Iker Casillas is going to Porto. Sergio Ramos looks destined for a departure as well.

Those two players leave different voids for the team, but they have one thing in common -- the captaincy. For years, Casillas was the team's undisputed captain with Ramos as his vice-captain. Many expected Casillas to leave as early as last summer and it was assumed that the defender would take over the mantle of on-field general.

However, with Ramos gone, that role is likely going to be handed to someone else. But who? Here is a look at the top candidates to take over the armband.

Marcelo

Tradition has it that the most veteran player on the team gets the armband once the captain leaves. That is one of the main reasons Casillas got the call when Raul Gonzalez finally decided to leave the club.

If coach Rafa Benitez maintains this tradition then the honor would fall to Marcelo, who has been with the club since 2007.

The Brazilian is undoubtedly one of the main leaders of the team, his offensive abilities on the left flank often proving to be the catalyst for Madrid's offensive prowess. At 27, he is still in his prime and could remain with the club for years to come. This longevity might make him the top candidate to take over the armband duty.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Marcelo might be the traditional choice, but no one represents Madrid like Ronaldo does. He is the face of the franchise and would likely be the most obvious choice for a number of other reasons.

Put simply, Madrid's offense runs through Ronaldo. He scored 61 goals in 2014-15 and has scored 50 or more goals for the team in five straight seasons. He also led the team in assists with assists with a whopping 22.

Ronaldo slowed down as the season progressed, but he did bail out the club on a number of occasions, most notably against Schalke 04 in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16.

He also has experience as Portugal's captain.

Of course many will point to the fact that Ronaldo is prone to tantrums and has often put himself in embarrassing situations. The party to celebrate his 30th birthday, which came after a 4-0 loss against Atletico Madrid, will be one example people point to as a selfish man unwilling to consider his team's recent embarrassment. The red card he obtained earlier in the year for attacking a defender will also bring up questions of character.

There are also questions of longevity. At 30 Ronaldo still has some years left to make an impact, but there are already a plethora of rumors revolving around his leaving for the MLS to finish out his career. Why would the team want to give the captaincy to a man likely leaving within a year or two? It gives the team instability and forces another change of leadership in a rather short span.

Gareth Bale

This is a controversial one to be sure. The 2015-16 season will be Bale's third. He had a rough time in his second year, picking up severe criticisms from fans and some players on the team.

He is not the most popular man in Madrid right now.

That said, he is the future of the team. At age 25, Bale is not yet in his peak years. He is just entering them.

Rafa Bentitez seems to have a liking for him, visiting the player prior to Wales' encounter with Belgium in the Euro Cup qualifiers.

For Benitez, the construction of his team may be about forward thinking and he might want to give his vote of confidence to the future of the club, not its presence.

If he gives Bale the armband, then he might create tension with Ronaldo, but he might give the Welshman the confidence he needs to reach his best abilities. If Bale knows he is the main man for years to come, it might allow him to play with the composure often lacking in 2014-15.

This is highly unlikely, but it could be a situation in Bale is groomed to be the future captain of Madrid.