Madrid's hit list

Ronaldo: In exalted company

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Real Madrid's courting of Cristiano Ronaldo puts him alongside some of the greatest names in football. While Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes the Spanish giants' pursuit of the Portuguese has been underhand - he has taken the issue to Fifa - they generally get their man. We look at the 'galacticos' who just couldn't say no to the Bernabeu.

LUIS FIGO

The original and still the most acrimonious. Despite reported club debts of £160million, Real leapt at the chance to sign the Portuguese winger from hated rivals Barcelona in the summer of 2000. Florentino Perez had based his successful presidential campaign on a promise to capture the former Sporting Lisbon player, and he proudly declared "Figo is mine" a few days before a £37million deal was completed. Such was the bitter taste left at the Camp Nou that Figo had a pig's head thrown at him by an enraged Barca fan in 2002.

ZINEDINE ZIDANE

Just a year after the arrival of Figo, Real broke the world record once more to take 'Zizu' to the Spanish capital for £48million. In typical style, claims and counter claims were made by representatives of Real and Juventus, and Zidane's agent, in the press before the deal was finally tied up. However, with the move thought to have been instigated as much by the Frenchman's Spanish wife as by any sly tactics from Perez and co, it was a relatively straightforward deal compared to Figo's. Juve even wished him well when it was all confirmed.

RONALDO

The three-time World Player of the Year spent the majority of his five seasons at Inter Milan on the treatment table. So it was hardly surprising that, once he was seemingly fit and raring to go for the first time in two years, the Italians were less than impressed when Real stepped in for the Brazilian. That the transfer came straight after he finished the 2002 World Cup as top scorer rubbed further salt into the wounds. In a sequence of events that might be familiar to United fans, a series of wide-eyed denials emanated from the Bernabeu - sample from sporting director Jorge Valdano: "I'm not saying that we have no interest in Ronaldo but what I'm saying is that we will make no move for him until Inter say he is available" - before Ronaldo demanded out of the San Siro and into the waiting arms of Real.

DAVID BECKHAM

Having alienated Ferguson with his glamorous off-field existence, Beckham was poised to join Barcelona, whose new president Joan Laporta had a deal in place with the Red Devils, before an 11th-hour intervention by Real in June 2003. Beckham fancied taking his place among the Galacticos, while the money men in Madrid fancied the euros that would flood in from the far east once he arrived. Given that United were very happy to sell on this occasion, the only real animosity was between Real and Barcelona - who had to make do with a certain Ronaldinho instead.