by Chirag Sharatkumar. written on August 21, 2024

"It was a game we could have lost because we didn't have balance."

Carlo Ancelotti’s words ring true, and it likely won’t be the only time this season. Of course, he has a star-studded team at his disposal and after all, it is still Real Madrid. The home of the Galacticos, an ever-growing collection of the world’s best footballers. Once upon a time, at the nascence of the very word, they housed a team of superstars so bright it was blinding. It was brief, its failures far outweighing its successes, but it was beautiful. Today, the names are different — Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, Rodrygo — but the aura is familiar. It’s just as beautiful, and though it’s tempting to draw comparisons, to do so would miss the point entirely.

The first Galacticos era was not defined by the trophies the team won but by the ones they didn’t. It was defined by the imbalance that saw the team flounder despite its individual brilliance. There were perhaps too many cooks in the kitchen, and not enough concern for the recipe itself. There was glamor, without doubt, but there was also chaos. The brilliance was blinding, but the flaws too were deep, systematic and ultimately fatal.

This team, though, is different. There is an element of structure, discipline, rigidity even that sets them apart. Beyond the dazzling footwork and precision flair, it feels as if there is a real sense of forethought here. As if this squad, with all its components, hasn’t just come together, but been meticulously assembled with players who have the potential to not only complement each other’s strengths, but compensate for their weaknesses too. There is a collective attitude, or at least it seems so, to ensure that the spectacular, no matter how sensational, does not come at the expense of the functional.

The truth is, Real Madrid have never been a team that simply wins — they triumph in the most theatrical way possible, as if the footballing gods themselves demand it. As if the club’s very identity is tied to the idea that drama is essential; that the most memorable victories are born from the brink of disaster. They suffer with modesty, all the while knowing that eventually, invariably, inevitably, they will somehow win. And so here we are again, on the edge of something that feels as exhilarating as it does precarious.

You can sense it in the way they play too, in the way Vinicius dances with the ball at his feet, taunting defenders, daring them to simply try and stop him. You can see it in Bellingham, already conducting the play, instructing and gesturing with the maturity of a veteran. It’s there in Rodrygo too, with that fresh dynamic and electric energy he brings to the pitch. And in ‘new kid on the block’ Mbappé too, who plays with the eagerness and anticipation that any moment can become one of sheer brilliance. You see it in all of them, flashes of energy, chemistry, speed, almost as if they’re all trying to outrun their collective potential. It’s all so tantalizing, so promising, and yet, as we saw in their opening game of the La Liga season, so fragile.

From a footballing perspective, the issues don’t entirely lie in the attack. Vinicius, Bellingham, Rodrygo and Mbappé are all good enough to find a way to combine for goals. The deeper issue the squad is facing is the retirement of Toni Kroos and the gaping hole he has left in the midfield. Not unlike the departure of Claude Makélélé in the original Galacticos, this hole is one that cannot be completely filled by the remaining midfielders in the squad, at least not to the same level. Luka Modric, Fede Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Arda Güler — all excellent players in their own right, but they can’t all play at once and they certainly can’t be Kroos. Without him, this Madrid side have not looked anywhere near as press-resistant as they usually do, and with less ball retention and control available, there is a challenge mounting.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no rule that says superstar teams don’t have to struggle. Perhaps no team knows that better than Real Madrid. They know they will not win every game, and that despite what many think, this team is not invincible, nor are they perfect. It will require work, adjustment, and like all good things, time. Many rival fans think, or hope, they will implode like the first Galacticos did, a short but sweet flash in the pan before a lack of balance finishes them off. It doesn’t seem likely. Florentino Perez, the architect of both these teams, has learnt his lesson. The ingredients; structure, solidity, discipline, available in spades and the recipe very clearly outlined. The process, however, will take its time.

It’s easy to forget, though, that this is still a team finding itself. Only two games in, and already the weight of expectation hangs heavy. The comparisons to the past, to the failures and the near misses, are inevitable. But this is a young team, with all the inconsistencies that youth brings, but with a level of experience unprecedented. Vinicius, Rodrygo, Valverde and Camavinga have already played and won two Champions League finals. Tchouaméni and Bellingham added one under their belt just last season. And then Mbappé, who has already been the hero of more World Cup finals than most players dream of playing.

There will certainly be nights when they struggle and the cracks begin to show. There will be growing pains, as there always are. But there will also be flashes of brilliance, of what this team can become. And when it all comes together, when the balance is found and the individual talents merge into a cohesive unit, it will be spectacular. These boys will not flinch in the face of adversity, instead, they will embrace it, thrive on it even, because they know it’s true: moments of magic are all the more beautiful when they follow moments of doubt.

And so, we wait. We watch as they navigate the early stages, as they stumble and soar, as they understand that being a Real Madrid player means carrying the weight of history, of expectation, and of inevitability. They will not be defined by the past, but how they respond to it. This team may not win everything, but what they do win will be won in style, with flair, and with a sense of collective achievement. That is what they promise: not just victories, but a story. One of growth, resilience, learning. They won’t always get it right; no one ever does; but when they do, it will be something truly special, something that will have been worth waiting for. Whatever they achieve, they will do it together, and that makes all the difference.