Real Madrid End-of-Season Player Ratings: Courtois’ 7.5/10 headlines goalkeeper and defensive grades | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s 2025/26 campaign was anything but sweet for the club faithful, the dressing room, or either of the two managers who were in charge over the course of the campaign.

The Merengues went trophy-less, looked far from their best in a sporting sense, and ended the season with a massive internal breakdown in the dressing room and with the manager.

The primary focus of the team’s flaws, however, constantly revolved around the defence and the back-line, for that was the one part of the field where Los Blancos repeatedly looked lost.

As good as their defensive record was in La Liga in terms of conceding the fewest goals, they were fragile at the back throughout and the goalkeepers and defenders require serious introspection ahead of next season.

Madrid Universal brings you the season ratings for Real Madrid’s goalkeepers and defenders from the recently concluded campaign.

Thibaut Courtois

The Belgian star was a pillar in Real Madrid’s campaign despite the overall poor results and managed to hold his ground time and time again. His shot-stopping continued to be elite and he was ever-reliable in goal.

Unfortunately, his season took a nosedive in March when he was diagnosed with a muscular injury and a layoff of over a month, and he only returned in May for El Clasico.

All in all, he was one of the standout performers this season, and barring his injury, he was excellent in goal both as a player and as a leader. Yet, the timing of his injury could not have been worse, both for him and for the team.

Season rating: 7.5

Andriy Lunin

As has been the case for a long time, Lunin found himself to be a backup option to Courtois for long periods in the season. 

He was thrown into the deep end at the business end of the season and spent a long time finding his form at a point where mistakes were unforgivable.

His moment arrived in Real Madrid’s UCL clash against Manchester City where he stepped up with a convincing show. His strong form continued into April where he played high-intensity games including the Madrid derby.

Eventually, however, he became a victim of Real Madrid’s collapsing defence and could not help avert the team’s UEFA Champions League elimination.

Season rating: 6

Alvaro Carreras

A mixed debut campaign for Carreras. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

Having arrived for big money in the summer, Carreras was under heavy scrutiny as one of the club’s most valuable defensive signings. He began the season as a de facto starter and did well to keep the spot, but matters turned sour as the season approached the end.

His attacking and defensive contributions remained steadily reliable through the season and he did not suffer any notable injuries. He shone under Xabi Alonso, but his time with Arbeloa was not as impressive.

As the season progressed, the former academy star seemed to look isolated and his downfall began during Real Madrid’s defeat to Bayern Munich in the UCL where he looked completely lost.

All in all, he suffered a mixed season with highs and equivalent lows, and it will be interesting to see how the next campaign treats him.

Season rating: 6

Fran Garcia

Unlike many of his teammates, Fran Garcia was one of the Real Madrid players who stayed relatively fit and available throughout the season. 

His role was similar to last season’s where he served as a valuable backup option but was not convincing enough to lock down the starting point at any time in the campaign.

While he was firmly the second-choice left-back under Xabi Alonso, his fortune turned for the better late in the campaign after Alvaro Arbeloa had a feud with Alvaro Carreras, and thus strung together some starts at a crucial point in the season.

All in all, he had 13 league appearances and a goal and an assist to show in that duration with an average of 0.4 key passes per game.

Season rating: 5.5

Ferland Mendy

Mendy’s 2025-26 campaign was nothing short of a nightmare, and it is difficult to even pinpoint a single positive from the entire year.

At no point in the season did he look fit enough to string games together as a starter, and he suffered back-to-back injuries that kept him out from August to October, then in December, January, and March until a tendon injury ended his season in May.

He managed just five appearances and three starts in La Liga all season, and even though he delivered a few decent displays when he played, it is safe to say his season was as horrifying as it could get.

Season rating: 3

David Alaba

Alaba said goodbye to Real Madrid. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

The 2025/26 season marked the end of David Alaba’s time as a Real Madrid player as he officially bid the club farewell last week. The season, in itself, mirrored his entire stint at the club – unpredictable with moments of positivity.

Injuries regularly affected him, notably at the end of 2025, and he saw most of the first half of the season as a fifth-choice centre-back under Xabi Alonso. An experiment was tried with him in midfield as well, but his legs simply did not have it in them.

While he did not see too many minutes even at the end of the season, he did play the full 90 minutes against Real Oviedo and seventy minutes in his final game for the club to end on a high note.

Season rating: 5

Antonio Rudiger

Rudiger, for long, has been seen as the backbone of Real Madrid’s defence and the glue that stuck the department together. For him, the recently concluded season was deeply frustrating on a sporting level.

The weight of previous injuries bore heavily on him, and the physical and mental fatigue clearly held him back from being at his best. Two crucial injury breaks, moreover, took the steam out of his campaign – one in September and the second in January.

In the end, he never really got going with either Dean Huijsen or Raul Asencio and the disconnect between them weighed heavily on Real Madrid’s campaign.

Season rating: 6

Dean Huijsen

Huijsen arrived as Real Madrid’s so-called long-term saviour in defence and was thrust into a department that was unstable and shaky from the get-go.

His initial performances were promising, and the player put up impressive numbers under Xabi Alonso with great distribution, defensive awareness, and tactical versatility.

Despite his domestic success, however, his unraveling began in Real Madrid’s European campaign as he gradually wore down and became a player unrecognisable from what he was before.

The game against Bayern Munich was the bottom of the pit, and he never really recovered from that setback. In the end, his quality dropped such that he has been omitted from Spain’s NT squad for the World Cup.

Season rating: 6

Raul Asencio

Asencio’s season was a roller-coaster, but not a very bright one for the most part. He proved that he can be extremely competent at times, but his inconsistency and medical instability did not allow him to enjoy continuity.

With the defence experiencing a serious crisis in terms of a lack of personnel, Asencio saw far more prominence than was initially expected of him. His numbers were not poor, but he began to lose steam after the managerial change.

Under Alvaro Arbeloa, Asencio saw a fall in quality until the Clasico in May, but he managed to finish decently well in the final games of the season.

Season rating: 6

Eder Militao

Another injury-riddled campaign for Militao. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

If Mendy had the worst season in terms of fitness, Militao was a close second. The once undisputed starter at the club could not find any continuity in the team for another entire season.

Militao’s body simply could not handle the stress of playing a competitive sport once more, especially after his two ACL injuries, and he suffered setbacks in November, December, and April as well.

When on the field, his quality was undeniable and he did well in the 16 appearances he made for the team in La Liga. His brief return from injury in April coincided with the team’s worst moment and he struggled against Bayern Munich. 

A week later, his season ended with another hamstring tear, this time requiring surgery.

Season rating: 5

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Arriving amid massive expectations, there was an idea that the player would immediately transform Real Madrid’s right flank into an attacking gold mine. The reality, however, could not be further away.

His technical quality and attacking flair were visible throughout the season in flashes, but he never managed to deliver consistently in terms of both form and fitness.

Injuries plagued his campaign to a large extent, especially in October. The adaptation struggles compounded his problems and he eventually only broke free in late March and April when he began stepping up.

His lack of form and fitness led to him missing out on the World Cup as well in what is a serious shocker.

Season rating: 6

Dani Carvajal

Carvajal leaves Real Madrid after a difficult season. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Dani Carvajal’s season was anything but memorable, but it will end up being remembered forever as his final campaign in white.

Coming back from his knee injury, the captain found himself marginalised from the team dynamics for a long time, partly owing to his age, partly to the arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold, and partly to the problems with Arbeloa.

He served just as a rotational option for most of the season, but was not at his best even in the few games he played. His last week as a Real Madrid player, however, was memorable and he played some golden minutes before bidding farewell.

Season rating: 5