Real's dominance of the late 1980s (winning every league title from 1986 to 1990) was largely attributed to the talent of their five homegrown stars, affectionately known as 'La Quinta del Buitre', or the Vulture's Gang. The nickname came from the moniker of their de facto leader, legendary striker Emilio Butragueno - the vulture - and their closeness seemed to suggest an impenetrable clique dominating the Real dressing room. This proved not to be the case, as several key role-players were able to coexist with La Quinta to great effect. Chief among these foreign stars was German midfielder Bernd Schuster, who caused controversy by transferring from hated rivals Barcelona. His incredible vision and sense of leadership contributed to an era of great success, but didn't prevent Real from letting him sing with crosstown rivals Atletico in 1990. Schuster proved doubts about his age wrong, leading Atletico to two consecutive Copas del Rey, while Real saw their monopoly of the league title slip away - a trophy they would not win again for another five years.
