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MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 14: Diego Aguado, Manuel Ángel, César Palacios and Thiago Pitarch of Real Madrid interact following the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Madrid CF and Elche CF at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 14, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jorge Valdano has highlighted Real Madrid’s growing reliance on academy players, this time pointing directly to Alvaro Arbeloa’s role in driving that shift.
Speaking on Movistar+, the former Real Madrid player, coach, and sporting director pointed to a symbolic moment that reflects a broader change within the team.
“Suddenly there is a photo with five players who came from the academy, it is a merit that must be given.”
Valdano’s words carry weight, particularly given his long-standing philosophy around youth development at the club. Throughout his career, he has consistently argued that belief in the academy must be demonstrated through real opportunities at first-team level, not just rhetoric.
Under Arbeloa, that belief is beginning to take shape. Injuries to key players have opened the door, but the continued trust in players like Thiago Pitarch and Manuel Angel suggests something more deliberate.
Arbeloa is leaning into the identity of a coach that gives youth a true opportunity.
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