Top 10 players to play for both Real Madrid and Liverpool

A few names have played for both clubs over the years

Real Madrid and Liverpool are two of the most renowned teams in football. Both teams have had their fair share of talented players over the years who have gone on to accomplish great things on the field. But, only a small number of players have had the honour of representing both teams and in this article, we’ll look at the top 10 among them.

The 10 players listed here are among the best to have represented both Real Madrid and Liverpool. They have made a big impression on the fans and won multiple trophies with both clubs. They will always be recognized as game legends, and their accomplishments will be remembered for years to come.

10. Nuri Sahin

The former Turkey midfielder left Jurgen Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund for La Liga in May 2011 but failed to find his feet at the Bernabeu. Injuries plagued his debut season under Mourinho, and it was revealed the following summer that he would be joining Liverpool on loan for the 2012-13 season, managed by Brendan Rodgers.

He stayed until December when his loan was ended after 12 games and three goals, and he returned to Dortmund in January 2013, but he retired from professional football in 2021 to pursue a career as a manager. He is presently the manager of Antalyaspor.

9. Antonio Nunez

Antonio Nunez was a former midfielder for Real Madrid and Liverpool. He won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005. Nunez arrived in Madrid to join Liverpool’s Spanish revolution. First-team opportunities at Real Madrid were sparse in 2003.

Nunez made 27 appearances in his debut season in England, largely as a substitute, although he was present in key crucial games, including the 3-1 victory over Olympiacos in the Champions League, which featured that remarkable goal by Steven Gerrard. He also scored in Liverpool’s 3-2 League Cup final loss to Chelsea. He joined Celta Vigo at the end of the season after leaving Liverpool.

8. Michael Owen

After breaking into the first team as a 17-year-old, he scored 158 goals in 297 games for Liverpool. In 2001, he was named European Footballer of the Year and the Ballon d’Or 2001 when playing for Liverpool.

Owen left Liverpool for Real Madrid in 2004 for £8 million plus Antonio Nunez, the summer Benitez took over as Liverpool manager with a year left on his contract. He scored 15 goals in 40 games in a single season in Spain and won La Liga before returning to the Premier League with Newcastle.

⚽️✨ Throwback in 2001 when Michael Owen won the Ballon d'Or! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/e4Lqn0fxvI

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 3, 2024

7. Fernando Morientes

Morientes was Raul’s attacking partner at the Santiago Bernabeu for eight trophy-laden years. When he joined Anfield in January 2005, he had three Champions League crowns and two La Liga trophies.

He got off to a flying start in England, scoring a fantastic opening goal in a 2-1 comeback win over Charlton followed by a thunderous header against Fulham at Anfield. Yet he failed to set goals after that. When he left Liverpool for Valencia in 2007, he had 12 goals in 61 games.

Also Read: Real Madrid vs Liverpool All time Head-to-head record

6. Steve McManaman

After moving to Spain on a free transfer from Liverpool in 1999, McManaman played a key role in Real Madrid’s 2000 Champions League victory over Valencia. Two years later, Madrid overcame Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden to win the cup once more.

Despite his time in Madrid’s success, McManaman will be rooting for his old team this weekend. He continues to be recognized as one of the top English players to have represented the Spanish team.

5. Jerzy Dudek

Dudek will always be remembered as a hero at Liverpool following his performance in the 2005 Champions League final. He not only made a spectacular save to stop Andriy Shevchenko from scoring in extra time, but he also imitated Bruce Grobelaar’s shaky legs in the penalty shootout to win Liverpool Champions League.

Before the 2007–2008 season, Dudek left Liverpool for Madrid, where he served as Iker Casillas’ backup, after Pepe Reina’s arrival that summer dropped him to No 2. Before departing in 2011, he spent three seasons playing for Madrid and working for Jose Mourinho.

4. Alvaro Arbeloa

Prior to moving to Deportivo La Coruna in 2006, Arbeloa had only made a few first-team appearances during his time at Real Madrid. A year later, Rafa Benitez hired him, and his debut for Liverpool came in the Champions League against Barcelona on the road. In order to prevent Messi from cutting inside with his left foot, Benitez deployed him at left back instead of his regular right. The strategy was successful; Liverpool prevailed 2-1 and finally advanced to the quarterfinals.

In 2009, Arbeloa left Anfield for Madrid and stayed there for seven years, winning the Champions League twice in 2014 and 2016 and La Liga once.

3. Nicolas Anelka

Anelka’s tenure with Real Madrid was abysmal; he didn’t score in the first five months and had a falling out with manager Vicente del Bosque, but he scored in both legs of Madrid’s Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich and started in the final against Valencia, which Madrid won 3-0.

He only played on loan for Liverpool, joining in December 2001 and impressing until the end of the season. However, Reds manager Gerard Houllier chose to recruit El-Hadji Diouf instead in the summer of 2002.

🗓 #OnThisDay in 2001, Nicolas Anelka joined the Reds! pic.twitter.com/HzvoRYOIOA

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 20, 2016

2. Fabinho

Fabinho, a Brazilian midfielder, could be considered as a player Madrid let slip, having played for the club’s reserves and made a single senior appearance during a loan move from Portuguese side Rio Ave during the 2012-13 season.

He spent five years at Monaco, the first two on loan, before drawing the eye of Klopp, who signed him in 2018 for about £39 million ($47.5 million). The Brazillian is currently an important element of Liverpool. He is the only player on this list who is still actively playing professional football.

1. Xabi Alonso

A Champions League champion both at Liverpool and Madrid but it’d undoubtedly be the incredible 2005 final in Istanbul with the Reds that would edge it for Alonso. After missing a penalty, he scored Liverpool’s third goal, the equalizer.

The former Spaniard midfielder spent five years with Liverpool before returning to his hometown for six seasons with Real Madrid. The Spaniard won the Champions League twice, once with Liverpool in 2005 and again with Real Madrid in 2014, making him one of the few players to have done so. He is currently the manager of Bayer Leverkusen.

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