Beckham, Bale, Bellingham – Trent adds to list of British players to join Madrid

Laurie Cunningham (1979-84)
England winger Cunningham lit up the Bernabeu after his move from West Brom (PA)
The winger became the first British professional player to move to the Bernabeu after Los Blancos agreed a £950,000 deal with West Brom in 1979. The Londoner helped the side to a league and cup double in his first season but that proved the peak as injuries blighted the remainder of his time at the club.
Steve McManaman (1999-2003)
McManaman was one of the first big-name English players to exploit the Bosman ruling when he quit Liverpool to join Real on a free transfer. He won the Champions League twice – scoring a memorable goal in a player-of-the-match display against Valencia in the 2000 final – as well as LaLiga on two occasions.
David Beckham (2003-07)
David Beckham's fortunes in Madrid were mixed (Nick Potts/PA)
Beckham and Real Madrid seemed a match made in heaven, but the anticipated glut of trophies did not follow. Things turned sour after Fabio Capello took over as manager in 2006 and, amid contract wrangling, the England captain was frozen out. That pushed him to agree a move to LA Galaxy but there was to be a happy ending as he was recalled for the run-in and played a pivotal role as Real claimed the league crown.
Michael Owen (2004-05)
The England forward spent a single season at the Bernabeu after Liverpool agreed to a cut-price £8million sale after tiring of months of contract negotiations. But he did not settle well and, despite scoring a creditable 16 goals in 45 appearances, mostly from the bench, did not look like supplanting Ronaldo or Raul in the team. He was sold to Newcastle after a year, for £15m.
Jonathan Woodgate (2004-07)
Woodgate's spell in Spain was an unhappy one (Nick Potts/PA)
England centre-back Woodgate endured a torrid spell in the Spanish capital with a succession of injuries limiting him to just 14 appearances in two years. He did not play at all in his first season and, when his debut belatedly came against Athletic Bilbao in September 2005, he scored an own goal and received a red card. He departed for Middlesbrough in 2006, initially on loan.
Gareth Bale (2013-22)
⚪️🏆 Gareth Bale stole the show as Madrid beat Liverpool to take home the trophy #OTD in 2018 💪#UCL | #UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/wv9ETVgFIu
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) May 26, 2021
Statistically, the Welsh winger belongs among Real's greats having helped the club to five Champions Leagues and three LaLiga titles following his world-record £85m move from Tottenham. Highlights included two goals against Liverpool, one a spectacular overhead kick, in the 2018 Champions League final but supporters were never truly won over amid a perceived rivalry with team-mate and fan favourite Cristiano Ronaldo. Embracing a Welsh fan's flag reading 'Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order' hardly helped.
Caroline Weir (2022-present)
Weir (left) has made a strong impression at Real (Jane Barlow/PA)
The Scotland international moved to Real from Manchester City in 2022 and enjoyed a superb first season in Liga F, scoring 19 goals in 28 appearances as the team finished runners-up to Barcelona. She also scored against City to knock her old club out of the Champions League. A cruciate ligament injury prevented her building on that last term before her return to action earlier this season.
Jude Bellingham (2023-present)
😊 Jude Victor William Bellingham, at your service. 😊 pic.twitter.com/Llt68PeHf8
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) August 12, 2023
It is sometimes difficult to believe Bellingham is still only 21, such is the remarkable impression the England midfielder has made in the game, first at Borussia Dortmund and now at Real. Revelling in an attacking role, he shone from the moment he arrived in Spain, scoring 23 goals and providing 13 assists in his first campaign that produced a LaLiga and Champions League double.

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South Wales Argus

an hour ago

• South Wales Argus

Lions suffer first ever defeat by Argentina in setback before Australia tour

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Scottish Sun

an hour ago

• Scottish Sun

How record Florian Wirtz transfer could spark £400m Liverpool overhaul as Arne Slot plots Feyenoord-style transformation

