On This Day – 28th January
It was on this day in 1999 when Liverpool’s Steve Mc Manaman agreed to join Spanish giants Real Madrid when his contract ended at the end of the 1998/99 season.
Mc Manaman was perhaps referred to as a Judas for turning his back on Anfield and moving to the Santiago Bernabeu. He was widely praised elsewhere though for showing ambition and wanting to test himself at the very highest level of club football.
It was Mc Manaman who sealed Real’s 8th European Cup success with their third goal in the 2000 victory over Valencia at the Stade de France. He hit a scissor-kick style shot on the half-volley from the edge of the penalty area, giving Santiago Canizares no chance in the Valencia goal. Not a bad way to end your first season! The photo at the top of the article is of Mc Manaman scoring that goal.
Mc Manaman would stay at Real Madrid for four years and became the most successful English player to have played in Spain.
In his time at Madrid, Mc Manaman would go on to win the Champions League again in 2002, La Liga twice and a Spanish Super Cup.
About Author
