Of all the highly-rated players released by Real Madrid over the years, none changed the tactical face of football in quite the same way as Claude Makelele. A crucial but unspectacular cog in the Real machine, the Frenchman faded next to the Galacticos of Zidane, Figo, Beckham, Raul and Roberto Carlos. Encouraged by his teammates, he asked for an improved contract and was outright refused, prompting a transfer request and subsequent sale to Chelsea in the summer of 2003. Real president Florentino Perez ripped Makelele to shreds, publicly claiming that the club would no miss him, and heavily criticising his footballing ability - specifically his lack of speed, skill, passing range, heading ability, and overly defensive play. Crucial figures such as Zidane disagreed, citing the defensive midfielder as the "engine" of the team. They would be proven right. Arriving in London, Makelele changed the face of the Premier League by playing his deep midfield role to an imperious degree en route to Chelsea's record-setting points total of 2004/5. He was voted the club's player of the year, his defensive excellence allowing more players to get forward and score at will. His signature position is still referred to as the 'Makelele role' by fans and pundits today. Although not the most famous or decorated of Real Madrid's cast-offs, Makelele is perhaps the player who could have changed their fortunes the most. Had the team recognised his crucial role on the pitch, their unbelievable array of attacking players could have thrived. Instead, they slumped for a crucial three years in which Barcelona rose to prominence once again, a time when their fiercest foes (and European football as a whole) could have been decisively dominated.
