All posts by n8rngtd.top

How to watch Grenada vs USMNT in the CONCACAF Nations League from the US as well as kick-off time and team news

The United States Men's National Team (USMNT) will hope to top Group D with a win against Grenada in their CONCACAF Nations Leaguegroup stage fixture on Friday.

⚽️ Watch Grenada vs USMNT in the US today!

The game against Grenada will be Anthony Hudson's first competitive game in charge of the team this year. Christian Pulisic and co. recently lost to Serbia in the only friendly they played after the 2022 World Cup. Their journey in Qatar had ended with a defeat against the Netherlands in the Round of 16 and the then-boss Gregg Berhalter's contract wasn't resumed at the end of the year.

The upcoming fixture against Grenada will only be the fifth meeting between these two teams, and the USMNT has a 100 per cent win record. They will be looking keep that record intact as they resume their CONCACAF Nations League journey.

Jesus Ferrera scored four goals as USMNT beat Grenada 5-0 when the two teams met earlier in the group stage.

GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the CONCACAF Nations League fixture Grenada vs USMNT, plus team news, recent form and more.

• Getty Images
  

  Kick-off time

  Date:	March 24, 2023
  Kick-off time:	8.00pm EDT
  Venue:	Grenada National Stadium

  The game is scheduled for March 24, 2023 at the Grenada National Stadium. It will kick off at 8.00pm EDT in the US.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  How to watch Grenada vs USMNT online – TV channels & live streams

  TV channels & streaming options

  Country	TV channel	Live stream
  U.S.	Telemundo, TNT, Universo	Sling TV, Peacock, fuboTV

  In the US, the match between Grenada and United States can be streamed on Sling TV, Peacock and fuboTV.

• Getty Images
  

  Team news & squads

  Grenada team news

  The Grenada squad has no fresh injury concerns to deal with ahead of their clash against USMNT. The squad includes nine players who are playing overseas and 14 playing in domestic leagues.

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers:	Belfon, Thomas, Richardson
  Defenders:	Pierre, Ettienne, James, Williams, D Pierrie, Mark
  Midfielders:	Paterson, Reagan, Theodore, Abraham, Harrack, Jacob, Charles
  Forwards:	Charles, Frank, Lewis, Isaac, Hippolyte, Mitchell, Julien

  USMNT team news

  The USMNT squad will miss the services of Tim Weah and Tyler Adams who had to be excluded from the squad concussion and injury problems respectively.

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers:	Ethan Horvath, Zack Steffen, Matt Turner
  Defenders:	Sergino Dest, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Bryan Reynolds, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, Joe Scally, Auston Trusty
  Midfielders:	Brenden Aaronson, Johnny Cardoso, Luca de la Torre , Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Alan Sonora, Djordje Mihailovic
  Forwards:	Taylor Booth, Daryl Dike, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Alejandro Zendejas

  Head-to-head record

  Date	Result	Competition
  June 11, 2022	United States 5-0 Grenada	Concacaf Nations League
  July 5, 2009	Grenada 0-4 United States	Concacaf Gold Cup
  June 21, 2004	Grenada 2-3 United States	Concacaf WC qualifiers
  June 13, 2004	United States 3-0 Grenada	Concacaf WC qualifiers

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Useful links

  • USMNT team page

  • Live soccer on TV in the U.S.

  • How USMNT should line up vs Grenada

Everything you need to know about versatile Brazilian Roberto Firmino!

Roberto Firmino, born on October 2, 1991, is a Brazilian professional football player who currently plays as a forward for Liverpool in the English Premier League and the Brazilian national team. He is known for his skilful and versatile style of play, his ability to score goals, and his work ethic both on and off the pitch.

Firmino started his football career playing for Figueirense in Brazil before moving to Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga in 2011. He quickly became a key player for the club, scoring 49 goals in 153 appearances across all competitions. His performances caught the eye of Liverpool, who signed him in 2015 for a reported fee of £29 million.

At Liverpool, Firmino quickly established himself as an important player in the team's attack, forming a formidable partnership with fellow forwards Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane. He has scored a total of 108 goals in 356 appearances for the club, helping them to win numerous trophies including the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup.

