Veteran captain Nacho waves goodbye to Real Madrid after 23 years with the team
Another surprise transfer this summer,V9Betwould like to say that Nacho, the club's iconic player, will be leaving Madrid after playing for the "Los Blancos" from youth level to the first team for more than 23 years. The next stop for the 34-year-old utility defender is to gain experience in the Middle East. The destination is Al-Qadsiyah of the Saudi Arabian Pro League, where Michel, a former Madrid player and Madrid coach Castilla, is in charge.
The history of Nacho, a talented footballer
Jose Ignacio Fernandez Iglesias or Nacho started training in football with the local youth team, Complutense, since the age of 9 before being recruited by Madrid at the age of 11. But the great gift that God gave him came with an unexpected disease. Type 1 diabetes, which cannot be cured, requires diet control to prevent danger. In addition, insulin injections are required to control blood sugar levels every day because the body cannot convert glucose into energy.
But even though he had to increase his discipline in life twice as much as other children, it did not end his path to becoming a professional footballer. At the age of 19, Fernandez became a key player for Madrid Castilla. Two years later, he played for the first team on April 23, 2011, in a game where they crushed Valencia 6-3. His younger brother, Alex Fernandez, also played in the game. Even though the paths of the two brothers later separated in different places, after making his debut not long after, Fernandez was promoted to the first team by coach Jose Mourinho in the 2012/13 season. As for the rest, as V9Bet betting website members know, even though Madrid has changed managers many times and has traded players many times, he still stands as a consistent member of the “Los Blancos” army. His strength is being able to play in every position in defense, whether it be left back, center half, or right back. In addition, in the 2023/24 season that just passed, he was also appointed team captain.
Nacho, the veteran Spanish player who won 26 trophies with Real Madrid
During his 23-year youth career, Nacho has played in 364 games for the team, scoring 16 goals and providing 10 assists, which is quite extraordinary for a defender who spends most of his time as a substitute on the sidelines. This has led to him being involved in winning 26 trophies, including 4 La Liga titles, 2 Copa del Rey titles, 5 Supercopa de Espana titles, 6 UEFA Champions League titles, 3 UEFA Super Cup titles and 5 FIFA Club World Cup titles, as well as winning 1 Segunda Division B title with Castilla.
In particular, in the 2023/24 season that just passed, Fernandez was able to wear the captain's armband and lead the club to a grand treble. Starting with a 4-1 rout of arch-rivals Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana, followed by winning his 36th La Liga title by 10 points ahead of Barca, before concluding the season with a 2-0 victory over German rivals Borussia Dortmund to win his 15th UEFA Champions League title.
And it wasn't just at the club level that he was successful, his national performance in the eyes of online football bettors was equally impressive. Starting with the U17 youth team, he led Spain to the 2007 European Championship, followed by the 2007 World Cup runner-up, and then moving up to the U21 youth team to win the 2013 European Championship. As for his performance with the "Bulls" senior team, he played a total of 29 games, scoring 1 goal, but he was also involved in winning the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League and, most recently, Euro 2024.
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Nacho's next path in football
In fact, Nacho could have stayed as a One Club Men and retired with Madrid without any problems. But after months of deliberation and consideration, he finally decided to seek a new challenge in the Middle East. At the age of 34, it would be the last professional contract he would have the opportunity to receive. Importantly, it would bring his family, wife Maria Cortes, two daughters and two sons, to live in a new atmosphere after living in Spain since birth.
The destination, Al-Qadsiyah, is the perfect choice for Fernandez and his family. Because the football news team found that it is a club located in Al Khobar, a city on the Persian Gulf coast. In addition to having many landmarks for relaxation, there is also interesting culture and art. Importantly, he will be working with a Spanish coach, Michel, who is a former Madrid player, not to mention famous stars such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Andre Carrillo, Julian Quinones, Nahitan Nandez and Koen Castiles.
Superstars flock to the Middle East
Over the years, the Saudi Pro League has spent a lot of money to attract big-name players to spice up their competition. The number of players is increasing steadily, ranging from near-retired superstars to stars seeking riches. For example, Al-Qadsiyah, who were recently promoted to the top flight, have signed stars like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Real Madrid, Julian Quinones, Nahitan Nandez and Koen Casteels.
The defending champions, Al-Hilal, have only recently added one new player, Matheus Pereira, a Brazilian playmaker from Cruzeiro, but the former players are all top-notch, starting with Aleksandar Mitrovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves, Renan Lodi, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Yassine Bono. Meanwhile, the runner-up, Al-Nassr, has now added three players, namely Bento, Seko Fofana, and Ghislain Konan. However, the original players are no less extraordinary, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Alex Telles, Emeric Laporte, Marcelo Brozovic, and Otavio.
In addition, there are many other famous stars who play in Saudi Arabia. Examples of familiar names in online sports betting V9Bet include Fabinho, N'Golo Kante and Karim Benzema of Al-Ittihad, Roberto Firmino and Riyad Mahrez of Al-Ahly, Gini Wijnaldum and Demarai Gray of Al-Ettifaq, Adam Maher and Nicolae Stanciu of Damac, Yannick Carrasco of Al-Shabab, Odion Ighalo of Al-Wehda and Fernon Anita of Al-Orobah, etc.
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Summary
Nacho may not be a famous superstar, but And is a player who is better than everyone. But what he has and has given to Madrid for 23 years is consistent performance. Ability to play a variety of defensive games and the determination to win It would not be an exaggeration to say that he is the unsung hero for the team’s stars. We will have to wait and see how Los Blancos will move forward after losing another important senior player.
