Eto’o, Fabinho and others. Which players started at Real Madrid but didn’t make it?

Real Madrid has always been and will always be the destination for the best footballers on the planet. Getting to the royal club is the goal of millions of footballers around the world and it marks the pinnacle of their career. There are also footballers who started their careers in Madrid and moved on from there without much success.

Samuel Eto’o

One of the best strikers in modern history and a Barcelona legend. He was a Real Madrid player for three years but never really broke into the first team. He played only three games in the Spanish capital and rather wandered around on loan.

In an interview, Samuel said that he never understood why he didn’t get a proper opportunity and that he wasn’t respected enough. Even though he scored a lot of goals in the youth club, the chances just wouldn’t come. Some players didn’t even treat him.

From Madrid he was acquired by Mallorca, where he spent four years. A move to Barcelona followed, where he earned his status as one of the most feared spearhead strikers. He scored over 400 goals in his career.

Juanfran

Defender and Atlético Madrid icon who is a product of the city rival. Juanfran has played almost 60 games for Real Madrid’s reserve team. Despite his solid performances, he never got a chance in the A-team.

He was only given the opportunity in six games. Despite a loan spell at Espanyol, he signed for Osasuna. A move to Atlético followed, where he played 355 games, won seven trophies and twice finished as a sad Champions League finalist.

Marcos Alonso

Currently a Barcelona player, where he transferred to last summer. Alonso is another in a line of players who never got the chance to succeed at Real. The only game he played was in 2009, when he came on as a substitute in the last minute of the game.

Despite engagements at Bolton and Fiorentina, he made it to Chelsea London, the most successful move of his career. In 212 games, he won seven trophies including winning the Champions League trophy.

Fabinho

The Liverpool defensive midfielder spent one year in Madrid. Fabinho came to the reserve team on loan in the 2012/13 season, where he did reasonably well. He played a total of thirty games, but only broke into the first club on one occasion.

In this match, the White Ballet defeated Malaga 6: 2. Fabinho came on as a substitute and scored an assist. Real eventually decided not to sign Fabinho permanently and so he returned to Rio Ave after the season. He earned his transfer to Liverpool with a great stint at Monaco, where they even blew away PSG’s championship title.

Juan Mata

He joined Real’s academy at the age of 15. He spent four years in Madrid but never played for the first team. He made his name at Valencia, where he transferred in 2007. During his time in England, specifically at Chelsea and Manchester United, he won the Champions League, 2x Europa League, 2x FA Cup and the League Cup.

Pablo Sarabia

A fresh Wolverhampton signing and a footballer who is a Real Madrid offspring. He played almost fifty games during his time at Castilla. He only got one single chance for the A-team. In 2010, he came on for Cristiano Ronaldo in a Champions League match against Auxerre.

During his career, he has played alongside huge names. Most notably during his time at PSG where he had the chance to play with Messi, Neymar and Mbappe.

It’s quite logical that he never became a key figure for the French club. Despite an impressive loan spell at Sporting, he headed to the Premier League this January.

Álvaro Negredo

The Spanish striker signed for Real in 2005, where he headed from Rayo Vallecano. He stayed at Castilla for two years, during which time he managed to score over twenty goals. He was also called up to the first team for a cup match, but sat out the match on the bench.

Negredo was subsequently sold to Almeria. However, Real retained a future pre-emption right, which he exercised in 2009. Unfortunately for him, that is the year the White Ballet took office and brought in Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

Thus, Negredo didn’t get a single chance and wandered to Sevilla, where he experienced the best years of his career. His performances subsequently earned him a move to Manchester City.

Source: Transfermarkt