# List of Real Madrid CF players

This article lists the players of [Real Madrid CF](https://www.edgepedia.org/real-madrid-cf), the Madrid-based football club founded in 1902 whose first team plays at the Bernabéu stadium under president Florentino Pérez Rodríguez.<sup>[1](https://www.laliga.com/en-ES/clubs/real-madrid/squad)</sup> It covers the current first-team squad, the club's official historical player register, the players with the most appearances, and the eight Madrid players who have won the [Ballon d'Or](https://www.edgepedia.org/ballon-dor).

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Club | Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, founded 1902, stadium Bernabéu, president Florentino Pérez Rodríguez<sup>[1](https://www.laliga.com/en-ES/clubs/real-madrid/squad)</sup> |
| Current squad (2026/27) | 25 numbered first-team players, from goalkeeper Courtois (no. 1) to forward Yan Diomande (no. 25)<sup>[2](https://as.com/futbol/ya-se-conocen-los-dorsales-oficiales-del-real-madrid-f202608-n/)</sup> |
| Most appearances | Raúl, 741 official matches; Iker Casillas 725; Manolo Sanchís 710<sup>[3](https://as.com/futbol/primera/cuantos-partidos-ha-jugado-carvajal-con-el-real-madrid-y-que-puesto-ocupa-en-el-ranking-madridista-f202605-n/)</sup> |
| Top scorer | Cristiano Ronaldo, 451 goals, the club's all-time leading scorer<sup>[4](https://theweek.com/sport/football/955312/lionel-messi-vs-cristiano-ronaldo-rivalry-all-time-goals-career-stats)</sup> |
| Ballon d'Or winners | Eight players, from Alfredo Di Stéfano (1957, 1959) to Karim Benzema (2022)<sup>[5](https://as.com/futbol/primera/de-di-stefano-a-benzema-todos-los-jugadores-del-real-madrid-que-han-ganado-un-balon-de-oro-n/)</sup> |
| Six-time European champions (players) | After the 2024 final, Carvajal, Kroos, Nacho, and Modrić joined Paco Gento as the only players to win the European Cup six times<sup>[6](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2024/06/01/champions-league-record-breaking-madrid-wins-title-for-the-fifteenth-time_6673425_9.html)</sup> |
| Historical register | The club's official history section lists every first-team player alphabetically with his playing years, across 23 pages of entries<sup>[7](https://www.realmadrid.com/en-US/the-club/history/football/first-team/players?page=1)</sup> |

## Current squad (2026/27)

The official squad numbers published for the 2026/27 season are as follows.<sup>[2](https://as.com/futbol/ya-se-conocen-los-dorsales-oficiales-del-real-madrid-f202608-n/)</sup>

**Goalkeepers:** 1. Courtois; 13. Lunin.

**Defenders:** 2. Asencio; 3. E. Militão; 4. Huijsen; 12. Trent; 16. Konaté; 17. Cucurella; 18. Á. Carreras; 22. Rüdiger; 23. F. Mendy; 24. Dumfries.

**Midfielders:** 5. Bellingham; 6. Camavinga; 8. Valverde; 14. Tchouameni; 15. [Arda Güler](https://www.edgepedia.org/arda-guler); 20. Bernardo; 27. Thiago.

**Forwards:** 7. Vini Jr.; 9. Endrick; 10. Mbappé; 11. Rodrygo; 19. C. Espí; 21. Brahim; 25. [Yan Diomande](https://www.edgepedia.org/yan-diomande).

Three of these players arrived in the summer 2026 transfer window: [Bernardo Silva](https://www.edgepedia.org/bernardo-silva) joined from Manchester City on a free transfer on 3 August 2026, [Carlos Espí](https://www.edgepedia.org/carlos-espi) signed from [Levante UD](https://www.edgepedia.org/levante-ud) on 10 August 2026, and Yan Diomande transferred from RB Leipzig on 13 August 2026.<sup>[8](https://www.laliga.com/en-ES/clubs/real-madrid/transfers?webview=1)</sup> Two squad members changed numbers for the new season, with Raúl Asencio taking the number 2 shirt and Dean Huijsen the number 4, which freed 17 for Cucurella and 24 for Dumfries.<sup>[2](https://as.com/futbol/ya-se-conocen-los-dorsales-oficiales-del-real-madrid-f202608-n/)</sup>

In the early league matches of the season, Mbappé led the team with 7 goals and 24 shots, Vini Jr. led with 3 assists, and Valverde led with 392 passes.<sup>[9](https://www.laliga.com/en-GB/clubs/real-madrid/stats)</sup>

