Record 15-time European champions Real Madrid are the most celebrated club in soccer history. Almost every player worth their salt dreams of playing there, but only the very best get the invitation to join them.
On July 16, Kylian Mbappe fulfilled his dream of becoming a Real Madrid player. The former Paris Saint-Germain forward got a grand reception, with over 80,000 Real Madrid fans coming to greet him. The Frenchman thanked the fans and the club for such a warm welcome and vouched to give his life for the badge.
Mbappe will inherit the No. 9 jersey from his countryman Karim Benzema in the 2024-25 season, following in the footsteps of his hero, Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo also sported the number in his debut season at Real Madrid before moving to his iconic No. 7. Due to his short run, he did not get the chance to become one of the greatest No. 9s in Real Madrid history.
We are unsure if Mbappe will keep the number or switch like his idol. However, if he does, he will have to match up to some of the best in soccer history to have a shot of making the all-time list.
Continue reading to meet the finest No. 9s Real Madrid have had the privilege of fielding:
#5 Ronaldo Nazario (2003/04–2006/07)
On the deadline day of the 2002-03 summer transfer window, Real Madrid secured Ronaldo Nazario’s services from Serie A giants Inter Milan. Madridistas were overjoyed with the signing, as the club had not only signed one of the top No. 9s in history but also a former Barcelona star.
Ronaldo, initially wearing the No. 11 jersey, wreaked havoc on the opposition, scoring stellar goals left, right, and center. The 2002 FIFA World Cup winner scored 23 La Liga goals in his debut campaign at Madrid, firing his new club to the title. He also scored in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Olimpia in the Continental Cup. Ronaldo scored 24 goals in the Spanish top flight in his first season as the club’s No. 9, but Los Blancos fell short in the title race.
The Brazil icon left Real Madrid for AC Milan in January 2007, having amassed 103 goals and 35 assists for the club in 177 games across competitions.
#4 Ivan Zamorano (1992/93–1995/96)
Chile legend Ivan Zamorano operated as Real Madrid’s No. 9 for three seasons between 1992-93 and 1995-96. Inhering the number from the legendary Hugo Sanchez, Zamorano had massive boots to fill. However, he did not crumble under the pressure and cemented his own legacy.
Zamorano scored 26 goals in La Liga in his debut campaign, emerging as one of the best players in the division. He could not fire Los Blancos to the Spanish top-flight title, but his six strikes in four Copa del Rey games helped Madrid to the cup. Zamorano enjoyed his finest campaign in Real Madrid colors in the 1994-95 season. He scored a staggering 28 times in 38 matches, sealing Real Madrid’s first La Liga title in five seasons. Before leaving for Inter Milan at the end of the 1995-96 season, Zamorano scored 101 goals in 173 matches for Los Merengues in all competitions.
#3 Hugo Sanchez (1985/86–1991/92)
Widely regarded as the finest Mexican player in history, Hugo Sanchez was the best No.9 in the world for seven seasons between 1985-86 and 1991-92. Sanchez’s game-reading was second to none, he attacked the space better than anyone else, and his finishing was simply sublime. When Sanchez picked up the ball in a dangerous area, there was generally only one outcome.
Sanchez played 268 matches for Real Madrid in seven seasons. He scored a sensational 199 times and provided 42 assists, attaining a goal involvement rate of 0.899/game — the highest on this list. His heroics propelled Real Madrid to five consecutive La Liga titles between 1985-86 and 1989-90, one Copa del Rey, one UEFA Cup, and four Supercopas de Espana. Sanchez finished as the top scorer in La Liga on five occasions. His best performance came in 1989-90, during which he scored 38 times in 35 games.
#2 Karim Benzema (2010/11–2022/23)
The longest-serving No. 9 in Real Madrid history, Karim Benzema sported the iconic number for 13 long seasons between 2010-11 and 2022-23. Like Ronaldo Nazario, Benzema also started with No. 11 before transitioning to No. 9.
Benzema is one of the most decorated players in the history of this great club. During his stay at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, the Frenchman won every trophy there is to win, including five UEFA Champions League trophies, four La Liga titles, and five FIFA Club World Cups.
Between 2009 and 2018, the Al-Ittihad star played a supporting role to Cristiano Ronaldo, who was in the form of his life. After Ronaldo’s departure, Benzema became the center-piece of Real Madrid’s attack. He scored spectacular goals and provided stunning assists before leaving for Al-Ittihad in 2023, helping the club to a UEFA Champions League trophy and two La Liga titles in five years.
Overall, Benzema played 648 games for the Merengues, scoring a mammoth 354 times and providing 165 assists.
#1 Alfredo di Stefano (1955/56–1959/60; 1961/62; 1963/64)
Easily the most important player of Real Madrid’s storied history, ‘Don’ Alfredo di Stefano, created an unreplicable legacy wearing the No. 9 jersey. He was the one who put Real Madrid on the global map, made them a household name. Under his tutelage, Los Blancos became an unstoppable force, shattering any team that dared to stand in their way.
Wearing the pristine white No. 9 shirt, Di Stefano fired Los Blancos to five consecutive European Cups (now the Champions League) between 1955-56 and 1959-60. He also made Real Madrid the dominant force in Spain, taking them to eight La Liga titles between 1953 and 1964. The Argentina-born attacker played 363 matches for Real Madrid in his career, scoring 278 times.
Stefano, who famously said “Real Madrid is a feeling”, has a stadium named after him in Real Madrid Sports City. The Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium is currently used by Real Madrid’s Castilla and Femenino teams.
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