Inside Real Madrid's academy: 'Only a certain type of person succeeds here'

Real Madrid are happy to break the world transfer record but they have also invested €100m in building an academy they call ‘the greatest sports facility ever built by a football club’

By Alex Clapham for Caño Football of the Sport Network

The scores were locked at 2-2 when Marco Asensio hit a 25-yard rocket that dipped and whipped in front of Manuel Neuer’s face before landing in the bottom corner. Ecstasy and an eight-man pile-on ensue as the other player screams expletives at the German goalkeeper and claims his controller is faulty. With less than four hours to go until kick-off, the Cadete B players are supposed to be relaxing before a testing league encounter under the lights. Playing a Fifa tournament isn’t exactly doing the trick.

Competitiveness is encouraged by staff around the Real Madrid complex, says academy coach Javier Morán. “These are boys who are representing Real Madrid. Real Madrid, fucking hell. They need to be a certain kind of individual to succeed here. You can’t coach desire but you can surround the boys with drive and belief. Our club ethos is ‘nunca se rinde’ (‘never give up’) and they need that competitive edge to achieve their targets.”

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