From Neymar to Mbappe - Top players who rejected Real Madrid

Kylian Mbappe had already turned down Madrid once back in 2017...

When Real Madrid come calling, invariably the player in question tends to make the move. There are not too many players who would have the heart to say no to the Spanish giants given their trophy-laden history and legacy. From David Beckham to Luis Figo, they have snapped up the biggest stars of football for astronomical prices.

A few have their dreams fulfilled while many fail to make the cut. There are several examples where even after joining Madrid, they could not prove their worth and had to leave. However, there are some legends of the game who have turned down the offer to Real Madrid.

While Kylian Mbappe's decision not to join Real Madrid must have been a hard one to take for Real Madrid fans, especially given the 2017 incident. One must note that the French international had already turned them down once back in 2017 when he was with Monaco. Steven Gerrard rejected Madrid in 2004 and did so again in 2010. Even Roy Keane and Paul Pogba decided to turn down offers from Los Blancos. Let's take a look at players who have turned down Madrid at some point in their careers.

Steven Gerrard

"I think I had a couple of options throughout my career to go to Real Madrid but I resisted the temptation because of the big connection I had to my hometown club.

"It may be something I regret further down the line by not challenging myself and having a change of scenery in a different country, but I would have had a bigger regret leaving the club I love. I am a big fan of Madrid, they are a special club, but for me, Liverpool are my number one club," explained the former Liverpool captain.

Neymar

Neymar had the opportunity to join Madrid when he was 13, but he did not accept. Even in 2013, the capital-based club went to war with Barcelona for his services but the Brazilian ultimately chose the Blaugranas.

"I was 13, it was the first time I came to Europe. At that time, I did not feel comfortable. I did not see myself happy and able to stay away from Brazil so young," he later stated to L'Equipe.

Francesco Totti

Real Madrid tried to sign Totti on three different occasions but the Italian stayed true to Roma.

“Of course I thought about it. Let’s say that there were quite a few days in which we had one foot in and one foot out. Then, I’ve said, often and truthfully, that the choice to stay with Roma was made from the heart. In those moments, when you feel like this, you can’t walk away.

“But certainly, looking back, thinking about the fact of saying no to Real Madrid, a little bit of doubt does remain. Real Madrid were the only other team that I could have gone to play for. The only team it could have been, I think. An experience in a different country could have been something beautiful for everyone. For my family. For me,” he explained.

Roy Keane

At the twilight of his career, Real Madrid came knocking with an 18-month contract.

"Real Madrid offered me a year and a half deal. Michael (Kennedy) had been over to Madrid and he’d negotiated a deal with Real. They spoke to me, too. Butragueño rang me. Emilio Butragueño – what a player he was. Michael had given me a heads-up that Butragueño would be phoning, so I took my mobile everywhere with me.

“And – how’s your luck – he rang me when I was sitting on the toilet. He said, ‘Look, Roy, we’ll be glad to have you.’ The club’s board just had to sanction the deal; it was standard procedure. I was going, ‘–okay’, hesitating. Michael was going, ‘What are you doing, Roy?' It was the most attractive challenge in front of me, but I didn’t accept it,” he said.

“With hindsight, I should have said to myself, ‘Go. Go to Spain, live there for a year and a half, learn a different language, learn the culture. You might end up loving it. You might even stay there," he stated in his autobiography.

Paul Pogba

In 2016, Pogba was heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid but he chose to rejoin his former club Manchester United from Juventus.

"To be honest, Real Madrid came to me and I was thinking to go there, and I was thinking to go to Manchester United too," he told the Beyond the Pitch podcast.

"But I always felt it in my heart. My heart told me to come back here [Manchester], I don't know why, I didn't know what was going to happen. But I did it, and I don't regret. I never regret my choice," he stated.

Gianluigi Buffon

When Juventus got relegated to Serie B in 2006 following the Calciopoli scandal, Real Madrid wanted to sign Buffon. Juventus allowed the player to make his own decision and Buffon opted to stay.

"The truth is, and I repeat, I have a really long contract with Bianconeri, until 2008, and I feel really good in Italy," Buffon told Corriere dello Sport.

"And it seems to me that the least of Real's problems is goalkeeping."

Kylian Mbappe

In the summer of 2017, Madrid came knocking on the doors of Monaco for Kylian Mbappe. The teenager had a sensational season in Ligue 1 where he scored 15 goals and provided eight assists. It was widely reported that the two clubs have agreed in principle for the transfer of Mbappe, a deal worth €160m, plus a further €20m in objectives.

However, he turned down the offer and joined PSG.

During his presentation as a PSG player, Mbappe explained why he chose the Paris-based club over Madrid and Manchester City, who also joined the race later on to sign him.

"I felt that at PSG, I would have more opportunities to play than at Real Madrid," he said. He also revealed that he declined an offer from Manchester City.

Patrick Vieira

After Vieira guided Arsenal to the league title in an unbeaten campaign in 2004 he was heavily linked to Real Madrid.

"I was really close to leaving for Madrid the year before I left," he said.

"The deal was done between the two clubs, so when it was time for me to leave I changed my mind because I believed that I wanted to stay at Arsenal, I wanted to finish my career at Arsenal.

"I didn't see any reason to leave, I don't know if it was lack of courage to go.

"If I knew I was leaving the year after, I was going to Madrid," Vieira explained.

Luis Suarez

Luis Suarez was at the top of his powers in 2014 when he was playing for Liverpool. He was one of the best strikers at the time and obviously, Real Madrid came knocking. But Suarez rejected them in faovur of a move to Barcelona.

"Real Madrid were very interested in me, but my dream was always to play for Barca. When I heard the name 'Barcelona,' I didn't hesitate for a moment," he said on Cope's El Partido de las 12 show.

Marco Verratti

Marco Verratti was courted by Real Madrid in 2016 while at PSG. The Italian revealed that he turned them down in favour of staying and winning trophies at PSG.

"Madrid? Their interest in me was nice because it's not every day that they will want to sign you," he told RAI Sport.

"But when I'm happy in a club, I don't want to start negotiations with another. I want to win things with PSG."