Firmino's style of play is characterized by his technical ability on the ball, his intelligence and creativity, and his tireless work rate. He is capable of playing in a variety of positions in the attack, including as a central striker, a supporting striker, or as an attacking midfielder. His ability to drop deep and link up play with his teammates has been a critical component of Liverpool's success in recent years.

Firmino's international career with Brazil has been similarly successful. He represented his country at various youth levels before making his debut for the senior team in 2014. Since then he has participated in multiple tournaments for his nation, including the World Cup and Copa America, scoring 17 goals in 55 matches.

Off the pitch, Firmino is known for his positive attitude and his dedication to his craft. He is a devout Christian and often celebrates his goals by making a heart shape with his hands and pointing to the sky. He is also involved in various charitable initiatives, including supporting a charity in Brazil that provides educational opportunities for underprivileged children.

He has changed what it means to be a striker, by showing that forwards can be more than goalscorers to contribute to their personal and team success. A model professional and athlete, he is an inspiration for many budding footballers across the world.

Here are 15 fun facts about Firmino you need to know…!

• Tough beginnings

  Firmino was born in Maceio, Alagoas in Brazil. On top of his family's dire economic circumstances, the area he grew up in was heavily ridden with crime. Every day was a fight for survival for the future Liverpool star and his loved ones.

  As a result, Firmino's parents sheltered him a lot and prevented him from doing many things on his own. It was football which allowed him to escape from the crime which surrounded him and his parent's restrictions.

Advertisement

• Unusual discovery

  Some of the greatest talents in world football have been discovered by either managers or excellent scouts whose main purpose is to identify talent and direct them to the path of success.

  However, in Firmino's case, it was Marcellus Portella, a dentist of all people, who identified the talent within the Liverpool forward.

  Portella was also a surgeon for the local Brazilian team Clube de Regatas Brasil and noticed Firmino, who wasn't getting much attention from others. The doctor decided that the young forward's talent was too special to be hidden and decided to become his representative, helping him join his first academy team at ­Figueirense

• getty images
  

  A jack of all trades

  Firmino is nowadays primarily associated with being the ideal false-nine and has made the position his own under manager Jurgen Klopp. However, the Brazilian has played various roles throughout his career, from being the main centre-forward to a winger to even being a central midfielder.

  In fact, one of the first positions he played during his academy days was as a defensive midfielder!

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Shy nature

  While the Liverpool forward has become more confident in himself as he has progressed in his career, that wasn't necessarily the case at the beginning.

  Firmino had a lack of confidence in himself which also resulted in him not getting opportunities at an early stage despite having all the talent in the world. In fact, for the first two weeks, he let the Figueirense coach wrongly call him Albert because he was too shy to correct him.

Arsenal host bitter rivals Tottenham on Saturday and things could get fiery – on and off the pitch

The North London derby is always a huge occasion, but Saturday’s meeting between Arsenal and Tottenham is shaping up to be even bigger than normal. Mikel Arteta’s side go into the game sitting top of the Premier League after an impressive start to the season, but they are only one point above their unbeaten neighbours.

Tottenham know, then, that victory at Emirates Stadium –  a ground where they haven’t won in the league since 2010 – will see them move above their bitter rivals.

It promises to be an intriguing afternoon between two very evenly matched teams.

So where could the game be won or lost? GOAL takes a look at some of the key factors that could decide the contest…

• Getty/GOAL
  

  Mikel Arteta vs Antonio Conte

  Observing the two managers on Saturday might be as interesting as watching what is happening on the pitch.

  As much as they might try and play it down, there is clearly going to be some animosity bubbling away under the surface when it comes to Mikel Arteta and Antonio Conte.

  The Spurs boss was clearly angered by Arteta the last time the sides met, hitting out at his counterpart after the game following Arteta’s complaints about some of the decisions that went against his side.

  “Mikel Arteta is doing a really good job but I listened to him complain a lot,” Conte said after Tottenham's 3-0 win in May. “I think he has to be focused more on his team and not complaining.

  “This is my advice. If he wants to take my advice it's up to him. I don't care. In six months I have listened to him complaining a lot. It's not good.”

  Arteta will have certainly noted those comments and he will want to get one over the Italian this weekend.

  The managers have two very different styles and the game plans they come up with for Saturday’s derby will be crucial in determining who comes out on top.

