Italy's World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro completed his move to Real Madrid on Tuesday when he signed a three-year contract.
"He was our number one target from the day sports director Predrag Mijatovic and coach Fabio Capello started planning the team," Real president Ramon Calderon said at the player's presentation in the Bernabeu.
Cannavaro was signed from Juventus along with Brazilian midfielder Emerson as the Italian club were forced to unload players following their relegation after the Serie A match-fixing scandal. Spanish media reported the combined fee to be about 20 million euros ($24.99 million).
"He is an example for all young players. He was a ballboy at the World Cup finals in Italy in 1990 and since then has had an extraordinary career," Calderon added.
"He is the first signing of my presidency and is an authentic number one, a great leader."
In this year's World Cup the former Napoli and Parma player produced a series of peerless displays at the heart of Italy's superb defence, winning admiration for his reading of the game, anticipation, athleticism and ice-cool temperament.
He was also praised for keeping the players' minds fixed on the tournament despite the distractions of the match-fixing scandal and produced another top drawer performance when he won his 100th cap in the penalty shoot-out win over France in the final.
Cannavaro is the latest in a long and expensive line of players bought by Real in attempt to replace centre back Fernando Hierro, who left in June 2003.
Since then they have spent around $90 million bringing Walter Samuel, who has since been sold, Jonathan Woodgate and Sergio Ramos to the club.
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