What would have happened if Neymar had worn the Real Madrid shirt instead of Barcelona's? It is a hypothetical question, and the answer has emerged in a shocking testimony from inside the walls of Valdebebas.
One of the sons of Real Madrid Castilla's golden generation has made an admission no one expected. The Brazilian star, he says, was one step away from becoming a Los Blancos player before he himself decided to return to Brazil.
A testimony from the heart of Castilla
Álex Fernández, currently a player for the Emirati club Dibba Al-Hisn and one of the most prominent stars of Castilla's golden era alongside Morata, Carvajal and Sarabia, was the latest guest on the "El After de Post United" podcast on YouTube.
Asked about players he had faced at Castilla who later became stars at major rival clubs, he stunned everyone with his answer.
Fernández said: "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me. Neymar came to undergo performance trials with us. Pablo Sarabia, Dani Carvajal and others were there. He stayed here for two or three weeks."
He added: "It's true that he wasn't the Neymar we know today, the global star, but you could see glimpses of his talent."
Reprodução/Redes Sociais
The decision to return, from Brazil
Neymar was due to accompany the team to an international tournament, Fernández revealed, before everything suddenly changed.
He continued: "He was going to come with us to an international tournament. And after three weeks they told us: no, no, he has decided to stay in Brazil. And of course, at that age you don't ask for explanations about anything."
The decision did not come from the Real Madrid management, who were keen on his talent. It was a personal call by the player and those around him.
He added: "I don't know exactly what happened, but he said it was too soon. I remember that Real Madrid wanted him, but the young man decided to return to Brazil."
Sarabia was the real star
Álex Fernández ended with a striking observation that captures the scale of the talent in that generation: "The best player in that generation was Pablo Sarabia. He was the one who made the difference in everything, even when Neymar came."