in the knockout phase of the Champions League. These are Ronaldo-esque numbers. If the previous Champions League titles belonged to Ronaldo’s heroics, this definitely has Benzema’s stamp all over it.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo vs Wolfsburg (2016)
It is hard to choose between Benzema’s hattrick against PSG and Ronaldo’s against Wolfsburg in 2016. Both of these performances came in the face of adversity with the team down by two goals. However, I consider this game a landmark in Real Madrid’s modern history.
Zidane had just been made the manager. The team was struggling in the league and nobody expected them to go far into the tournament. And then Real Madrid lost the first leg 2-0 away from home. Even the most optimistic fans would have rolled their eyes at the prospect of a comeback that season.
I still remember Peter Drury’s prophetic words in commentary after Ronaldo’s first goal – “It is him again, it is always him”. There was no turning back after that goal. The second goal came from a header and within 17 minutes the deficit was wiped out.
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The third goal came via a marvelous freekick. The comeback was complete. Allow me the opportunity to quote the great Peter Drury again – ” He has done it all by himself. Another Champions League hattrick for the head of Real Madrid glitterati “.
If not for Cristiano Ronaldo’s hattrick, one wonders whether Real Madrid would complete the comeback and go on to win the Champions League that season. And whether the team even goes on to make the history of a three-peat European run.