The Real Madrid has lived in the last 25 years one of the most successful stages in its history. They have won, among other things, seven Champions League and eight leagues. In addition, it is a time marked by the great legends who have stepped on the Bernabéu. Iron, Raul, Boxes or Christian they have taken the whites to the top. The last to do it Zidane, which he already did as a player and repeated as a coach. However, the Frenchman and the rest of the myths share the bitter memory of having left through the back door of Madrid.
Michel (1996)
The exquisite winger raised in the white quarry left in 1996 under the presidency of Lorenzo Sanz. After 15 years in the first team and after many controversies with coaches and fans, Míchel put an end to his career at Madrid in a match with Mérida. It was in a soulless Santiago Bernabéu and with the League already lost. For the memory will be the gesture of the footballer kissing the grass with tears in his eyes before being substituted. His farewell message could be read in the official club magazine. He went to Atlético Celaya, a Mexican team, to play alongside his former teammates Hugo Sánchez and Emilio Butragueño.
Vicente del Bosque (2003)
One day after lifting the twenty-ninth league, Real Madrid announced that it would not renew the contract to Vicente del Bosque, one of the most successful coaches in the history of the club if we average titles by directed matches and an institution for many years in the factory. It was a decision that aroused the ire of Real Madrid and the dressing room, which was revealed against the board at the dinner known as 'the Txistu mutiny'. The players, related to the coach, initially refused to offer the league cup at the town hall, although they eventually came. Many of them asked to leave that summer. Since then, the relationship between Del Bosque and Real Madrid has been completely broken.
Fernando Hierro (2003)
The one who was captain of Real Madrid at that time (he had lifted the eighth and ninth Champions League) was the one who led the opposition to Del Bosque's departure in the locker room. He had a strong confrontation with Florentino Pérez the day he won the League that ended with the central struck down shortly after. He could not say goodbye to Madrid, not even with a press conference. Like Del Bosque, he has not had any relationship with the white team.
Raúl (2010)
One of the most important myths in the history of Real Madrid ended up leaving the club at its demand after 16 years. The appearance of new stars such as Cristiano or Benzema relegated him to the bench and the club decided to start a new project without him. His farewell was limited to an act in the Bernabéu box and a press conference. “It could have been better …”, he said about it years later in an interview with Panenka magazine. He went to Schalke where he left an indelible mark and was there if he left in the best way, with the stadium full and with his family. Madrid corrected their mistake with a tribute match at the Bernabéu in 2013.
Guti (2010)
José María Gutiérrez 'Guti', one of the most important talents in the history of the white quarry, left Madrid after 24 years at the club and 15 in the first team. He already warned in the middle of the season that his intention was to live new experiences in other leagues and Mourinho, who came to the bench that year, did not give him the opportunity to back down. In his case, he only had an emotional press conference with Jorge Valdano and some of the titles he won.
Casillas (2015)
After several convulsive seasons, led by the loss of prominence in the team and criticism from Real Madrid, Casillas and Real Madrid parted ways after 25 years together. The goalkeeper had an act and a subsequent press conference that is already in the history of the white team. He left alone, without the accompaniment of anyone from the club and collapsed before the press on several occasions. He did not enjoy a farewell match and not even a tribute from the Bernabéu in their last match. “We were both wrong,” he acknowledged years later in an interview in South America. After his retirement in 2019, the club wanted to patch up that mistake and offered him to work at its Foundation.
Christian (2018)
The top scorer in the history of Madrid left after winning his fourth Champions in white and cheered by the Bernabéu in the celebration of it. He communicated it in a surprising way after the final against Liverpool. An exit motivated by the lack of affection that he perceived from the club. After leading one of the most successful generations in white history, he left without a press conference or tribute party. Just a letter written by him on the club's website.
Zidane (2021)
Zizou if he left with greatness as a player cheered by the Bernabéu after a match against Villarreal. However, in his second stage as a coach he is angry with part of the club that, as he has told in the letter published by AS, has not supported him. He reported his departure on a Wednesday and it was made official on a Thursday without a press conference, something he did after leaving the bench for the first time. Although he shows great affection for Madridismo and the president, Florentino Pérez, his words make it clear that his departure is not the one desired by a myth like him.