Some of the greatest players to ever don a white shirt played with the number 10 on their back for Real Madrid.
Following the departure of Luka Modrić at the end of the 2024–25 season, Real Madrid’s No. 10 is up for grabs for the first time in eight years. The Croatian is the latest in a long line of star midfielders to don the iconic shirt for the Spanish giants.
The shirt has also gone to great forwards and defenders as well, making it one of the club’s most highly sought after numbers year after year. The expectations of playing in a white shirt are high enough, but wearing the No. 10 adds a whole different type of pressure.
While some failed to play to the shirt’s standards, there are five players who built and furthered the legacy of the number 10 at Real Madrid.
5. Mesut Ozil
Mesut Özil inherited the No. 10 shirt from Lassana Diarra when he joined Real Madrid in 2010. In just three seasons in the Spanish capital, the German international tallied 27 goals and a staggering 80 assists.
The midfielder created magic with the ball at his feet, always looking to pick out one of the superstars that made up Real Madrid’s frontline. Özil played unselfishly, delivering assist after assist to Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuaín.
Özil was the most underrated player of Real Madrid’s 2011–12 La Liga-winning campaign in which the Spanish giants secured 100 points and scored 121 goals. The role he played in the team’s record-breaking season earns him a spot as one of Los Blancos’ best to play with the number 10 on his back.
4. Clarence Seedorf
Clarence Seedorf was already a champion before he came to Real Madrid and he continued his winning ways with the Spanish giants. The Dutchman added a La Liga title to his trophy cabinet in his first season with Los Blancos, a European Cup in his second season and an Intercontinental Cup in his third and final season in a white shirt.
The former Ajax standout played with a physical, strong edge that was a departure from the artistic flare of the previous midfielders to don the No. 10. Still, Seedorf left it all on the pitch every time he played, winning the hearts of Madridistas across the globe.
Along with his defensive brilliance, Seedorf also contributed to the attack when called upon. The midfielder ended his three-year stint at Real Madrid with 55 goal contributions across all competitions.
3. Luis Figo
It takes a special kind of player to represent both Barcelona and Real Madrid and still be held in such high regard. When Luís Figo made the move from Catalonia to the Spanish capital in 2000, he became the club’s record signing at the time, ultimately kicking off the Galacticos era.
Even on a team with Raúl and Zinedine Zidane, Figo was so often the linchpin in Real Madrid’s victories. The Portuguese icon’s dazzling assists and ability to dribble past just about anyone propelled him into an elite group of Real Madrid greats despite only spending five years at the club.
Figo’s leadership also helped Los Blancos claim seven trophies during his tenure, including two La Liga titles and the 2002 Champions League title. The midfielder is only one of eight players to ever win the Ballon d’Or as a Real Madrid player.
2. Ferenc Puskas
It comes as no surprise Ferenc Puskás has an award named after him. The forward is one of the best goalscorers not only to ever represent Real Madrid, but to play the sport.
Puskás scored 242 goals in 262 appearances for Los Blancos, making him the team’s sixth leading goalscorer of all time. Every player that stands above him in the club’s rankings, though, made hundreds more appearances than the Hungarian.
The international superstar’s lethal prowess in front of goal helped Real Madrid win three European Cups. Puskás shined the brightest when the pressure was at its highest; the international superstar found the back of the net seven times in European Cup finals, the most by any player in history. He also is the only player to ever score four goals in a European Cup or Champions League final.
1. Luka Modric
Modrić stands alone as the best Real Madrid player to own the number 10. The Croatian accomplished all there is to accomplish in the sport while wearing a white shirt.
The midfielder’s trophy cabinet alone makes every argument for his spot in our ranking. Modrić won 28 trophies with Los Blancos, the most by a single player in club history. Among the silverware are a record-six Champions League titles, four La Liga trophies and a Ballon d’Or.
Beyond the titles, Modrić’s class and quality on the pitch is generational. From his majestic passing and his seemingly effortless set piece deliveries to his ability to dictate the tempo of any match against any opponent, the 39-year-old cemented his legacy as the best central midfielder in Real Madrid history.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Best Real Madrid Players to Wear Number 10—Ranked.
