Whenever the “Galácticos” stepped onto the turf, the opponents knew immediately that they didn’t stand a chance. Why? Because the players who were part of this famous group were not only the most expensive ones at the time (the 2000s and 2010s) but also the most talented. Real Madrid spared no expense to bring them to the club but it was worth it: their contribution to the club’s results was stellar.
Now, Real plans to assemble another supergroup of players which will, once again, bend the betting odds from Vwin and beyond into their favor.
The New Galácticos
Spain’s most successful football club – Real Madrid holds the record for the most Champions League / Europa League victories (13) and the most La Liga titles (34) – is planning to create the best squad money can buy – literally. The club plans to sign world-class players Kylian Mbappé (currently at PSG), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), and Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) to the club who will join Eden Hazard, Luka Modrić, and Gareth Bale on the turf. All three of the prospective new arrivals at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium have uncertain futures at their current clubs, giving Real a better chance to sign them.
Apparently, Real plans to sign a pre-contract with Mbappé in January – the player’s contract with PSG expires in the summer of 2022. Pogba is also in the final year of his contract with Manchester United, and while he did stress that he feels great with the Red Devils, he has in the past expressed his desire to leave the misty Albion for the sunny shores of Spain. And while Haaland’s contract with Borussia doesn’t expire until 2024 (and he plans to stay with the team until it expires), he can probably be convinced by Real to reconsider.
Who were the ‘old’ Galácticos?
“Galácticos” is a transfer policy first introduced by Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabéu in the 1950s. He signed multiple football stars like Ferenc Puskás and Raymond Kopa, which resulted in 12 La Liga titles and 6 European Cup victories in the following years.
Current Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez revived this policy at the beginning of his tenure in 2000, signing at least one galáctico (as in a high-profile player with a large transfer fee) each year. His first signing was Luís Figo for €62 million ($73.5 million today), followed by Zinedine Zidane for €75 million in the next. After three successful seasons, though, the team declined. The second galáctico “era” had an even longer list of football stars, including Kaká (signed in 2009 for €75 million), Ronaldo (€94 million), and Gareth Bale (€100 million) among others, many of whom are still with the club. Pérez’s spending spree has resulted in increasingly good results for the team, including the performance of winning the Champions League for three seasons in a row.