  Conte got his tactics spot on against Arsenal last time out and Spurs ended up cruising to victory, albeit against a side that had to play with 10 men for nearly an hour.

  Spurs will no doubt look to allow Arsenal to have a lot of the ball on Saturday and play on the counterattack, a tactic Manchester United used perfectly against Arsenal when the Gunners slipped to a 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford earlier in the season.

  How Arteta sets his team up to cope with that threat will be key to Arsenal’s chances of a positive result.

Advertisement

• Getty/GOAL
  

  Gabriel Jesus vs Cristian Romero

  This has all the ingredients to be a superb battle. Arsenal vs Tottenham, Brazil vs Argentina. What more could you want?

  Romero has shown during his time in England how he loves to try and wind strikers up. He’s strong, aggressive and will try and bully anyone he’s up against.

  But Jesus has proved since arriving at Arsenal how he is not afraid to give as good as he gets, and he has shown he is more than capable of dealing with a defender trying to get physical with him.

  One of Romero’s weaknesses is that he is prone to the occasional rush of blood. Sometimes he will dive in for a challenge and leave himself out of position.

  Should that happen on Saturday, then Jesus will certainly be alert enough to nick the ball away from him and get in behind.

  Both players will need to try and keep their heads amidst the intensity of the derby. Jesus is now only one booking away from a suspension, and Romero will be well aware of that and will no doubt be trying to get into his head.

  It’s an intriguing battle between two fine players.

• Getty/GOAL
  

  Harry Kane vs Thomas Partey

  Usually you would say that a battle involving a team’s central striker would also involve the opposition’s centre-back.

  But the way Kane operates for Spurs can be like a No.10 at times, such is his preference to drop deep and perform the playmaker role for runners, especially Son Heung-min.

  So Partey – providing he is passed fit following his knee issue – will have a vital role to play in trying to deny Kane the space he thrives in.

  When Partey is at his best, there is no-one better at breaking up the play and winning possession back than the Arsenal midfielder, and Arteta will be desperate to have the Ghanaian available.

  But as important as Partey stopping Kane will be to Arsenal, it will be equally as important for Spurs that Kane can escape the clutches of the former Atletico Madrid man and dictate the game the way he wants to play it.

  If he can do that and find the space to work in, Kane's ability to pick a pass and find the runners should see the visitors generate plenty of opportunities.

  It will also allow him to get his own sight of goal, something that will spell real danger for Arsenal – especially given Kane has scored against them 13 times already in the Premier League.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty/GOAL
  

  Gabriel Martinelli vs Tottenham’s right side

  When you look at how both teams set up, the right wing-back role for Spurs looks like the one area that Arsenal could really look to exploit.

  Conte does not seem to have settled on a player to fill that role yet. He has used Emerson Royal more than most, but it was Ivan Perisic who lined up in that position against Leicester last time out.

  The expectation is that Royal will return to the line up against Arsenal and if that is the case, the Gunners will certainly look to exploit that flank and try to get at Spurs.

  Gabriel Martinelli has enjoyed a fine start to the season having already scored three goals and is a constant menace on the left side of the Arsenal attack.

  If the Brazilian youngster can win the battle against his compatriot, you feel that could be an area of the pitch where Arsenal could get a lot of joy.

Celtic have a number of areas they need to strengthen this summer but none are arguably more important than the Hoops’ defence.

Of course, the Bhoys didn’t enjoy a good season in any shape or form but they can go a long way to winning the league again by addressing their backline.

What’s the word?

With Kristoffer Ajer potentially leaving, it only heightens Celtic’s need to find a defender this summer.

However, even if they do find an adequate replacement, they will not improve sufficiently until they find a new goalkeeper.

Celtic tried their best to lure Fraser Forster back to Paradise last summer but he remained in Southampton and will continue to do so next season.

After the failed signing of Vasilis Barkas, the Hoops have been eyeing a move for Dundee United stopper Benjamin Siegrist. The 29-year-old has been on their radar for a while now but the ‘keeper is thought to be keen on a switch.

In a recent interview with Blick (via Daily Record), he refused to rule out a switch to Parkhead. After being questioned about Celtic, he responded: “If there is interest, I’ll take a close look.”

