After winning the Champions League trophy as Real Madrid’s captain, Nacho declared, “My dream has come true.”

Every Royal Club supporter has some respect for Nacho’s efforts, unwavering perseverance, and devotion to the old guard with an eternal heart when they reflect on his career.

The youngster watching Madrid from the sidelines

Nacho has never been regarded as a great center defender or as having the capacity to improve since his days at the Castilla academy. Nacho doesn’t have a lot of muscle, height, or speed. He lacks the skills of a defensive captain and is not the kind of center defender that reads situations well. After Raul Albiol left at the age of 23, he was promoted to the first team for the 2013–2014 season.

Nacho has stayed with Real Madrid every season after that one. Being a silent piece in the Los Blancos machine, he is never seen as a key player. He has consistently been out of their plans, appearing at the club mostly to round out the team under coaches Mourinho, Benitez, and Ancelotti (2013–2015). He still gets to play, but only in inconsequential games or to cover for injured teammates.

Real Madrid wins titles every season, but nobody talks much about his accomplishments because they are too little in comparison to those of Marcelo or Ramos. Even though Nacho is “the child on the sidelines of success” at Real, he quietly contributes to the team.