14 Players have played for Real Madrid and Real Sociedad — some made history and some fell short

Real Madrid and Real Sociedad are about to face off in a Copa del Rey semi-final and it’s time for a trip down the memory lane. 14 players have shared the colors of these two historic clubs — some have carved their own history at one of the two clubs at least.

Here is the entire list:

Xabi Alonsothe most decorated of them all, spent his formative years at Sociedad, playing 124 games and scoring 10 goals before Madrid brought him in as the midfield orchestrator of their second Galáctico era. At the Bernabéu, he played 205 matches, anchoring the midfield with intelligence and precision, contributing 23 assists and winning a Champions League before moving on to Bayern.

Sergio Canales arrived in Madrid as a teenage sensation, but with just 12 appearances and 296 minutes to his name, his time at the club was fleeting. His career took off at Sociedad, where he played 155 times, scoring 12 goals and assisting 18, becoming a linchpin in their attack.

Asier Illarramendi followed Alonso’s path in reverse. A Sociedad academy graduate, he shone in his first spell, earning a move to Madrid in 2013. However, his impact was limited, playing 80 times and scoring just two goals before returning to San Sebastián, where he amassed 251 appearances, re-establishing himself as a leader.

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Willian José made just 17 appearances for Madrid in 2013, but he found his stride at Sociedad, scoring an impressive 62 goals in 168 matches, becoming their main striker for years.

Martin Ødegaard also found his footing in San Sebastián, playing 36 times in 2019 and recording 7 goals and 9 assists after struggling for minutes at Madrid (491 minutes across 11 games).

Theo Hernández played a mere 23 times for Madrid before moving on. He had a short spell at Sociedad in 2018 (28 games), but it was in Milan where he truly flourished.

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Esteban Granero — a product of Madrid’s youth system, Granero played 118 matches for Los Blancos (2006–2011) before moving to Sociedad (2013–2016), where he made 77 appearances.

Diego Llorenteanother Madrid academy graduate, played just 35 games for his boyhood club but carved a solid role at Sociedad with 88 appearances and 8 goals.

Mikel gone was a steady presence in Madrid’s defense from 1991 to 1996, featuring 153 times. He played 81 times for Sociedad between 1988 and 1990 before his move to the capital.

Julius Caesar (30 games for Madrid in 1999) and Savio (137 games, 26 goals) both had brief spells at Sociedad—César played just 16 times, while Sávio managed 5 goals in 19 games.

Recent names include Álvaro Odriozolaa product of Sociedad’s youth system, who played 80 times for his boyhood club before moving to Madrid, where he has struggled for consistency (48 games, 3 goals, 8 assists). The same can be said for Lorena Navarro and Lucía Rodríguezboth of whom had brief Madrid careers before joining Sociedad’s women’s team.