5 Players Who Have Played For Both Borussia Dortmund & Real Madrid

Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid will play the biggest game on the club soccer calendar, the UEFA Champions League final, at Wembley Stadium on June 1.

Both teams have bested some formidable teams to reach the final. While Dortmund got the better of PSV Eindhoven, Atletico Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the three consecutive knockout rounds, Real Madrid overcame RB Leipzig, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich. This weekend, Dortmund and Madrid will meet for the first time in a UEFA Champions League final, and it is difficult to predict which way this game will go.

As we wait for the all-important showdown on June 1, let us take a look at five players who have represented both clubs in their careers. Here are the only five players in recorded history who have played for Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid:

#5 Christoph Metzelder

Kicking things off is former center-back Christoph Metzelder. The former Germany international joined Borussia Dortmund from Pr. Munster in the summer of 2000. He quickly established himself as a regular at Dortmund, going on to make 158 appearances in the following seven years. His heroics helped Dortmund to the 2001-02 Bundesliga title.

After his successful run at Dortmund, Metzelder joined Real Madrid. He, however, could not hack it in the Spanish capital, leaving for FC Schalke 04 after three underwhelming seasons. He played just 31 times for Los Blancos, claiming an assist.

#4 Nuri Sahin

A product of Borussia Dortmund’s youth academy, Nuri Sahin represented the senior team for two seasons between July 2005 and July 2007. In that stretch, he played 49 times in all competitions, scoring once and providing seven assists. Sahin was seemingly not satisfied with the minutes he was getting and joined Feyenoord on a loan, which lasted for three seasons.

Upon returning in the summer of 2011, the former Turkish midfielder made a highly anticipated switch to Real Madrid. Unfortunately for him, then-coach Jose Mourinho did not depend on him and fielded him only 10 times across the 2011-12 season.

After a disappointing debut campaign in Madrid, Sahin spent half a season on loan at Liverpool before joining Dortmund, initially on loan and then permanently. He was at Dortmund until the end of the 2017-18 season, recording 25 goals and 42 assists in 225 games.

#3 Achraf Hakimi

Graduating from Real Madrid’s academy, Moroccan right-back Achraf Hakimi earned his first-team contract in the summer of 2017. However, with Daniel Carvajal ruling the right-flank, Hakimi could not become a regular in the starting XI. So, after spending only one season at Madrid, during which he played 17 games, Hakimi joined Borussia Dortmund on a two-season loan.

Hakimi returned to Real Madrid at the end of the 2019-20 season, having clocked 12 goals and 17 assists in 73 matches for the German side. Los Blancos, however, were still not ready to bet on him and sold him to Inter Milan for a €43 million ($46.66 million) fee.

#2 Flavio Conceicao

Real Madrid signed Flavio Conceicao for a hefty €25 million ($27.13 million) fee from Deportivo La Coruna in July 2000. The midfielder spent three years in the Spanish capital, but could not become a regular. He scored twice in 74 games before joining Borussia Dortmund on loan ahead of the 2003-04 season.

Conceicao struggled for game time in Germany as well, managing to play only 16 matches in 2003-04. He returned to Madrid from his loan in the summer of 2004 before leaving Galatasaray on a free transfer.

#1 Jude Bellingham

At the summit sits Jude Bellingham, who spent three seasons at Borussia Dortmund before pledging allegiance to Real Madrid last summer. Joining from Birmingham City in July 2020, Bellingham played 132 games for the Bundesliga outfit in all competitions, scoring 24 times and providing 25 assists.

Bellingham, who switched to Madrid for a whooping €103 million ($111.81 million) fee last summer, is enjoying an explosive debut campaign in Spain. The 20-year-old, who has been chosen as La Liga’s Player of the Season, has played 41 games for the club in all competitions so far, scoring 23 times and providing 12 assists. He has already won the La Liga title and the Supercopa de Espana. It will be interesting to see if he can wrap his debut campaign up in style by winning the UEFA Champions League as well.