## The historical player register

The club maintains an official alphabetical register of every first-team player in its history, organized by surname initial from A to Z, with each entry giving the player's name and the years he was at the club.<sup>[7](https://www.realmadrid.com/en-US/the-club/history/football/first-team/players?page=1)</sup> The entries run from early-20th-century players to recent signings; the A page alone lists figures such as Adauto (1948–1953), Amancio (1962–1976), Amavisca (1994–1998), and Anelka (1999–2000), while the C page includes Casillas (1999–2015), Chendo (1982–1998), Ciriaco (1931–1936), Coentrão (2011–2017), and [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://www.edgepedia.org/cristiano-ronaldo) (2009–2018).<sup>[7](https://www.realmadrid.com/en-US/the-club/history/football/first-team/players?page=1)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[10](https://www.realmadrid.com/en-US/the-club/history/football/first-team/players?page=3)</sup>

## Most official appearances

Since the club's foundation in 1902, only 20 players have made more than 450 official appearances, and [Dani Carvajal](https://www.edgepedia.org/dani-carvajal), with 450 matches after 23 years at the club, stands 21st in the ranking, immediately ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo (438).<sup>[3](https://as.com/futbol/primera/cuantos-partidos-ha-jugado-carvajal-con-el-real-madrid-y-que-puesto-ocupa-en-el-ranking-madridista-f202605-n/)</sup> The published top 25 is:

| Rank | Player | Official matches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raúl | 741 |
| 2 | Iker Casillas | 725 |
| 3 | Manolo Sanchís | 710 |
| 4 | Sergio Ramos | 671 |
| 5 | Karim Benzema | 648 |
| 6 | Santillana | 645 |
| 7 | Fernando Hierro | 601 |
| 8 | Luka Modrić | 597 |
| 9 | Paco Gento | 596 |
| 10 | José Antonio Camacho | 577 |
| 11 | Pirri | 562 |
| 12 | Míchel | 559 |
| 13 | Marcelo | 546 |
| 14 | Guti | 542 |
| 15 | Roberto Carlos | 527 |
| 16 | Chendo | 497 |
| 17 | Amancio | 471 |
| 18 | Toni Kroos | 465 |
| 19 | Emilio Butragueño | 463 |
| 20 | Paco Buyo | 454 |
| 21 | Daniel Carvajal | 450 |
| 22 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 438 |
| 23 | Ignacio Zoco | 432 |
| 24 | Goyo Benito | 419 |
| 25 | Manuel Velázquez | 402 |

<sup>[3](https://as.com/futbol/primera/cuantos-partidos-ha-jugado-carvajal-con-el-real-madrid-y-que-puesto-ocupa-en-el-ranking-madridista-f202605-n/)</sup>

**Paco Gento** holds a separate longevity mark: he made his official debut on 13 September 1953, became the first player in club history to reach 600 official matches, and scored 182 goals for Real Madrid.<sup>[11](https://rm-spa-web-ssr-f5.internal.realmadrid.es/es-ES/noticias/club/actualidad/se-cumplen-73-anos-del-debut-de-gento-13-09-2026)</sup> After the 2024 Champions League final, Carvajal, Toni Kroos, [Nacho](https://www.edgepedia.org/nacho-footballer-born-1990), and [Luka Modrić](https://www.edgepedia.org/luka-modric) joined Gento as the only players to have won the European Cup six times.<sup>[6](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2024/06/01/champions-league-record-breaking-madrid-wins-title-for-the-fifteenth-time_6673425_9.html)</sup>

## Ballon d'Or winners

Eight players have won the Ballon d'Or while connected with the club, in a history the club itself describes as alternating years of abundance and drought, including a 41-year stretch without a winner.<sup>[5](https://as.com/futbol/primera/de-di-stefano-a-benzema-todos-los-jugadores-del-real-madrid-que-han-ganado-un-balon-de-oro-n/)</sup>

| Player | Winning editions |
|---|---|
| Alfredo Di Stéfano | 1957 and 1959 |
| Raymond Kopa | 1958 |
| Luís Figo | 2000 |
| Ronaldo | 2002 |
| Fabio Cannavaro | 2006 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017 |
| Luka Modrić | 2018 |
| Karim Benzema | 2022 |

<sup>[5](https://as.com/futbol/primera/de-di-stefano-a-benzema-todos-los-jugadores-del-real-madrid-que-han-ganado-un-balon-de-oro-n/)</sup>

Di Stéfano was the first Madrid player to win it, finishing second in the inaugural 1956 edition, won by [Stanley Matthews](https://www.edgepedia.org/stanley-matthews), before taking the 1957 award; Kopa won the next edition in 1958 and Di Stéfano won again in 1959.<sup>[5](https://as.com/futbol/primera/de-di-stefano-a-benzema-todos-los-jugadores-del-real-madrid-que-han-ganado-un-balon-de-oro-n/)</sup> Kopa's 1958 award made him the second Real Madrid player to win the Ballon d'Or.<sup>[12](https://www.si.com/soccer/best-real-madrid-players-of-all-time-ranked)</sup>