Bullying Celtic

With Scott Bain and Barkas making a number of high profile errors this season, signing a player like Siegrist certainly makes sense.

After all, the Hoops need a goalkeeper who is going to stand tall between the posts, something they’ve not had since the colossal 6 foot 7 frame of Fraser Forster was in Glasgow.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-celtic-manager-and-transfer-news-howe-favre-mcgregor-mccann-tierney” title=”Read the latest Celtic manager and transfer news!”]

Siegrist stands shorter at 6 foot 4 but that’s still a gigantic height for a ‘keeper and he’s someone that’s already embarrassed Celtic.

With the Hoops needing to record a win over Dundee United in order to prevent Rangers from prematurely lifting the Premiership crown, they could only draw 0-0 at Tannadice.

They were diabolical in front of goal with Odsonne Edouard spurning three opportunities to score.

However, much of that was down to the inspired Siegrist. He was a man-mountain between the posts when the two teams met back in March, making no fewer than 12 saves.

It was a mammoth performance from someone who’s had an “extraordinary season” in the words of his agent.

Though, we shouldn’t be surprised by this when you consider the phrasing Micky Mellon used to describe him. Speaking earlier in the campaign he claimed Siegrist “trains like a monster.”

With his long reach and ability to frighten attackers, he’d surely offer more of a presence for Celtic than Bain or Barkas have at any point in the last year.

AND in other news, Forget Soro: Celtic already have their Scott Brown heir in 6 ft 6 “man mountain”…

Celtic may be closing in on the appointment of Eddie Howe, but judging by the number of twists and turns which have occurred in the Bhoys’ hunt to find a new manager, don’t rule anything out just yet.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the Hoops had been offered the chance to lure Paulo Fonseca to Glasgow. He is due to be replaced as manager of Roma by Jose Mourinho next term and will duly be available at no added compensation fee.

It would be an interesting appointment for a number of reasons. Capable of dominating domestically and causing danger in Europe, he could offer an element of flexibility which has been missing from the Celtic tactics board.

He would also deliver an aesthetically pleasing brand of football, one which could help to revive their fortunes. Fonseca has preferred a style of play which consists of short and crisp passing at a swashbuckling intensity.

He likes his teams to play on the front foot and, with that in mind, he has caught the eye of Pep Guardiola. The Manchester City boss and his scouting team were left wowed by the 48-year-old for what he achieved at Shakhtar Donestk.

When in Ukraine, Fonseca won seven out of nine major honours while playing a particularly attacking style.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/celtic-manager-transfers-eddie-howe-jesse-marsch-ryan-christie-siriki-dembele” title=”Read the latest Celtic managerial updates, transfer news, rumours and gossip!”]

He had the pleasure of coaching Brazilian trio Taison, Marlos and Junior Moraes in Donetsk. They all flourished under the guidance of Fonseca, who witnessed them score a combined 88 goals.

They were a particularly tricky attack to handle but it was the manager’s tactics which ensured that everything worked like clockwork.

This could benefit Celtic on the field of play, but it also shows why they must sign Kristijan Lovric this summer. The Hoops were interested in signing the Croatian winger last summer after having a bid knocked back for his services in 2019.

He would be an astute capture and, under Fonseca, it could be a mouth-watering combination.

The 25-year-old has racked up 44 goals for current side HNK Gorica, 18 of which have been scored this season. He is a ruthless attacker with pace to burn and dribbling abilities to frighten the life out of a full-back.

At one point this season, Lovric had managed five dribbles and five shots per 90 minutes. The Croat had also produced 5.37 successful attacking actions over the same metric.

Speaking last year, HNTV commentator Damir Petravic said: “He dribbles and scores in the style of Robben, shoots free throws like Pirlo or Pjanic, and knows how to sprint like Mbappe.”

With a player like that at Fonseca’s disposal, it could be a recipe for success at Celtic. He knows how to get the most out of goal-scoring wingers; Dominic McKay now just has to try and combine the two together at Paradise.

