Top 10 Galacticos signed by Florentino Perez at Real Madrid
There aren't many more recognisable transfer policies in football than Real Madrid's Galacticos. Masterminded by club president Florentino Perez, the Galactico era began in the early 2000s and saw Real Madrid assemble a squad filled with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Every summer, superstar names from all over the continent were brought to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu to play alongside other big-name players.
While the Real Madrid president was not the first senior figure to try and create such a team, his attempt at doing so arguably saw the biggest names in world football play under one roof.
Real Madrid's two distinct Galactico eras under Perez
The first era between 2000 and 2006 perhaps didn't bring as much success on the pitch as Perez would have hoped for, as they won two league titles and a UEFA Champions League, among other honours.
Perez's second Galactico era, which kickstarted in 2009, saw them create a side that enjoyed immense success as they won LaLiga Santander thrice, Copa del Rey twice, and the UCL a staggering four times.
With their current squad filled with aging stars and players and those whose powers have begun to wane, the 74-year-old president has another great revamp to oversee at Real Madrid. Regardless of whether Perez will look to buy several high-profile stars once again, the Galacticos policy has brought great recognition and success to the record champions of Spain and Europe.
Here, we take a look at the best Galactico signings made by Florentino Perez across both his spells as Real Madrid president.
#10 David Beckham | €35m, Manchester United
Kicking off the list is English superstar David Beckham, who moved to the Santiago Bernabeu for a massive €35m in 2003. The former England captain played a pivotal role in Manchester United's success on both domestic and continental fronts, helping them win their first European treble.
While he might not have possessed the level of gifted technical ability of the likes of Ronaldo Nazario or Zinedine Zidane, Beckham was still an incredible player in his own right. Although he was seen as a stylistic misfit for the Blancos at the time, Beckham was the archetype of a mid-2000s global superstar. This was emphasised by Perez, who said who during upon signing Beckham,
"He [David Beckham] is a man of our times and a symbol of modern-day stardom. And what is certain is Real Madrid have signed Beckham because he's a great footballer and a very dedicated professional."
Widely regarded as one of the most iconic and globally recognizable footballers of the century, Beckham went on to play for Real Madrid on 159 occasions, setting up 51 and scoring 20. The English star didn't have a particularly great time in the Spanish capital, at least in comparison to others on this list, but he did win LaLiga with them in the 2006/07 campaign.
#9 Luis Figo | €62m, Barcelona
In many ways, Luis Figo's controversial purchase from arch-rivals Barcelona is regarded as the transfer that kickstarted the first Galacticos era at Real Madrid. The Portuguese superstar was one of the best players in world football at the time, but matters got ugly after newly-appointed Blancos chief Perez triggered his release cause of €62m at the Nou Camp.
Then-Barcelona president Joan Gaspart had to choose between selling Figo to Real Madrid or paying an enormous fee to keep him at the Nou Camp as a penalty as his release clause was triggered. The saga led to the winger becoming Real Madrid's first Galactico under Perez, and over two decades later, Figo is still considered one of Los Blancos' most successful foreign players.
Figo had to endure an enormous wave of criticism for crossing the divide, with Barcelona supporters physically attacking their former player by throwing projectiles at him during the El Clasicos of the early-2000s.
Overall, the winger won two LaLiga titles and a UEFA Champions League, among other major honours at the Santiago Bernabeu. He played 245 games for Real Madrid, scoring 56 goals and assisting 93 during his time at the club.
#8 Gareth Bale | Tottenham Hotspur, €100m
Real Madrid made Gareth Bale the most expensive player in world football when they smashed the transfer record previously held by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2013. The Welshman was arguably the most in-demand forward in Europe after a stunning few campaigns in North London, when Real Madrid beat Manchester United to the Welsh superstar's signature.
Purely in terms of impact, Bale proved himself to be one of the best big-money signings made by the club. From his iconic winning goal in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona to his breathtaking cameo against Liverpool in the UCL final, the Welshman has produced several moments of magic for the Blancos. Only Cristiano Ronaldo (four) has scored more goals in UCL finals than Bale's three.
However, things turned sour very quickly at Real Madrid between Bale and Zinedine Zidane, who unceremoniously froze the Welshman out of his plans. While he's still on their books, Bale is currently on loan at Tottenham Hotspur, and his future is still up in the air.
Bale won four UCLs, two LaLiga titles, and a host of other major honours at the Santiago Bernabeu. The 31-year-old scored 105 times and set up 68 goals for Real Madrid.
Also read: 5 Transfers that dramatically changed the fortunes of a club