Who Is Real Madrid Debutant Victor Valdepenas?

Real Madrid debutant Victor Valdepenas produced a remarkable performance as Xabi Alonso’s side claimed a 2-1 victory at Deportivo Alaves on Sunday night. 

The victory came at a crucial time for Los Blancos and Alonso, as it allowed them to bounce back from consecutive defeats against Celta Vigo (2-0) and Manchester City (2-1).

The coach, however, continues to be on thin ice, as Real Madrid have shortlisted managers who could replace Alonso should he fail to win the next two matches.

Victor Valdepenas Makes Real Madrid Debut Against Deportivo Alaves

Following Eder Militao’s injury and the double red card of Fran Garcia and Alvaro Carreras, Real Madrid had two defenders available for the trip to Alaves.

Xabi Alonso also did not have the services of Eduardo Camavinga (calf injury), who had filled in as a left-back last season under Carlo Ancelotti. So, an opportunity arose for Castilla left-back Victor Valdepenas, and he made the most of it.

Valdepenas played 78 minutes in his official Real Madrid debut. He showed excellent composure on the ball, completing 32 of 34 passes, did not invite unnecessary pressure, and combined well with Jude Bellingham on the left flank.

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On the defensive front, the 19-year-old won seven of his 12 duels, attempted five tackles, and made three recoveries.

Valdepenas has become the first player to debut for Real Madrid with five tackles and 12 duels since Isco (5 and 24) and Dani Carvajal (5 and 13) in August 2013.

Valdepenas is also the third youngest defender (19 y 55d) to debut for Real Madrid in the 21st century. Raphael Varane remains the youngest (18 years and 149 days), followed by Achraf Hakimi (18 years and 331 days).

Who Is Victor Valdepenas?

Victor Valdepenas began his career with AD Villa Rosa’s youth academy in 2011. After five years at the club, he moved to Rayo Vallecano’s system.

Two impressive years later, he secured a move to Real Madrid, becoming a part of the Under-13s squad. However, could not nail down his spot.

So, after two years, he moved again, this time to Leganes. At Leganes, Valdepenas found his footing and earned a call back to Real Madrid. In 2024, he joined Real Madrid’s C team before being promoted to their reserve team.

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Valdepenas’ impressive build (1.88m), pace (can hit 34 km/h), and passing ability have made him an integral part of Alvaro Arbeloa’s Castilla squad. He also packs a powerful shot, just like his idol and current Real Madrid captain, Federico Valverde.

He has played 28 games for Real Madrid Castilla across competitions so far, scoring two goals and providing an assist.

Valdepenas represents Spain on the international stage. He is currently with Spain U19 and has played five matches.

Valdepenas Speaks After Fulfilling Childhood ‘Dream’

Carlo Ancelotti also rated Victor Valdepenas highly and included him in his squad for the 2024/25 season. However, he ultimately did not get a chance to play under the Italian.

On Sunday, he fulfilled the dream, wearing the No. 40 on his back. After the game, he talked about his dream debut and also shared an advice for fellow academy players.

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Valdepenas told Real Madrid TV:

“It’s a dream, every child’s dream. I’ve been dreaming about it since I started playing football, and today I’ve been able to fulfil it. It’s impossible to explain how I feel, I’m really happy, to be honest.

“This shirt is going in my room. I’m going to frame it there so I can see it every day and remember today.”

He added:

“I’ve been here since I was a kid, and we’ve put in a lot of work. We have to be consistent and believe in this.”

With Fran Garcia clear to feature in the final LaLiga game of the season on Saturday, it will be interesting to see if Valdepenas gets to keep his spot in the starting XI.