## Notable historical players

Several players from the register stand out for specific firsts. **Cristiano Ronaldo** (2009–2018) is the club's all-time top scorer with 451 goals.<sup>[4](https://theweek.com/sport/football/955312/lionel-messi-vs-cristiano-ronaldo-rivalry-all-time-goals-career-stats)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[10](https://www.realmadrid.com/en-US/the-club/history/football/first-team/players?page=3)</sup> **Olivares** (1931–1934), a center forward born in Son Servera, Mallorca, was the club's first league top scorer (pichichi) and a key figure in the 1932 and 1933 league titles, the first two the club won; he scored 11 goals in 13 league games in his first season and 15 in 14 the next.<sup>[13](https://as.com/futbol/2016/08/23/primera/1471912114_863240.html)</sup> **Marco Asensio**, who joined the first team from Zidane's squad, was the fifth Mallorcan in the club's history, after Olivares (1931–1934) and Guillermo Pont (1945–1952), a midfielder and center back born in [Palma de Mallorca](https://www.edgepedia.org/palma-de-mallorca) in 1921 who arrived from Atlético Baleares.<sup>[13](https://as.com/futbol/2016/08/23/primera/1471912114_863240.html)</sup>

The squad that won the club's 15th European Cup in 2024, beating [Borussia Dortmund](https://www.edgepedia.org/borussia-dortmund)'s opponents' era peers in the final at Wembley, added Carvajal, Kroos, Nacho, and Modrić to the six-time European Cup winners' list alongside Gento.<sup>[6](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2024/06/01/champions-league-record-breaking-madrid-wins-title-for-the-fifteenth-time_6673425_9.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[14](https://rm-spa-web-ssr-f5.internal.realmadrid.es/es-ES/el-club/historia/futbol/primer-equipo-masculino/cronologia)</sup>

## References

1. [Official staff of the Real Madrid 2026/27, LALIGA](https://www.laliga.com/en-ES/clubs/real-madrid/squad)
2. [Ya se conocen los dorsales oficiales del Real Madrid, AS](https://as.com/futbol/ya-se-conocen-los-dorsales-oficiales-del-real-madrid-f202608-n/)
3. [¿Cuántos partidos ha jugado Carvajal con el Real Madrid y qué puesto ocupa en el ranking madridista?, AS](https://as.com/futbol/primera/cuantos-partidos-ha-jugado-carvajal-con-el-real-madrid-y-que-puesto-ocupa-en-el-ranking-madridista-f202605-n/)
4. [Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo: how they compare on goals, stats and World Cup records, The Week](https://theweek.com/sport/football/955312/lionel-messi-vs-cristiano-ronaldo-rivalry-all-time-goals-career-stats)
5. [De Di Stéfano a Benzema: todos los jugadores del Real Madrid que han ganado un Balón de Oro, AS](https://as.com/futbol/primera/de-di-stefano-a-benzema-todos-los-jugadores-del-real-madrid-que-han-ganado-un-balon-de-oro-n/)
6. [Champions League: Record-breaking Real Madrid wins title for 15th time, Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2024/06/01/champions-league-record-breaking-madrid-wins-title-for-the-fifteenth-time_6673425_9.html)
7. [Football History – Players, Real Madrid CF official website](https://www.realmadrid.com/en-US/the-club/history/football/first-team/players?page=1)
8. [Latest signings of the Real Madrid, LALIGA](https://www.laliga.com/en-ES/clubs/real-madrid/transfers?webview=1)
9. [Leaders and General Statistics of the Real Madrid, LALIGA](https://www.laliga.com/en-GB/clubs/real-madrid/stats)
10. [Football History – Players (page 3), Real Madrid CF official website](https://www.realmadrid.com/en-US/the-club/history/football/first-team/players?page=3)
11. [Se cumplen 73 años del debut de Gento, Real Madrid CF official website](https://rm-spa-web-ssr-f5.internal.realmadrid.es/es-ES/noticias/club/actualidad/se-cumplen-73-anos-del-debut-de-gento-13-09-2026)
12. [The 30 Best Real Madrid Players of All Time—Ranked, Sports Illustrated](https://www.si.com/soccer/best-real-madrid-players-of-all-time-ranked)
13. [Asensio: Quinto mallorquín en la historia del Madrid, AS](https://as.com/futbol/2016/08/23/primera/1471912114_863240.html)
14. [Cronología del Primer equipo masculino de fútbol, Real Madrid CF official website](https://rm-spa-web-ssr-f5.internal.realmadrid.es/es-ES/el-club/historia/futbol/primer-equipo-masculino/cronologia)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › Teams and sporting organizations › Football clubs of continental Europe and Israel › Spanish and Portuguese football clubs*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*

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