Throughout history, Real Madrid, have had the privilege of acquiring and nurturing some of the finest talents of the game.
From the great Alfredo di Stefano to the magnificent Cristiano Ronaldo — these players have done more than their fair share to put Real Madrid at the summit of European football.
The Spanish club have benefitted greatly from their limitless allure and roster of world-beaters.
For most players, the privilege of donning the iconic Real Madrid kit takes precedence over everything else.
For them, the chance to feature alongside the ‘Galacticos’ is usually the greatest feeling in the world.
The competition for places doesn’t break their spirit, it only urges them to reach for the stars.
Round and round it goes, churning out one Real Madrid superstar after the other.
Between 2009 and 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo comfortably emerged as the most impactful player in the squad.
He wasn’t always at his ruthless best, of course, but his knack for scoring decisive goals allowed him to set himself apart, stand out from the Real Madrid glitterati.
Since his departure, Real Madrid fans have witnessed and celebrated multiple leaders in various segments, seen them work together to produce impressive results.
It’s not easy to name the most important Real Madrid player without angering multiple sections of the fan-base.
However, if we had to choose one player that Real Madrid can’t do without, we’d probably go with the team’s unchallenged central defensive midfielder, Casemiro.
Real Madrid’s irreplaceable midfielder
It’s difficult to define the impact of the Brazil international. Since catching the eye of Zinedine Zidane in 2016, Casemiro has been one of the most decisive players at the club — on par with the great Cristiano Ronaldo.
Of course, the Brazilian defensive midfielder doesn’t score goals for fun, but he’s the reason behind Real Madrid’s defensive resilience.
Yes, he may not be as easy on the eye as Toni Kroos or Luka Modric, but he is still the only player in the squad who cannot be subbed off without dismantling the structure of the team.
Four years back, Casemiro was far from the complete player he is today.
His passing was wayward, he wasn’t press-resistant, and he often dampened the spirit of the game with meaningless back passes.
His manager, however, saw his potential and took it upon himself to mould his game, make him the ideal occupant of the “Makelele role.” Casemiro, too, was determined to make a name for himself in the squad of Galacticos and emerged stronger on the other side.
The Casemiro of 2020 is an excellent distributor of the ball, has the vision to find passing lanes, and even has the quality to nick a goal or two when needed. Most importantly, he makes sure the defence is never left unguarded.
By acting as a makeshift centre-back during an opposition counter, Casemiro manages to make life difficult for attackers and snatches the ball away whenever he gets the chance.
In 26 La Liga games, Casemiro has averaged 3.2 tackles and 2.1 interceptions per match, emerging as one of the most effective player in front of the Real Madrid defence.
Offensively too, he hasn’t been a liability, racking up three goals and two La Liga assists.
Casemiro has been one of the standout players of the 2019-20 campaign, but that doesn’t take away anything from the likes of Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos, and Toni Kroos.
While the first two have been absolute leaders in attack and defence, Kroos was arguably Real Madrid’s most consistent performer until January 2020.
Over the next 10 games, Casemiro and company will look to take their game to new heights, hoping to overturn Barcelona’s slender two-point advantage at the top of the table.
The fight is set to go down to the wire, and Madridistas would need all their heroes to rise up to the challenge, demonstrate the indomitable spirit of the club.
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