Extra Time › Played for both › Liverpool and Real Madrid
Players who played for both Liverpool and Real Madrid
9 famous players have played for both Liverpool and Real Madrid, including Xabi Alonso, Michael Owen, Álvaro Arbeloa and Nicolas Anelka. 4 of them played for Liverpool first; 5 started at Real Madrid.
Did you know?
- Nicolas AnelkaEarliest on this list to play for both: Real Madrid (1999–2000), then Liverpool from 2002.
Trent Alexander-ArnoldLatest on this list: Liverpool first, then Real Madrid from 2025.
Álvaro ArbeloaMost separate spells: 3 across the two clubs (Liverpool 2007–2009; Real Madrid 2004–2006, 2009–2016).
All 9 players, most famous first
Xabi Alonso
Spain · Midfielder · born 1981- Liverpool
- 2004–2009
- Real Madrid
- 2009–2014
Michael Owen
England · Forward · born 1979- Liverpool
- 1995–2004
- Real Madrid
- 2004–2005
- Álvaro ArbeloaSpain · Defender · born 1983
- Liverpool
- 2007–2009
- Real Madrid
- 2004–2006, 2009–2016
- Nicolas Anelka
France · Forward · born 1979- Liverpool
- 2002
- Real Madrid
- 1999–2000
- Trent Alexander-ArnoldEngland · Midfielder · born 1998
- Liverpool
- 2016–2025
- Real Madrid
- from 2025
- Liverpool
- 2012–2013
- Real Madrid
- 2011–2014
- Fabinho
Brazil · Midfielder · born 1993- Liverpool
- 2018–2023
- Real Madrid
- 2013
- Liverpool
- 2001–2007
- Real Madrid
- 2007–2011
- Fernando MorientesSpain · Forward · born 1976
- Liverpool
- 2005–2006
- Real Madrid
- 1997–2005
Years are club stints from Wikidata (snapshot 2026-09-28); a loan that runs straight into a transfer is shown as one stint. “from YEAR” means no end year is recorded — it is not a claim about a current club.
Play today’s Football Grid
Name players who played for both clubs — a new 3×3 grid of real careers every day.
More “played for both” lists
Liverpool and…
Aston Villa 11West Ham 11Chelsea 10Bayern Munich 9Manchester City 9Newcastle United 9Ajax 7Barcelona 7
Questions
How many famous players have played for both Liverpool and Real Madrid?
9 in our data, including Xabi Alonso, Michael Owen, Álvaro Arbeloa and Nicolas Anelka. The list covers famous footballers only — players covered by at least 45 language editions of Wikipedia — so it is not every player who ever wore both shirts.
Who was the first player on this list to play for both clubs?
In our data, Nicolas Anelka: Real Madrid (1999–2000), then Liverpool (2002).
Where does this list come from?
Club careers from Wikidata, the open database behind Wikipedia (public domain, CC0), snapshot 2026-09-28. Senior spells count, loans included when Wikidata records them; youth and reserve teams do not. Found a mistake? Tell us via the About page.