Still unknown at the start of the season, Raul Asencio has become one of Real Madrid’s key players in just a few months and received his first cap for Spain for the March training camp. The player discussed his rise to prominence in an interview with the Spanish press.
It’s a story worthy of one of the greatest films in history. Little considered a few years ago within Castilla, Raul Asencio wasn’t destined for a great career with Real Madrid. Ultimately, the young 22-year-old central defender has established himself this season with the Merengues. Taking advantage of the departures of young prospects like Rafa Marin and the long-term injuries of key players like Eder Militao, the Las Palmas native got his chance with Carlo Ancelotti. Since then, the man who has already been compared to Sergio Ramos has continued to impress.
Considered a permanent fixture in major matches, Madrid’s number 35 has become the new darling of the Santiago Bernabeu. Heckled outside the capital due to his legal troubles in a murky affair involving the distribution of child pornography, Raul Asencio can nevertheless count on the unwavering support of his teammates and fans. This confidence is felt on the pitch through numerous emphatic interventions that make Madrid fans roar with delight and often brilliant inspirations at the restart. An impressive rise that is also reflected in the colors of La Roja.
Raul Asencio opens up about his new status
Never called up to Spain’s youth teams, the Real Madrid defender was called up for the first time to the reigning European champions for the March training camp. This accomplishment further propels Raul Asencio, who is overjoyed, as he explained to the Spanish Football Federation: “I’m very happy to be here. I want to live this experience to the fullest. I’ve always dreamed of a moment like this since I was little, and I’m very proud to have achieved it. I learned about my call-up to Real Madrid training thanks to Ancelotti, who came to tell me. All my teammates and the coaching staff congratulated me. It was really nice. Everything happened very quickly and very brutally. I’m slowly adapting to the situations I’m experiencing and those I still have to face. As a child, we joke around and think about what we can accomplish in the future, and seeing it come true makes me very proud.”
Obviously, his arrival, coupled with that of Dean Huijsen, and the emergence of Pau Cubarsí in the Spanish defense, suggest a bright future for the Roja. Especially since Asencio seems determined to establish himself with Spain, as his idols Sergio Ramos and Carles Puyol did before him: “I’ve always been one of those who like to work in the shadows, I don’t like to be congratulated for my assists or my goals. That’s good, but I like being in charge of the back, watching football and organizing the team, it’s a talent I’ve had since I was little. I loved being a defender and today, I have no regrets. Sergio Ramos has always been a reference for me, anyone who loves football knows what he was, both with Real Madrid and with the Spanish national team. It’s true that there have been other references like Carles Puyol, we look at them and we look at their way of playing from a very young age and we begin to see the virtues of each player.” It remains to be seen whether Raul Asencio will manage to continue his momentum and also become one of the best Spanish defenders in history.
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