Watch: The new diamond excites Real Madrid and has already earned the trust of Jose Mourinho
18-year-old Alexis Siria was purchased from Sevilla for only 200,000 euros and scored against Fiorentina: "The coach told me to be who I am and to enjoy it." Watch his performance.
Alexis Siria is one of the most talked-about names in the Real Madrid training camp. The 18-year-old winger, who was still part of the Sevilla youth academy in January, started last night (Saturday) for the senior team against Fiorentina and scored the second goal in a 2:2 draw in Austria.
Siria received the ball from Eduardo Camavinga, found himself open in the box, and finished calmly with his right foot.
"When the ball reached me, I felt the world closing in around me," he said after the match. "The moment I saw it go in, I felt a huge sense of relief."
For the player born in Badajoz in January 2008, this is another step in a meteoric rise. Real Madrid purchased him from Sevilla in the winter transfer window for 200,000 euros after negotiations to extend his contract at the Andalusian club were unsuccessful. He was initially intended for the youth team, but within a few weeks, he had already moved through Real Madrid C, Castilla, and the senior squad.
His debut for the youth team immediately made a statement. Siria came on as a substitute against Mallorca in the Copa del Rey, attempted a rabona cross with his very first touch, and later scored the winning goal in extra time. A little over a month later, he made his debut for Castilla, provided an assist in his first game, and scored in his first start.
At the same time, he was part of the youth team's victories in the UEFA Youth League and the Spanish Champions Cup. He also managed to leave his mark on Spain's youth national teams, with a goal and an assist in his debuts for the U18 and U19 teams.
Siria usually plays on the left wing but is capable of playing in several positions in the attacking third. He is right-footed, stands 1.81 meters tall, and excels in speed, change of direction, and the ability to beat players. Unlike a winger who sticks to the touchline, he tends to cut inside and look for the goal.
Jose Mourinho, who gave him the opportunity in the starting lineup, asked him for only one thing.
"He told me to be who I am, to play with confidence, without pressure, and to enjoy it," Siria revealed.
Support also came from home: just before the match, his father showed him a picture from his childhood and told him to do it for the child he was and for his family.
By the way, until the age of five, Siria dreamed of being a motorcycle racer. Football changed his path, and now the boy who started playing for a neighborhood team in Badajoz is already knocking on the door of the Real Madrid starting lineup. "Playing alongside Alvaro Carreras or Federico Valverde is too easy," the teenager said.