AND in other news, Celtic can finally axe McGregor by signing “undroppable” 21 y/o, he’s been “excellent”…

When two of English football's great rivals met on August 28, 2011, nobody could have expected what followed

Wayne Rooney bangs in a hat-trick. Ashley Young owns the top right corner. Arsenal smashed. Manchester United and Old Trafford in dreamland. No one will ever forget the day Sir Alex Ferguson humbled his long-time rival Arsene Wenger in one of the most remarkable games in Premier League history.

An 8-2 win on August 28, 2011 stunned the Gunners and the rest of United's title rivals – coming just three games into the season and sending out a resounding statement of intent.

Ferguson's team was in a state of evolution as he began to disband his last great side: the Champions League-winners of 2008.

No Cristiano Ronaldo or Carlos Tevez. Paul Scholes had retired, Ryan Giggs was getting older, and absent from the starting line-up on the day were Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Michael Carrick.

This was a glimpse into the future. A look at Ferguson's work-in-progress – even on the back of a title-winning campaign the previous season.

On this day, they looked every bit like champions again. Manchester City would have other ideas, of course. Aguerooooo! and all that.

But for 90 minutes at Old Trafford, United were absolutely unstoppable…

• Getty
  

  GK: David de Gea

  A young goalkeeper relatively unknown to English football fans had only just signed for United, embarking on the daunting challenge of filling the void left by Edwin van der Sar.

  He would go on to struggle badly in his first season, losing his place to Anders Lindegaard midway through the campaign. But he would later establish himself as one of the finest keepers of his generation and is still United's undisputed No1.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  RB: Chris Smalling

  Deployed at right-back on the day, Smalling was still establishing himself at United after a £10m ($12.2m) move from Fulham the previous year.

  Never truly fulfilled his potential at Old Trafford and not helped by the number of managerial changes since the retirement of Ferguson.

  Famously called 'Mike' by Louis van Gaal, he has rebuilt his reputation and career in Italy with Roma under another former United boss, Jose Mourinho.

• Getty Images
  

  CB: Phil Jones

  Ferguson was convinced he had recruited a future great from Blackburn Rovers in Phil Jones, who could play centre-back, full-back and in midfield.

  United's plan was for him to establish himself in the heart of defence as Ferguson started to look beyond Ferdinand and Vidic.

  At the end of Fergie's final season the following year, he declared Jones as having the potential to become the greatest player in the club's history.

  Injuries and the lack of Ferguson's guidance contributed to his career being derailed but he's still at the club to this day, though United are ready to sell him this summer.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  CB: Jonny Evans

  Another part of Ferguson's plan to overhaul his defence – along with Jones and Smalling – Evans was seen as the future.

  While Gerard Pique was allowed return to Barcelona over doubts about his suitability to the Premier League, Evans was seen as a real contender to force his way into the first team.

  By Ferguson's final season, he had begun to break up the Vidic-Ferdinand partnership.

  Sold by Van Gaal in 2015, it is a decision still questioned by fans.

Merseyside Red, Man Blue and Rekordmeister are all memorable mentions for previous fake team names on PES and Pro Evo due to naming rights

In honour of Juventus being named Piemonte Calcio in FIFA 20 due to the end of the partnership between the Serie A champions and EA Sports, we've rounded up some of the best fake football team names in Pro Evolution Soccer.

Licensing deals and sponsorships mean that gaming platforms do not get naming rights for the team, forcing them to think of a different, alternate name – and some of the results are amusing, while the rest just hilariously unimaginative.

• Getty
  

  Dublin | Aston Villa

  With a name like "Dublin" in PES 2, you'd rightly think that it would be the name given to an Irish team. But no – it was, in fact, Aston Villa who were christened with such a moniker, most likely after their striker Dion Dublin.

  Konami seemed to have realised how silly it was naming a football club after a player, however, so in latter PES editions, Aston Villa were given names such as West Midlands Village.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Rekordmeister | Bayern

  PES' relationship with Bayern Munich has certainly been a trying one, with the German side having been given a number of nicknames – and at one point being removed from the game entirely. One of the most famous names, however, was "Rekordmeister", which means "The Record Champions".

  It was a no-hassle name given to the German giants, though a new partnership with the Bundesliga winners and PES 2020 was recently announced.

• Getty
  

  Lake District | West Ham

  When you think of Lake District, you'd think of the mountainous region in North West England that is home to… a whole lot of lakes, and not West Ham United.

