It is already known that “King is dead, king is set”, so the machinery of a club like Madrid does not stop and is already designing its immediate future despite the transcendent departure of Sergio Ramos, one of the most important players. influential in its 119-year history. The captain since 2015 (he took the bracelet that Casillas left him when he left for Porto) now causes a new configuration in the hierarchy of Valdebebas’ dressing room, leaving Marcelo (33 years old) as the new captain of Ancelotti’s new project. Seniority is still the prevailing criterion and that is why the Brazilian, despite being widely discussed for his poor performance in the last two years, will now be the new first captain of the team. Marcelo was signed in January 2007 (Mijatovic brought him from Brazil for only 5.5 million euros), which is why he has served the club for 14 and a half years. If Marcelo was reluctant to leave this summer despite the club opening the door for him (he has one year left on his contract), now it seems unthinkable that the Brazilian can give up that ‘sweet’.
The second captain, insisting on the criterion of seniority, will be Benzema (33 years old). As Marcelo aims to be a substitute due to the presence of Mendy and Miguel Gutiérrez, Everything indicates that Karim will be the first captain in many games next season. Benzema arrived in the summer of 2009, in the historic stroke with Cristiano, Kaká and Xabi Alonso. Madrid paid Lyon 35 million for their services, which were very profitable. The third captain would be, if his situation is finally resolved and he stays, the Frenchman Raphael Varane (28 years). He arrived in the summer of 2011 for only 10 million euros, from Lens, thanks to the express recommendation made by Zidane, then the club’s sports advisor (the coach was Mourinho). And the fourth and final captain will be the most celebrated by Real Madrid. It will be Nacho (31 years old). The exemplary youth squad, who has completed a spectacular season, debuted in white in Valencia on April 23, 2011, precisely under Mou’s command, in the 2010-11 season. Thus is the command of captains: Marcelo, Benzema, Varane and Nacho. Playing Sergio Ramos is not going to be easy for any of them.