Spain-based journalist Graham Hunter joined The Football Show to discuss Real Madrid and their new wonderkid Alvaro Rodriguez.
Real Madrid have a history of producing wonderkids.
Raul and Fernand Morientes led them to Champions League titles 20+ years ago. In more recent times, the likes of Marcelo and Vinicius have arrived from South America at the beginning of their careers to great success.
Madrid can afford to pay big money for young players, so they're always going to hit more than their competitors.
But it's not just about finances.
Madrid's sustained success and the flair of their galacticos over the last 3-4 decades has given them a stature amongst fans across the world. Unlike Manchester City, families and young children recognize Real Madrid as an institution of success.
Because of that, they can even take players away from other massive clubs. In this instance, that massive club just happens to be their fierce rival Barcelona.
Alvaro Rodriguez is a Uruguayan starlet who grew up in the shadow of the Camp Nou. But as Graham Hunter explains, he and his father always pushed to join Real Madrid.
"The newest wonderkid, Alvaro Rodriguez, he's a fascinating story," Hunter explained.
"Born in Catalunia, brought up in Catalunia. It looked like Barcelona just didn't see him under their very noses. But instead what happened was his Uruguayan dad and he himself are Madridistas to the core.
"They were playing all their football an hour from the Camp Nou and their academy there. But he was like 'No, Madrid. Madrid!'"
Hunter explains that even during the early stages of his teen years, Alvaro wasn't interested in Barcelona and only had his eyes on Madrid. Now that he's 18 years of age, he has made his first appearances for his boyhood team.
And they've gone pretty well.
"Raul has been saying for some time, and now Ancelotti is also, 'watch out for this Alvaro.'
"He comes on the other week I think in the 88th minute, creates a brilliant assist but Valverde has rendered him offside. He creates another brilliant assist 90 seconds later for the second goal for Asensio.
"And then in his second La Liga game against Atleti, he leaps like he has a stepladder and scores the equalizer."
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