  West Ham have gone through a lot of name iterations in PES editions, but certainly the most amusing is their "Lake District" moniker. Over the years, they've been renamed to something more geographically sensible and accurate, such as simply "East London".

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Eurogamer
  

  PM Black White | Juventus

  Behold, before PES acquired the naming rights for Juventus, their previous name for the Serie A champions was… "PM Black White". Extremely imaginative!

Former Premier League manager Lawrie Sanchez has exclusively told Football FanCast that Brendan Rodgers will be thinking long-term amid speculation surrounding his future at Leicester.

The former Liverpool boss has done an exceptional job since replacing Claude Puel two years ago, and is on the verge of leading the Foxes back into the Champions League having narrowly missed out on the final-day 12 months ago.

Leicester’s victory at Manchester United, who denied them a place in July, means that Rodgers’ team require just four points from their two remaining Premier League matches to guarantee a place in the top four.

However, should Liverpool lose at Old Trafford on Thursday, then the Foxes would need just a single point against either Chelsea or Spurs.

Rodgers has also led Leicester to their first FA Cup final since 1969, with his incredible work at the King Power Stadium leading to strong reports that Tottenham want him to replace Jose Mourinho.

But he’s since revealed that he’s “very happy” at Leicester, and Sanchez told Football FanCast that the 48-year-old will have a long-term plan.

He told Football FanCast:

“Brendan is very strategic. He left Watford to come to Reading and left Swansea to go to Liverpool.

“So, I wonder whether Brendan is thinking strategically if a couple of years at Leicester, could he go to Arsenal? Someone that can really be top of the tree.”

Jurgen Klinsmann has refused to rule out replacing Jose Mourinho as Tottenham manager.

Klinsmann discusses Spurs job

Klinsmann spent two seasons at Tottenham during the 1990s and, although he was only there for a short time, he become something of a club legend as he netted 29 goals in 56 Premier League matches (premierleague.com) – he was named the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year award during the 1994-95 campaign.

He was asked on ESPN FC whether he could take the vacant manager’s position at Tottenham, and he said:

“I tell you, anything is possible in life. I never thought I would coach Germany at a World Cup. I never thought I would coach the USA for six years or Bayern Munich. 

“So we’ll see in a couple of months who will be the Spurs manager!”

Wrong option

Klinsmann may have been a wonderful player, but that has not translated into management. The two-year spell with Germany remains the highlight of his career as he took them to the 2006 World Cup semi-final – he failed to last a season at either Bayern or Hertha Berlin, however.

For all of Mourinho’s faults, there is no doubting he was a manager of pedigree. While previous successes don’t determine how well someone well do in any job, it certainly helps to have experience of winning. Given Tottenham’s standing, they can surely do better than Klinsmann, who is neither a fresh-faced revolutionary like Mauricio Pochettino or an proven winner like Mourinho.

In other news, this man is set to leave Tottenham this summer.

In 2015, Goal asked readers in Spain to vote for the best players in Los Blancos history. Ahead of Saturday's Clasico, find out who made the cut…

• Goal
  

  1The final XI…

  Do you agree with our selection or would you make adjustments? Let us know in the comments!

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  2The bench

  Paco Buyo, Jose Santamaria, Ferenc Puskas, Fernando Redondo and Hugo Sanchez. Buyo was vital in the team that dominated La Liga in the second half of the 1980s. Santamaria was the leader of the defence that won the first five European Cups and shared two of those titles with the famous Puskas, who was also part of the sixth crown. Redondo was master of the midfield in La Septima and La Octava. Hugo Sanchez won five Pichichis in a six-year span, the last four with Los Merengues.

• RealMadrid.com
  

  3​Francisco Gento | 1953-1971

  Nobody in the world can match his CV. The winger won a record six European Cups and was one of the best players Real Madrid ever had. Fast and dynamic, he was electric on the left. This helped him rack up 30 goals in 89 European Cup clashes.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  4Alfredo Di Stefano | 1953-1964

  Perhaps the man most responsible for Real Madrid's aura of greatness. The late footballing legend's arrival in Madrid was a breath of fresh air in the 1950s, inspiring them to their first five European Cups. Perhaps the most complete player in history, Di Stefano formed an amazing partnership with Ferenc Puskas.