5 world-class players Real Madrid missed out on

Real Madrid are arguably at the top of every young player's wishlist. The Spanish giants have made the world of football their own ever since being formed in 1902. With 13 Champions League titles and 33 La Liga trophies, their success is unmatched.

Los Blancos have always maintained a reputation for housing only the best and most relevant players from a certain era. However, the Galacticos have seldom been dependent on their homegrown players. The club enjoyed a high reputation for roping in massive players for big bucks at any cost.

From Alfredo di Stefano to Cristiano Ronaldo, Los Blancos have always owned the best of the best in the world of football. However, there will always be a few who got away, right? Let's discuss the same in this article. Take a look at the five players Real Madrid missed out on.

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#5 David de Gea

de Dea was all set to mark his return to La Liga with Real Madrid in 2015

The Manchester United shot-stopper has had a topsy turvy tenure over the past few seasons at Old Trafford. Despite being Manchester United's No. 1 choice, he has often found himself among speculation of being replaced by Dean Henderson.

However, rolling back a few years, the Madrid-born goalkeeper was all set to join his native side. However, out of all the possible roadblocks, David de Gea's move was hindered by a fax machine! It sounds bizarre, but it's a fact.

The Spaniard was all set to mark his return to La Liga with Los Blancos in 2015 but the paperwork didn't reach the Spanish capital in time. Had the move gone through, de Gea might have had three UCL titles under his belt.

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#4 Thierry Henry

Thierry Henry was close to signing for Madrid in 1997

Towards the end of 1990s, a boy from France was wreaking havoc in the world of football. It was only after a brief period that someone from France was making headlines. It was none other than Thierry Henry.

The Arsenal legend has a lot of history behind him. Almost all of it is known to the world apart from the fact that he nearly became a Madridista. It was in 1997 when Henry was having a fine run with Monaco.

Los Blancos prematurely announced his signing and then-President Lorenzo Sanz confirmed Henry would be joining the Spanish side for five or six seasons. However, the talks didn't turn out to be fruitful and Henry joined Juventus rather.

Imagine Henry being a part of the Galacticos? Massive!

#3 Steven Gerrard

Real Madrid and Chelsea were among the frontrunners to sign Gerrard

The Liverpool legend is one of the few players to have been approached by Real Madrid on more than one occasion. The 2000s saw Steven Gerrard at the peak of his career and attracting clubs from all around.

Real Madrid and Chelsea were among the frontrunners to sign the England international. However, he maintained his loyalty to the Merseysiders and played with them until his retirement from top-level football in 2015.

The Merengues knocked on Liverpool's door for Gerrard in 2005 and 2010. The former Reds captain once revealed — It would have been an amazing experience to play in the Champions League for Real Madrid. He also stated that he could have played for the La Liga side for a season or two.

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#2 Francesco Totti

Totti played nearly 800 games across all competitions for the Serie A side

Francesco Totti is the epitome of club loyalty. The former Italy international spent the entirety of his career at the Italian capital. Between 1992 and 2017, Totti played nearly 800 games across all competitions for the Serie A side.

Despite getting many alluring offers from around the world, Totti kept on renewing contract at Roma to stay close to the club that he loves the most. His club loyalty was looked upon by many. In his 25 seasons at Roma, Totti managed to win just five major trophies.

He could have had countless titles under his belt should he have managed to switch sides. Guess the Italian was always clear with his priorities. However, the Roma legend once revealed that if he had ever left Roma, it would have been for Real Madrid.

He further added that he was very close to signing for Real Madrid in 2006.

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#1 Diego Maradona

Maradona had expressed his desire to return to La Liga

Diego Maradona is probably one of the few names that is synonymous with the word "football". He was one of the first global superstars to be considered an idol by many. The Napoli legend did have his share of appearances in La Liga, but with Barcelona.

The Argentine played two seasons with the Catalan outfit but failed to secure any title which urged him to move to Napoli. Had he signed for Real Madrid, the story would have been different.

Then-Real Madrid president Ramon Mendoza recalled the events where the Galacticos almost signed the Argentine hero. The attempt was made while Maradona was in Napoli and expressed his desire to return to La Liga.

However, the deal couldn't go through as the club could not meet the player's demands.