There have been more glamorous players in Real Madrid’s history — but few can match Nacho’s longevity.
The versatile defender has spent the past 24 years with Madrid, joining their academy as a 10-year-old and rising through the ranks to become club captain last season. He made his senior debut under Jose Mourinho in April 2011 and has made 364 appearances since then, winning 26 titles.
Now, at 34, Nacho is leaving the Santiago Bernabeu ahead of a move to Saudi Arabian side Al Qadsiah.
“I say goodbye to you after 24 years of absolute dedication, passion and enthusiasm,” he wrote in an open letter to Madrid fans after his departure was announced. “I would like you to remember me as a canterano (academy player) who gave EVERYTHING for this club.”
GRACIAS @realmadrid 🤍🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/MDBls1RyiH
— Nacho Fernández (@nachofi1990) June 25, 2024
The Athletic has spoken to people who played a key role in his Madrid career to get their perspective on what he means to Los Blancos. Among them is Mourinho, who gave him that first appearance in a 6-3 win at Valencia’s Mestalla.
“I am proud of him,” says the Portuguese coach. “He was a kid but with the mentality of a man. It was easy to see his potential at every level. From that Valencia match until the Champions League final, I can only say that I am so proud of him.”
The voices here help trace Nacho’s remarkable story, from joining the academy to lifting his club’s record-extending 15th Champions League/European Cup title at Wembley earlier this month.
Born in the city of Alcala de Henares to the north of Madrid, Nacho arrived at La Fabrica — the factory, as Real Madrid’s academy is known — in 2001. He was recruited by Vicente del Bosque, then head of their youth setup. Del Bosque would go on to become a World Cup-winning manager with Spain and give Nacho his national team debut in 2013.
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Del Bosque: “The scout we had in Alcala de Henares, the late Florentino Bravo, gave us very good reports. Recruiting Nacho was the last thing I did as director of the academy. Then I moved to the first team as coach.
“We trusted the reports and he took the right path with the club. He has always been a very well-liked lad and — from what they tell me — he has always behaved very well.
“He’s had a brilliant career and I’m really happy for him. Firstly, because he is a kid from the youth academy and secondly, because he deserves it. He is a lad who represents the club very well.
“Leaving is a very hard step. In my case, I was in the Madrid dressing room for 37 years and I went to Turkey (with Besiktas), but in the end it was a positive experience. I’m sure his next destination is going to be a good experience for him.”
Nacho celebrates a Real Madrid Castilla goal in August 2012 (Victor Carretero/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
Nacho was key for Madrid’s youth teams. He played alongside his brother Alex — a midfielder who plays for Cadiz and has spent time at Elche, Espanyol and Reading — and was part of a generation including Dani Carvajal, Alvaro Morata, Lucas Vazquez and Joselu that won promotion to Spanish football’s second division in 2012.
One of his best friends at Real Madrid Castilla (the club’s ‘B’ team that is full of youth players) was David Mateos. Now 37 years old, the centre-back left Madrid in 2013 and has since played for clubs including AEK Athens, Ferencvaros and Orlando City. His last club was Guangxi Pingguo Haliao in the Chinese second tier.
Nacho started as a midfielder in Madrid’s academy before moving to central defence. But he played as a full-back under Mourinho and has appeared at left and right-back since. Last season, he was largely used at centre-back given the long-term absences of Eder Militao and David Alaba through injury. Mateos says Nacho had to overcome a lack of opportunities in the first team.
Mateos: “My first memory of Nacho was when he made his debut in Castilla with Michel (the Madrid legend who will manage him at Al Qadsiah). I was struck by his simplicity — what you see is what you get with him.
“His main value is his poise. He has always known how to handle the situations he has faced, which have not been easy. He was always at a disadvantage compared to other players in defence and he always ended up playing a significant number of games. His knowhow has helped him become what he is today.
“When he retires, I think he will go into cattle breeding. He loves bullfighting and already has a cattle ranch with a famous bullfighter (the Badajoz-born Alejandro Talavante). I don’t think he will be a trainer — at least, that’s my opinion.
“Apart from that, I think he will work within the Real Madrid structure. The fans will always have a very, very good memory of him.”
The defender celebrates the 2022 Champions League final win with a bullfighter’s cape (Harriet Lander/Copa/Getty Images)
When Nacho first broke into the first team, Pepe, Sergio Ramos and Ricardo Carvalho were ahead of him in the pecking order. Raphael Varane joined in 2011 and along with Ramos formed the impressive centre-back partnership that helped Madrid win four Champions League titles from 2014-2018.
Nacho did not reach 30 La Liga appearances in any of his 14 seasons with Madrid. But he started this year’s Champions League final at Wembley against Borussia Dortmund, lifting that trophy and a record-extending 36th La Liga title last term. The 26-cap Spain international is targeting more silverware at the European Championship in Germany this summer, after helping them to the UEFA Nations League title last year.
Other Madrid veterans such as Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez, both 32 years old, know how important he is.
Carvajal: “The first year we experienced together as team-mates was at Castilla. He was captain and I remember it was a fantastic year for the group, the results and what it meant for the team (they were promoted to the second division in 2012).
“The best moments we have together are the titles we’ve won and the satisfaction of winning. Nacho’s career has been impeccable: he’s a player who has given everything, with a unique professionalism.”
Madrid’s Spanish players celebrate the latest Champions League win (Burak Akbulut/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Vazquez: “Nacho is a spectacular guy, an incredible person who always tries to help his team-mates. He was born with the soul of a captain.
“He performs at a high level in any circumstances, whether it’s the first pre-season game or a Champions League final. That’s what defines Nacho — he always gives his best. I’ve been sharing a dressing room with him for many years: he takes every training session as a great test and competes to the maximum, then he transfers that to matches. That’s one of his great secrets and what I’ll keep from him.
He will be remembered for being a great team-mate, a great captain, a great footballer, an example for all players and an example of Madridismo. He is a legend of this club.”
(Top photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)
