Real Betis Best Players of all time – Ranking the Top 5

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Ibiye Ambille
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Кирилл Венедиктов, CC BY-SA 3.0 GFDL, via Wikimedia Commons

Real Betis Balompié is a professional Spanish football club in Seville, Spain. The club was founded in 1907 and has a rich history of producing talented players.

 

The club has had many great players over the years, and it isn’t easy to pick just a few. However, in this article, we will attempt to list the best Real Betis players of all time.

 

1. Joaquín Sánchez

 

Joaquín is a legend of Real Betis and Spanish football. The winger joined the club’s youth academy at the age of 16 and made his debut for the first team in 2000. He quickly became a fan favourite for his skill, speed, and charisma.

 

He helped Real Betis win the Copa del Rey in 2005 and qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history.

 

Joaquín left Real Betis in 2006 to join Valencia, where he spent six seasons. He also played for Málaga and Fiorentina before returning to Real Betis in 2015. He is currently the club captain and the record holder for the most appearances (480) and assists (45) in Real Betis history.

 

Joaquín has also been capped 51 times by Spain, scoring five goals. He was part of the squad that won the UEFA Euro 2008.

 

2. Julio Cardeñosa

 

Julio Cardeñosa is considered one of the best midfielders in Real Betis history. He joined the club in 1974 from Burgos and spent 11 seasons at the club, making 306 appearances and scoring 42 goals. He was a creative playmaker with excellent vision, passing, and dribbling skills.

 

Cardeñosa was part of the Real Betis team that won the Copa del Rey in 1977 and reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1978. Cardeñosa was also an international for Spain, earning 18 caps and scoring two goals. He played in the World Cup in 1978 and 1982.

Read: Deportivo La Coruna Legends – Top 5 best players of all time

3. Rubén Castro

RubenCastro
Gabrielcorbachobermejo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Rubén Castro is the all-time top scorer in Real Betis history, with 136 goals in 260 appearances.

The striker joined the club in 2010 from Deportivo La Coruña and spent eight seasons at the club, scoring at least ten goals per season in six of them. He was a prolific finisher with great movement and positioning.

 

Castro helped Real Betis win promotion to La Liga twice, in 2011 and 2015. He left Real Betis in 2018 to join Las Palmas. Spain has never capped Castro at the senior level, but he has represented them at the youth level.

 

4. Juan Merino

 

Juan Merino is a former Spanish footballer and a retired midfielder widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Real Betis.  Merino started his professional career with Real Betis in 1990 and played for the club for 13 seasons. 

 

During his time at the club, he became a fan favourite and a key player in the midfield. He was known for his tireless work ethic, excellent passing ability, and leadership qualities.

 

He was a versatile midfielder who could play in several different positions. Merino was a key player in Real Betis’ successful 1996-97 season, where they reached the final of the UEFA Cup. 

Read: Wolfsburg legends: Top 5 best players of all time

5. Rafael Gordillo

 

Rafael Gordillo is a former Spanish footballer and is considered one of the greatest players in the history of Real Betis.

 

Gordillo began his professional football career at Real Betis in 1976, and he quickly established himself as one of the most talented and technically gifted players in the Spanish league. He was known for his exceptional ball control, vision, and ability to score free-kick goals.

 

Gordillo spent 11 seasons at Real Betis, making over 250 appearances for the club. At the club, he helped Real Betis win the Copa del Rey in 1977.