From Ronaldo in 2002 to James Rodriguez in 2014, Real Madrid have a proud history of spending big on the biggest talent at the World Cup. Here we predict the 2018 Galacticos...
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Ricardo Quaresma
One of the most important things for any prospective new Real Madrid signing is the ability to ingratiate themselves with the established stars at the club and to slot into the hierarchy already in place.
In real terms that means they have to get on with Cristiano Ronaldo and not only know their place in the pecking order and the Bernabeu, but to accept that it’s always going to be behind Ronaldo. Something Gareth Bale is still struggling with.
Step forward Ricardo Quaresma. The Besiktas player is the Rodney to Ronaldo’s Del Boy for Portugal, the Pinky to his Brain, the Donkey to his Shrek and he’s perfectly happy with that.
We’ve spoken earlier in this tournament about the possibility of Ronaldo staying at Madrid until he’s 40 and why not give him some elderly company while he does it? At 34 Quaresma still has a couple of years in him, especially if there are younger, fitter players to do his running.
The midfielder showed that he still has a decent turn of pace and an eye for goal with a blistering finish against Iran for Portugal’s only goal in their 1-1 draw and crucially, it was Ronaldo who was first over to celebrate with him.
The two are such bosom buddies that they have a beard-growing pact that will last as long as Portugal’s involvement in the World Cup does. Florentino Perez is a man who does what he can to keep his top man happy and if that involves signing his pal so be it.
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Mohammed Salah
All told, Liverpool supporters should be feeling pretty good about Mo Salah’s World Cup for Egypt.
Coming into the tournament with a shoulder injury, Egypt didn’t rush him back, sitting him out for the first game against Uruguay and when he did feature in the next couple of games, he was unable to drag his side to the knock-out stage.
A penalty and a decent lobbed finish gave him a couple of goals, keeping things respectable, but he’ll be on the plane home this week without doing anything to further attract the interest of Real Madrid and Perez.
Madrid have been constantly linked with Salah, with talk of massive record breaking bids and/or swap deals involving the likes of Gareth Bale or Marco Asensio and Salah fits the profile of a Galectico down to a tee.
But the Liverpool player did nothing in Russia to add to his already glowing reputation and having been quick to pour cold water on speculation linking him to a move away from Anfield in the past, there’s little to point to Real Madrid making a massive summer bid for him.
Or so Liverpool fans will tell themselves.
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