The 27 best players in the history of Atlético de Madrid

The mattress team was founded on April 26, 1903 as Athletic Club de Madrid. Great players have passed through their ranks, becoming authentic myths.

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updated to

February 25, 2022
a forest 23:11 CET

Jorge Griffa

In 1959 he arrived in the Spanish League to play with Atlético de Madrid, and would win the Copa del Generalísimo, a trophy remembered for being the first Cup title in Atlético’s history. He would be until 1969 with two more Cups and a League, in his record.

Henry Necklace

Trained in the lower categories, he debuted with Atleti in the First Division in the 1953-1954 season. The following campaign he is transferred, this time to Real Murcia in Second. He would not finish the season, since he is claimed by Atlético de Madrid, in which he would remain uninterruptedly until 1969. His record as a rojiblanco includes a Recopa, a League and three Cups. He played a total of 16 games with the National Team, scoring five goals.

Adelardo

In June 1959, Atlético de Madrid played a friendly tournament in Badajoz, and days later, he signed for the rojiblanco club. He would remain until 1976, playing a total of 585 official matches (401 in the League) and scoring 113 goals (73 in the League). Even today he is the player who has worn the Atleti shirt in the most games in all of history. In his record he has three League titles, five Cup titles, one European Cup Winners’ Cup (1962), Atlético de Madrid’s first international title, and one Intercontinental Cup (1975). After retiring from football, he played for Inter Futsal with which he managed to win the first official tournament organized by the Spanish Football Federation in this modality.

Luis Aragones

In 1964 he joined Atlético de Madrid, where he would remain until 1974. With the mattress team he won two Cups in 1965 and 1972, three Leagues in 1966, 1970 and 1973, and individually the Pichichi Trophy in 1970. As coach he went through the club in four stages: 1974-1980, 1982-1987, 1991-1993 and 2001-2003, winning three Copas del Rey (1976, 1985 and 1992), a League in 1977 and a Spanish Super Cup in 1985. In his last stage , which the club played in the Second Division, would win the League title in 2002 and be promoted to the First Division.

watch out

Circumstantially born in Argentina, the Spanish striker developed his career at Atlético since 1966, from Sociedad Deportiva Indauchu. He would retire in 1977 with three League titles (1969-1970, 1972-1973 and 1976-1977 seasons), two King’s Cups (1972 and 1976), an Intercontinental Cup in 1974, and three Pichichi Trophies (1968-1969 season, 1969-1970 and 1970-1971) in his record.

Luiz Pereira

In 1975 he arrived at Atlético de Madrid, where he would stay until 1980. He played a total of 143 games in the First Division, scoring 14 goals. With Atleti he would win a Copa del Rey in 1976 and a League in the following season (1976-1977).

Dirceu

The jump to Europe of the Brazilian took place in 1979 to Atlético de Madrid. In the mattress team he would pronounce his famous phrase: “I give balls and they give me back watermelons” in reference to his teammates from the America of Mexico, where he came from. He left Atlético at the end of the 1981-1982 season.

Paulo Futre

In 1987 he arrived at Atlético de Madrid with whom he would be linked until 1993, and would return in the 1997-1998 season. He left for Yokohama Flugels in Japan to retire from football in 1999. The Portuguese played a total of 173 games in the First Division, scoring 38 goals. In his record he has two Copas del Rey and a League runner-up at Atlético de Madrid. After his retirement, he would return to the team as sports director, a position he held until 2003.

Sergio Aguero

The Argentine joined the ranks of Atlético de Madrid in 2006, where he would remain until 2011, where he won the Europa League and the European Super Cup in 2010, in addition to other individual awards.

Thibaut Courtois

The Belgian was loaned by Chelsea to Atlético de Madrid until the end of the 2011-12 season. He would remain on loan until the 2013-2014 season. In his record with the mattress team he has a Copa del Rey (2013) and a League (2014), in addition to individually winning the Zamora Trophy in 2013 and 2014.

