Spanish Inquisition: Whatever Happened To The Galactico Kids?

Ewan Macdonald looks back at the local heroes of the Galacticos movement at Real Madrid and attempts to track them down...

Feb 11, 2009 7:18:22 PM

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Remember Florentino Perez's Galacticos? Sorry - stupid question. Everyone remembers. But what about the local kids who formed the second half of the "Zidanes and Pavones" duopoly - the unsung cantera products who were to add local grit and local pride to the multi-million international acquisitions beside them?

Francisco Pavon gave his name to this phenomenon, of course, as he was to be the poster-child of the policy that saw youth players join up with the one (or more) world-class signing that arrived each summer.

But as quickly as the Galacticos era began, it ended, and just as the superstars dispersed, so too did the locals. Indeed, the current Madrid side contains remarkably few cantera products.

Maybe that has something to do with the history of the Pavones below...

Francisco Pavon
Now at: Real Zaragoza

Let's start with the man himself, the one who was so emblematic of the lower half of an era. The hometown boy joined up with his local club as a child, making his first team debut as an 18-year-old in a friendly in 1998. Under the Perez regime, though, he established himself in the side, becoming a key centre-back by the early part of the decade. However, as Perez left, the golden boy's shine began to fade. Now he's at the Romareda, looking decent... in the Segunda. But Madrid fans will always have a level of respect for the local boy made good.

Ruben Gonzalez Rocha
Now at: Celta Vigo

Another centre-back, this one didn't quite endear himself to the fans as well as he might have. Despite being one of the better Castilla players of 2001-02, the Galician scarcely made the slightest impact in his senior career at Madrid, playing more games for loan clubs Gladbach and Albacete than he would for the Blancos. Now he's at Celta Vigo... in the Segunda.

Borja Fernandez
Now at: Real Valladolid

We move further up the pitch now to defensive midfield, where yet another Galician strutted his stuff. Joining in his late teens, he rose through the ranks with surprising swiftness, but never quite shook off that substitute status. In 2005 he was farmed out to Mallorca; in 2006 he was able to leave, for free, to Valladolid, where he is something of a regular. But the prospects of his making it at Madrid were, even in the post-Makelele days, always slim to none.

Oscar Minambres
Now at: Retired

Never one of the leading lights of the side, Minambres was virtually a footnote at Madrid for his five-year spell in the first team squad. In 2007 he signed for Hercules as a free agent; one day later, he retired - a recurring knee injury had struck and he couldn't guarantee fulfilment of his three-year contract.

Javier Portillo
Now at: Osasuna

Portillo is so far the only Madrid youth product to have scored more goals than Raul coming through the ranks. When he stepped up to Castilla and hit double-figures in his very first campaign, the Bernabeu hierarchy felt they had a player on their hands. But in fact first team success has eluded him; only in one campaign since - at Nastic in 2006-07 - was he to break that fabled ten-goal barrier. Now he's a bit-part player at Osasuna, very occasionally heading in goals from three yards.

Raul Bravo
Now at: Numancia (on loan from Olympiakos)

Raul Bravo arrived in Madrid from his Valencian home as a 16-year-old; four years later he'd made his debut; the season afterwards he was a first-team backup at left-back position. In fact he was to be a rare success story of the Pavones policy, stepping into the breach when Roberto Carlos was injured with some distinction; he even earned himself a place in the Euro 2004 squad, based not only on his full-back showings but also his ability to play in the centre. But all good things come to an end, really: his transfer to Olympiakos in 2007 was nothing short of disastrous, and now he's at Numancia on loan, all but forgotten by most Madrid fans.

Valdo
Now at: Espanyol

A Leonese of Cape Verdean extraction, Valdo brought a bit of exotic flair to the Bernabeu thanks to his technical ability on the ball. But despite being highly prized in the youth setup, he was to play just a single Liga game, as well as a smattering of appearances in the Champions League and Copa. The winger was demoted to the reserves then snapped up by Osasuna, where he was one of the Iruna side's top performers. Now he's at Espanyol, where he's in danger of dropping down to the Segunda.

Alvaro Mejia
Now at: Real Murcia

There he would be reunited with a player whom he might have passed on the way up through the ranks: Alvaro Mejia. Yet another centre-back, this one entered at the tail end of the Galacticos era and thus had little impact. In 2005-06 he played almost half Madrid's league fixtures, but he was out of favour afterwards; in 2007 he transferred to Murcia, where he remains despite their struggles.

Antonio Nunez
Now at: Real Murcia

Not a cantera product per se, Madrid-born Nunez only arrived at Madrid as a 20-year-old, but impressed so much in the reserves that he was thrown into first team action in 2003. From there followed a move to Liverpool as makeweight in the Michael Owen deal, but although he was to leave with a Champions League and League Cup medal he was not fondly regarded on Merseyside. Later to be relegated with Celta before being moved on to Murcia.

Juanfran
Now at: Osasuna

Another right-winger, Juanfran was one step below Nunez on the ladder but arguably just as talented. Eventually he moved to Osasuna on a free transfer, but one that gave Madrid a right of free return within two seasons. This was very much a case of "don't call us; we'll call you." Madrid did not call Juanfran. That's Osasuna's gain.

Esteban Cambiasso
Now at: Inter

We are cheating a bit with the inclusion of Esteban, for he did not eeven arrive in the Spanish capital until he was 16 years of age. But, a cantera product he remains, albeit one with a bit more mystique than the others. This defensive midfielder was a slow starter with the B side but did wonders with domestic sides on loans back to his Argentine home before joining the Galacticos in 2002. But he was allowed to leave at the end of Perez's reign for free after his contract was not renewed. It hardly needs to be said that he's now an Inter mainstay.

Samuel Eto'o
Now at: Barcelona

The one that got away. Just as Atletico Madrid must curse their luck at having let go of Raul, so too must Madrid wonder exactly why they let this striker go. In fact Eto'o played far more games for suburban outfit Leganes - where he is still a hero - than he did at the Bernabeu, and from there it was the well-worn path to Mallorca. But it didn't end on the islands: now he's Barcelona's go-to guy for goals.

To The Future

With Florentino Perez likely to return as club president, these salutary tales above take on even greater importance, for there is a chance that the policy could be re-ignited. Immediately. But who would be the local hero?

Of course, few Madrid fans would say no to the talents of Ruben de la Red, but otherwise you're left looking at Miguel Torres, Dani Parejo, and Javi Garcia as the only home-grown youngsters currently in the first team squad. There are some good players at Castilla's level, too - Miquel Palanca and Alberto Bueno getting the most play time - but let's remember, Castilla play in the third tier. Balancing such talents with the Galacticos didn't really work in the past, but will it do so next time?

Ewan Macdonald, Goal.com

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