Real Madrid has never been a club renowned for offering minutes to young people just in principle. Historically, only the most talented manage to impose themselves in the plethoric workforce of Chamartín. This is exactly what is happening in Valdebebas, where a new generation of players from the Fabrica is a place in the workforce of Xabi Alonso. Five names are already essential – Carvajal, Asencio, Carreras, Fran García and Gonzalo – to which the French goalkeeper must be added, pillar of Castilla but constantly summoned as a lining with the pros. His presence, even without playing, illustrates how more and more real and more bet on this homemade DNA, even in a context of enormous competition.
In defense, the contingent is impressive: four players trained at the club already hold their place. Dani Carvajal remains the supreme example of the Madrid model, he who had to go through Bayer Leverkusen before returning to become a captain and lift six champions leagues. Fran García and Álvaro Carreras, also who left for playing time elsewhere, ended up returning to the White House. In the case of Carreras, Madrid did not hesitate to invest 50 million euros to repatriate him from Benfica, convinced that he knew the club's requirements perfectly. This mixture of patience and severity is typical of an institution that leaves no gifts to its young people, but opens the doors to them if their level is there.
Beginnings under the spotlight!
The case of Gonzalo illustrates a turning point. For a long time, Real has not aligned attackers trained at the club. But the Madrid striker extended until 2030 and has already established himself in the club World Cup, proof that patience pays. For Marcahis emergence, alongside the weight reinforcements that are Mbappé and Endrick, symbolizes a less dogmatic real Madrid. It does not matter that the player comes from Valdebebas or another continent bought at gold prices, the important thing is that he meets sports requirements. By their side, three other figures – Valverde, Vinícius and Rodrygo – recall how the Castilla served as a springboard before their explosion at the highest level. Even if the Uruguayan has gone through Corogne, the Madrid school has shaped its hatching. The 2025-26 season also marks a private school year. For the first time since 2018, Madrid begins La Liga at home, against Osasuna this Tuesday evening. The opportunity for recruits to present themselves to the Bernabéu public. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, Álvaro Carreras and Franco Mastanuono will take their first steps under Madrid projectors.
All four embody varied profiles: Alexander-Arnold has already faced Real seven times, but never in Bernabéu, Huijsen realizes his childhood dream by finally trailing the district of Chamartín, Carreras returns to the fold after having matured in Spain and Portugal and Mastanuono, which has just celebrated its 18 years, discovers the Europe after being Europe Flat. Different trajectories, but the same ambition: to win in the most demanding club in the world. Madrid history, rich in a shattering beginnings, places these recruits in a prestigious continuity. Ronaldo in 2002 had scored a double on his first two touches, Endrick found the fault last year against Valladolid, and before them, legends like Figo, Beckham, Cristiano, Camavonga or Raúl had celebrated their beginnings with a goal. This line places additional pressure on the shoulders of newcomers, but also a unique opportunity: to register their name in a tradition that goes from Di Stéfano to Mbappé. Between the nuggets of Valdebebas and the foreign reinforcements, Real Madrid, according to ASalready has an explosive cocktail that feeds a single goal: to win the 37th Liga and a 16th European Cup.
