Ranking the best 5 Spanish footballers who have never played in the Premier League
The Premier League, being arguably the most exciting among the top five leagues, has seen many legends grace the English top flight with their presence. The Premier League has continued to rise to new heights since entering the scene in 1992. Due to the excitement surrounding it, the Premier League has generated record viewership and bagged lucrative TV deals over the years.
The rise of Spain as a superpower in football since 2008 saw many world beaters dominate the biggest stages of world football. Spain's golden generation bagged two consecutive EURO cups and a World Cup in the span of four years which made the world sit up and take notice of their dominance. Many Spanish legends have dominated the biggest stages of club football over the years.
Playing in the Premier League is a dream come true for many, yet there are some Spanish superstars who have never featured in the Premier League.
Let's take a look at
Top 5 Spanish players to have never played in the Premier League.
#5 Raul Gonzalez Blanco
Popularly known as 'El Angel de Madrid', Raul will always be remembered as one of the best Spanish strikers of all time. Raul's career at Real Madrid was nothing short of legendary as he went on to win 16 trophies in 16 seasons with the club.
Raul rose up in the ranks of Atletico Madrid when he was just a teenager but soon moved to Real Madrid. Raul made an immediate impact with Real Madrid's 'C' squad and was handed first team debut when he was just 17 years old in 1994.
Since then, Raul's importance with the Spanish giants was never in doubt as managers and 'Galacticos' came and went. Raul helped Real Madrid win three UEFA Champions League titles, among other trophies, in his 16 seasons with the club before moving to Schalke.
Raul scored in the two finals of the UEFA Champions League and currently sits second on the all-time top scorer list in Spain and in Real Madrid's history. It is unfortunate that he didn't feature in the Premier League.
#4 Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos, one of the all-time great defenders of the game, recently joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer from Real Madrid. Ramos was the first Spanish signing of president Florentino Perez in 2005 as the gutsy defender of Seville looked tailor-made for Los Blancos.
#opta |
Only Lionel Messi (383) has won more games in #LaLiga history than Sergio Ramos (334, same as Iker Casillas). https://t.co/cEGPc1fP0b
After moving from Sevilla, Sergio Ramos quickly took charge of Real Madrid's defense. The initial years were difficult for the Spaniard but he kept proving his worth in the big stages with age and experience.
Ramos' career in the Spanish capital was not short of controversy. The former Real Madrid captain holds the record for most red cards in the Spanish top flight. But he has also amassed a whopping 22 trophies with the club, including four Champions League titles during his 16 year tenure.
Only two players in history have scored more goals in the Champions League finals than Ramos. Also, nobody else has captained Los Blancos to three Champions League titles except Ramos. His 92nd minute equalizer against rivals Atletico Madrid in the 2014 final is something which will be forever etched in the memory of Madridistas.
There is still time for Sergio Ramos to feature in the Premier League but it is highly unlikely due to his age.