With two World Cups, France is an incubator of talent for some of the top of clubs in the world, with Real Madrid being one of its most prominent outlets. From the likes Zizou and Benzema let’s see who else makes the best of the Real Madrid squad.
Karim Benzema
Although cut from the French national team that won the World Cup 2018 for off-the-field issues, Karim Benzema has been an absolute stud for Los Blancos. In his 12 years and 602 caps with the club, the crafty and powerful forward has scored 323 goals (tied with Raúl for most goals at the club) and provided 157 assists. He’s also been part of the squads that have won four consecutive Champions League, 3 La Liga, and 2 Copa Del Rey.
Benzema has been Madrid’s main man ever since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, scoring 95 goals and notching 38 assists in 154 matches. In the 2021-22 season alone, he’s bagged 44 goals and 15 assists in 44 appearances, setting a record 59-goal involvements for a French player over a campaign with a Top 5 European club this century.
He sits fourth on the Champions League all-time goalscorers list with 90 strikes. Will this year finally be the year he wins the Ballon d’Or?
Raphaël Varane
A technical and tactical central defender, Raphaël Varane played a decade with Real Madrid where’s he contributed to the team’s trophy haul. He’s won three La Liga, four Champions League, tying Paulo Maldini for the most Champions League trophies before turning 24. He left Los Blancos before the 2021/22 seasons to fulfill a long-held ambition to join Manchester United.
Zinédine Zidane
Zinédine Zidane is one of the most celebrated French players to ever play for Real Madrid. In 225 caps with the team, he scored 49 times and won practically every trophy including a Champions League, La Liga, and Copa Del Rey. Zidane also earned the 2003 Ballon d’Or while with Madrid, his third. He’d go on to coach the side to 9 trophies including three straight Champions Leagues and a La Liga title.
Lassana Diarra
The French defensive midfielder played more games for Real Madrid (117) than any of his other clubs. In the 3 year period he was with Los Blancos, he won the 2011-2012 La Liga and the 2012 Supercopa.
Claude Makélélé
Playing 94 games with Real Madrid as its defensive midfielder, Claude Makélélé won a haul of trophies including Champions League and two La Liga championships. Zidane referred to him as the “engine” of the team, a player that precipitated the beginning of the end of the Galacticos.
Nicolas Anelka
The French forward played only one year with Los Blancos, earning 31 caps and seven goals. While he got off to a slow start with zero goals in the first five months, he ended up scoring some key ones on the way to a Champions League trophy.
Theo Hernández
Signed in 2017, the French left-back helped Real Madrid achieve its third Champions League trophy in a row. He was loaned out to Real Sociedad the following year and currently plays for AC Milan, as handpicked by no other than the legendary Paolo Maldini.
