Florentino Perez Snubs Ronaldo and Benzema in Naming Real Madrid’s ‘Best Signing of the Century’

• Florentino Pérez overlooked Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in favour of one player as the best signing of Real Madrid's modern era
• Los Blancos have signed high-profile players for astronomical fees but they've also brought in players at a lower cost who have made a massive impact
• These signings, regardless of price, have helped the club achieve great success both domestically and internationally

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez caused a stir by naming the club's “best signing of the century,” leaving out legendary figures like Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, and Karim Benzema.

Currently, in his second term as the club's president, a role he previously held from 2000 to 2006, Perez has overseen the arrivals of numerous world-class players, including Ronaldo, Luka Modric, and others.

Given Ronaldo’s remarkable record as Real Madrid’s all-time top scorer, it seemed obvious that he would be the choice.

With 451 goals in 438 appearances in Real Madrid shirt, the Portuguese captain is a club icon, yet Perez had a different view.

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Surprisingly, Perez named Toni Kroos as the club's ‘signing of the century,’ according to the German midfielder's agent, Volker Struth.

In an interview on Philipp Westermeyer's OMR podcast in 2022, Struth revealed that Perez had shared his reasoning for the decision just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

"Florentino invited me to lunch, and he is a genuinely nice person with a fascinating life story," Struth said.

"He explained why Toni Kroos is Real Madrid's signing of the century for him. For Florentino, Kroos is unbeatable in terms of value for money."

Perez’s admiration for the German midfielder is understandable, given Kroos' instrumental role in helping the club secure 21 major trophies, including four La Liga titles and five Champions League victories.

In May 2024, Kroos announced that he would retire after Euro 2024. His last match in club football was Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley. Following Kroos’ retirement announcement, Perez praised him, stating in a club statement:

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“Toni Kroos is one of the greatest players in the history of Real Madrid, and this club is and always will be his home.”

Reports from Telegrafi reveal that Perez even tried to convince Kroos to continue playing, offering him a contract renewal.

However, the midfielder chose to retire at his peak. Perez remarked, “He did what he wanted to do. He leaves as a legend, and we will always remember him as one of the greatest in the world.”

Source: AFP