Fernando Torres

The importance of Fernando Torres lies in the symbolic nature of his appearance, a breath of hope and fresh air in the most turbulent period in the club’s history. At the beginning of 2015, he returned to his love club…

Leivinha

(1975-1979) Striker of a very high level who arrived in Spain together with Luiz Pereira. He amazed at the Vicente Calderón thanks to his bicycles and his header. Elegance and goal. He is the uncle of Lazio midfielder Lucas Leiva.

Diego Godin

Diego Godín (2010-…) He arrived without making too much noise from Villarreal and ended up confirming himself as one of the best central defenders in the world. One of the key pieces of Atlético de Simeone and a wall for the rivals. For the memory, his goal at the Camp Nou that gave the club the league title.

Larbi Ben Barek

(1948-1954) La Perla Negra arrived at Atleti in his thirties and ended up becoming one of the most talented footballers to ever wear the red and white shirt.

Simeone

Diego Pablo Simeone (1994-97 and 2003-05) Midfielder of struggle and arrival not without technique. He was the soul of Atlético that won the Double in 1995-96. He returned to the team as coach and has managed to form a legendary squad thanks to hard work and perseverance. He is one of the great symbols in the history of Atlético.

Escudero

(1945-58) Top scorer in the history of Atlético de Madrid with 150 goals. Member of the two great rojiblancas strikers of the time, the silk one and the crystal one. Escudero scored goals during his thirteen years as an offensive reference for Atlético.

Radamel Falcao

(2011-2013) Scorer and opportunist striker, it took a short time to win over the mattress fans and was the undisputed star of the Europa League and the 2012 European Super Cup and the 2013 Cup.

Feliciano Rivilla

(1958-68). Long-distance right side. Rivilla would remain for ten seasons in the Madrid team, with which he won a League and three Generalissimo Cups, as well as the first of the international titles of the mattress winner: the 1962 European Cup Winners’ Cup.

Jose Armando Ufarte

(1964-74) Born in Galicia but raised in Brazil. Skilled striker who came after triumphing at Flamengo. 10 years full of goals and successes.

Joaquin Peiro

(1955-62) Together with Collar, he formed the ‘Infernal Wing’ of Atlético de Madrid for years. Nicknamed ‘El Galgo del Metropolitano’, Joaquín Peiró won practically everything and was finally transferred to Calcio due to the club’s financial problems.

Diego Forlan

The player born in Montevideo was in the rojIblanco team from 2007 to 2010, being decisive in the squad for the achievement of the UEFA Europa League and the European Super Cup in 2010. In addition, in the 2008 – 2009 season he managed to rise with the Golden Boot wearing the Atlético de Madrid shirt.

Alfonso Aparicio

The central defender was at Atlético de Madrid from 1939 to 1952, playing a total of 12 seasons as a mattress player and achieving 4 Leagues, being the only historical player to reach that figure. He, together with Lozano and Riera, formed what became known as the ‘Iron Curtain’.

Caminero

(1993-98) The brilliant midfielder became Atleti’s attacking playmaker in his time. To remember him, his dribbling over Nadal the year that Atleti won the League and Cup double (1995-96).

Madinabeytia

Edgardo Mario Madinabeytia (1958-67) Argentine goalkeeper of Basque origin. He arrived at Atlético after triumphing in the Argentine Hurricane. He held the record for most minutes without conceding by going 794 minutes unbeaten.

Isacio Calleja

(1958-72). period defense. Regular starter with the Spanish National Team. At Atlético he played 424 official matches. With the rojiblanco team he won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1962 against Fiorentina, the club’s first continental title. Throughout his career, Calleja won four Generalissimo Cups and two League titles (1965/66 and 1969/70).

Antoine Griezmann

The striker signed for Atlético in 2014 from Real Sociedad. The French player has been growing as a player under Simeone. To date, he has won a Spanish Super Cup (14/15), a Europa League (17/18) and a European Super Cup (2018). He currently plays for FC Barcelona

Jan Oblak

The Slovenian goalkeeper arrived at Atleti in 2014 for six seasons. Since his debut he has been the goalkeeper in his own right, to a large extent he has been a fundamental part of the growth of the rojiblancos in recent years. Without a doubt, he is one of the best goalkeepers in its history. To date, he has won a Spanish Super Cup (14/15), a Europa League (17/18) and a European Super Cup (2018).