Title-winning boss might bring in string of other big buys Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ARNE SLOT spent just £10million last summer on Juventus playmaker Federico Chiesa. But the Liverpool boss — fresh from winning the Premier League title in his debut season — is on a £200m-plus transfer blitz to make sure the Reds blast out of the blocks from day one of pre-season. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Florian Wirtz's £116.5m arrival could be just the start Credit: PA 6 Arne Slot is prepared for several ins and outs Credit: AFP German sensation Florian Wirtz, 22, is the marquee signing for a British-record £116.5m and joins his old Bayer Leverkusen team-mate Jeremie Frimpong — who cost £29.5m — at Anfield. 6 Liverpool fancy Newcastle duo Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon Credit: Reuters Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez is next to make the move to Merseyside after a £40m deal was agreed yesterday, while Valencia's £30m keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili joins on July 1. Slot is also keen on Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, while Newcastle pair Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon remain targets in a flurry of summer transfer activity that could see the Kop boss spend another £200m. While rivals Manchester City and Chelsea exert themselves in the sweltering heat of the Club World Cup — which runs until July 13 in the USA — Liverpool are primed to turn up the pressure in the title race when they kick-off the season against Bournemouth on August 15. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS RED HOT Brighton want Harvey Elliott and have secret weapon to use in transfer race Playmaker Wirtz is the headline act in Slot's revolution — one the Dutchman has been plotting over the last 12 months. Slot, 46, paid tribute to predecessor Jurgen Klopp when he lifted a record-equalling 20th league title in front of an adoring Kop back in May. But the former Feyenoord boss clearly felt he inherited a squad that needed a complete makeover in tactics and personnel. Slot saved his money and waited while winning the hearts and minds of a doubting red half of Merseyside — as well as players, who were unsure of what would come next. 6 The Liverpool new boy had 22 goal involvements in 31 Bundesliga games last term BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK At the same time he was identifying who he wanted — and who he didn't. Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, Jarrel Quansah — almost certain to leave for Leverkusen — Joe Gomez, Harvey Elliott and Darwin Nunez could all be out this summer. Brighton Eye £40m Harvey Elliott from Liverpool Of course, Slot had been here before. After his first season in charge of Feyenoord, in 2021-22, he instigated massive changes. He moved on 16 players, including £12.9m Tyrell Malacia to Manchester United and Luis Sinisterra, who was sold to Leeds for £25m, while 11 were either let go or sent out on loan. Meanwhile, for around £35m — far less than the mammoth budget he is now armed with — 15 were brought in. Slot lifted the Eredivisie title in 2023 and the Dutch Cup last year before making his way to Anfield. And changes were made as he got his feet under the table, although none of them suggested how seismic they would become. Klopp's 'heavy metal football' morphed into far more controlled and muted melodies, the beat about possession, not frantic assault. Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister went to double-bass, the pair redeployed from attacking roles to holding midfielders. Trent Alexander-Arnold no longer busked away from his right-back spot so often, Nunez was made a third string, Dominik Szoboszlai moved into a more free–flowing, attacking role, much of it to enable Mo Salah to play all that jazz and become the Football Writers' Association and Prem Player of the Year. Slot got the band playing to a more sophisticated rhythm and turned them into a No 1 hit. The campaign morphed into what seemed a perfect symphony but as Liverpool's summer splurge shows, with Wirtz coming in as the conductor of a new orchestra, it was really only the opening overture. Now comes what Slot will hope will be the creation of his very own work of art, led by 5ft 10in Wirtz, who many believe is becoming one of the great maestros of the game. 6 Jeremie Frimpong has also come in from Bayer Leverkusen Credit: Getty 6 EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Javier Garcia/Shutterstock (15304351bg) Marc Gu¿hi of Crystal Palace with an eye injury during the post […] Credit: Shutterstock Editorial He arrives as a generational talent who not only creates but scores — 44 goal contributions across the last two Bundesliga campaigns, including 21 goals and a league-high of 23 assists. Wirtz's figures are the second most of any player aged under 23 in Europe's top-five leagues, just behind Chelsea's Cole Palmer. Last season, for the second in a row, he was one of just six players to reach double figures for goals and assists in Europe's big-five leagues. Wirtz is his own one–man band. He is almost faultless with both feet and waltzes past defenders because he is so difficult to predict. Over the last two years he attempted a Bundesliga-high of 313 take-ons. And just Barcelona's Lamine Yamal (231), West Ham's Mohammed Kudus (216) and Manchester City's Jeremy Doku (203) completed more than his 161 dribbles in that same time frame in Europe's top five leagues. Wirtz created 124 chances from open play in that period, a figure bettered only by Salah (150), Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard (139), Manchester United's captain Bruno Fernandes (137) and Chelsea's Palmer (134). These mighty statistics suggest the playmaker ranked first in the Bundesliga for through balls (49) and completed lay-off passes (123) last season will be a sensation under Slot as he continues his makeover

Wales Online

an hour ago

• Wales Online

Andy Farrell slams 'unacceptable' Lions players in live TV interview

Andy Farrell slams 'unacceptable' Lions players in live TV interview The 2025 Lions started with a disappointing 28-24 defeat to Argentina, who were without a number of top players Lions head coach Andy Farrell (Image: PA Wire ) British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell says he takes responsibility for the Lions' surprise loss to Argentina in their opening match but claimed some of what he saw was unacceptable. The famous side went down 28-24 in Dublin as a series of crucial handling errors and missed tackles saw the Pumas take full advantage and pull off an historic win. The game wasn't without positives for the Lions but they looked like a side that has never played together before. ‌ Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. ‌ Trailing 21-10 at the interval, Farrell's men went on to produce their most effective rugby but they could not break stubborn opponents ranked fifth in the world in front of a sold-out Aviva Stadium. A penalty try and Tadhg Beirne touchdown created a path to victory but Argentina's ruthless counter-attacking swept Santiago Cordero in for the match-winning in the 59th minute. The Lions were behind at the break (Image: 2025 Getty Images ) Article continues below It is the Pumas' only success in the rivals' eight meetings and the first time the Lions have lost their tour opener since 1971. The Lions showed a willingness to attack in a promising sign ahead of their arrival Down Under, but their accuracy failed to match their ambition and they were often guilty of overplaying. Ignacio Mendy of Argentina scores a try under pressure from Tommy Freeman (Image: 2025 Getty Images ) ‌ Speaking to Sky Sports in a live TV interview, Farrell said: "It was a show from Argentina. Congrats, they deserved the win and capitalised on all the errors we made. "There is a lot to do. You can't win a Test with that error rate. We lost enough balls in that game for a full tour, throwing balls that weren't on. "But it wasn't just that. The aerial battle and the scraps on the floor, they were hungrier than us and that is just not acceptable. Article continues below "I'm disappointed. We need to be honest with ourselves and take the learnings from that. If we take the learnings from that at least we will stand for something. "There was good and bad throughout. We were just a little bit off, I take responsibility for that. "I hope we are better off for that. We will keep building for the Test matches."