Real Madrid's academy players at the Club World Cup – who are they and could they play?

New York Times

a day ago

Real Madrid have announced their 34-man squad for the Club World Cup — with a twist.
Six of the 24 first-team players in the squad are injured: Antonio Rudiger, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga and Endrick. None of them are expected to be fit when Madrid kick off their tournament against Al Hilal in Miami on Wednesday.
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That helps explain why Xabi Alonso has called up 10 players from the academy for the trip to the United States. But who are they and what does their future look like?
Madrid do not often draft youngsters immediately into the first team, so patience is needed. Raul Asencio is a rare example of a player from 'La Fabrica' being thrown into the deep end, playing 42 first-team games last season after an injury crisis in defence.
The Athletic has spoken to training-ground sources, who asked to remain anonymous to protect their position, to find out which of these players could be set to make the step up.
The 6ft 5in (196cm) Gonzalez stands out for his height and sharp reflexes. When Carlo Ancelotti was still head coach, people close to him said the 19-year-old reminded the Italian of Gianluigi Buffon. He made his first-team debut in April's 2-1 defeat against Valencia in La Liga.
Goalkeeping coach Luis Llopis pushed for him to be called up to the first-team squad at the end of the 2022-23 season. But mostly, Gonzalez has needed to be content with being third-choice 'keeper for the first team and No 1 for Castilla, the club's 'B' team.
He was given his reward when Thibaut Courtois and Andriy Lunin were injured for that Valencia game, although the loss left a bittersweet taste for Gonzalez. He has several suitors in Spain and is not expected to continue playing for Castilla next season.
Mestre is a relative unknown. The 20-year-old joined from Atletico Madrid last year, one of the players who has broken the 'pact of non-aggression' between the city rivals that had stood for years.
That switch, along with training with the first team on several occasions this term, means he has not been tested at first-team level. He is valued as one of the most complete 'keepers at Madrid's academy but can still improve his aerial game, despite being 6ft 3in.
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He could be loaned out or sold with Madrid retaining some control over his future — as they have done with many academy players — to develop more next season.
Fortea is probably the best-known of the academy youngsters as he was the first player to break that pact with Atletico when he crossed the divide in 2023.
Now 18, he has attracted interest from other clubs but renewed his deal with Madrid until 2029 as they see a lot of potential, even if he has only appeared for Madrid's 'C' team and the under-19s.
Fortea is gifted technically, but training-ground sources think he can still develop physically. They want to go step-by-step with him and not elevate him immediately to the first team — that is still the long-term vision, with new Castilla coach Alvaro Arbeloa, a former right-back, expected to play a key role next campaign.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will start the tournament in this position after his €10million (£8.5m; $11.6m) switch from Liverpool, which is likely to limit Fortea's options.
With Dean Huijsen and Asencio available as a centre-back pairing and Rudiger expected to be available for the most important games of the tournament, provided Madrid reach the latter stages, there was little urgency to fill gaps in this position.
That is why Alonso has called up the 20-year-old Ramon as his only academy centre-back. Alonso coached him in the 2018-19 season, when he was in charge of Madrid's under-14s, and Ramon could fit in well with the coach's combination play.
🔙 Jacobo Ramón with Xabi Alonso back in 2019. 🤍 pic.twitter.com/cgnzvrlrWU
— Real Madrid Fabrica (@FabricaMadrid) January 27, 2025
But Jacobo lacks speed and has yet to improve in that aspect of his game. Barring an exceptional situation, such as an injury crisis, he is not expected to play regularly for the first team — despite appearing in five games this season and scoring his first senior goal in May. He could be given minutes with Castilla or go out on loan.
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After failing to reach an agreement with Benfica to sign Alvaro Carreras before the Club World Cup, Alonso's only fit senior left-back is Fran Garcia. He has bolstered that position with the 19-year-old Youssef Enriquez, better known as 'Yusi', and Aguado, 18.
The former has already been called up to Morocco's senior team — in March 2024, although he did not play — and is being watched by La Liga clubs who see him as a potential surprise package if he plays in the tournament.
Yusi is a converted winger and is unsurprisingly strong in attack with an eye for goal. He is seen as a player who uses his speed well in defence but still has to improve playing in a back four. Club sources say he is very mature for his age.
Aguado is different. At Madrid, they consider him to be one of the academy players with the best chance of making it to the first team at some point. He can play at centre-back and left-back, is confident in his passing and reads the game well, according to those behind the scenes.
He still has a lot of development left, but could do that at Castilla next year if he does not leave. The left-backs are likely to be the academy players with the best chance of playing in the U.S., given the lack of alternatives in that position, with Mendy and backup option Camavinga injured.
Madrid and Real Valladolid reached an agreement to end Martin's loan a few weeks early so that he could go to the Club World Cup.
Though the 21-year-old midfielder's loan team suffered relegation, members of the player's camp have pointed out that the same thing happened to Federico Valverde when he was on loan at Deportivo La Coruna in 2017-18. That spell proved formative for the Uruguayan and they think the same could be true of Martin's time at Valladolid.
His profile perhaps does not fit Alonso's system, given he is a more defensive player and Aurelien Tchouameni is a strong first-team option in that position, although those at the club appreciate his work ethic and attitude.
At 6ft 2in, Chema is seen as a different kind of midfielder. Training-ground sources see some similarities with Manchester City's Rodri in his balance and the key role he plays from deep midfield. He is seen as a more natural fit for Alonso's system and is another player who was coached by the new boss when he was in charge of the under-14s.
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Unfortunately, Chema faces competition in midfield and needs playing time and confidence to develop his game.
Garcia scored 25 times for Castilla this season, setting a record for the most goals in a single season of the reformed Spanish third tier.
The 21-year-old striker works hard and has been praised for his movement. He has appeared six times for Madrid's first team and in February, he scored his first senior goal, a late winner against Leganes, to send Ancelotti's team through to the Copa del Rey semi-finals.
But Garcia is only seen as a substitute striker in the same way as Alvaro Morata and Joselu in recent years. Madrid sources see him as a useful player but teams, including Alaves, Getafe and Brighton & Hove Albion, are monitoring his progress.
His case is similar to fellow 21-year-old Munoz, who also excelled at Castilla this term with 11 goals and seven assists. A winger rather than a striker, he is valued for his speed and is seen as having enough potential to play for a La Liga side next year — although for now, he is expected to be a reserve option for Alonso.
Both were called on by the first team several times at the end of the season and proved their worth, particularly in a 2-0 win on the penultimate day of the season at Sevilla.
(Top photos: Xabi Alonso oversees training, Yusi in action for Castilla last season; Getty Images)