The end of the Premier League and La Liga seasons also meant the end of the stints of three of the all-time greats—two players and a manager—at their respective clubs. Luka Modrić and Kevin De Bruyne wrapped up their tenures of 13 and 10 years at Real Madrid and Manchester City respectively while in Real’s dugout, Carlo Ancelotti concluded his second spell at the helm of Los Merengues; his return to the Santiago Bernabéu took his total time spent in the role to six years.
All three were able to finish on a high note: Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad while Manchester City beat Fulham; both wins were by 2-0 scorelines. In Real’s match, a Kylian Mbappé brace was enough to secure Real’s victory; as for City, İlkay Gündoğan’s spectacular bicycle kick put them a goal ahead before half-time; after the break, Erling Haaland’s penalty made all three points safe.
However, given the events of the day as well as the fact that both teams had already clinched Champions League qualification for next season, the actual results of both matches seemed almost inconsequential - and understandably so. Modrić, Ancelotti, and De Bruyne leave as unquestioned legends of their clubs with impacts that will forever resonate at the Bernabéu and the Etihad Stadium.
Just a few months after Modrić signed for Real back in 2012, no one would ever have believed that more than a decade later, the Croatian would be leaving the club to a standing ovation from the entire Bernabéu and a guard of honour not only from his teammates, but even Real’s opponents on the day. His time in the Spanish capital certainly didn’t start as he’d hoped - such were his early struggles that Modrić was commonly cited as the worst signing of the 2012-13 seasons.
As the years passed, though, things would change. Modrić would cement himself as an indispensable part of the Real team which would win three consecutive Champions League titles from the 2015-16 to 2017-18 seasons and become not only one of the best midfielders in the world, but of all time. Modrić’s crowning achievement was, of course, winning the Ballon d’Or in 2018. He leaves Real having represented the club in almost 600 matches and having won four La Liga titles and a joint-record six Champions Leagues.
Having coached Real to the Champions League title in 2013-14 before being somewhat surprisingly fired after a trophyless season a year later, Ancelotti returned in the 2021 off-season with unfinished business - and it didn’t take him long at all to right that wrong. In his first season back at the Bernabéu and third overall, Ancelotti helmed yet another Champions League title run to go with a La Liga title - the fourth Champions League of his career including the two he won with AC Milan in the 2000s.
Two years later, Ancelotti would once again take Real to a league and Champions League Double. With five Champions League titles under his belt, Ancelotti leaves to take over as the Brazil national team’s new head coach as clearly the greatest of all time - at this point there isn’t really a reasonable case to be made for anyone else anymore.
Over in England, De Bruyne’s final match for City came as a substitute to a rousing reception, entering to a standing ovation of his own. A decade ago, De Bruyne arrived at the Etihad as one of the most promising young midfielders in the world, fresh off winning the Bundesliga’s Player of the Year award with VfL Wolfsburg in the 2014-15 season. De Bruyne soon emerged as one of the best midfielders on the planet; he was an integral part of six Premier League titles as well as City’s Champions League title run in the 2022-23 season - part of only the second Treble to be won by an English club.
Twice selected as the Premier League Player of the Season, De Bruyne played over 400 matches at City over his remarkable career. A statue of the Belgian which will stand outside the Etihad has now been confirmed to be in the works; it’s a well-deserved honour for a player who leaves as perhaps the greatest player in Manchester City’s history.
Although it remains to be seen just how Real Madrid and Manchester City will bounce back from their club icons’ departures, whoever replaces them will certainly have some of the biggest shoes to fill.
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