Real Madrid enjoyed a comfortable 4-1 victory over Elche at the Santiago Bernabeu, but for one young player, the night carried even deeper meaning.
Homegrown defender Diego Aguado made his long-awaited La Liga debut with the first team, marking a milestone that he has been dreaming about since the day he joined the club's youth academy.
For any academy player, stepping onto the Bernabeu pitch wearing the Real Madrid shirt is a special moment.
Speaking after the match on the club's official channel, the young defender struggled to find the words to describe the emotions he felt on such an important night.
"I can't describe it; it's an indescribable feeling. It's something I've dreamed of since I joined Real Madrid's youth academy.
"My parents have made so many sacrifices to get me here, and I'm speechless,"he said on Real Madrid TV, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo .
Aguado also spoke about the values that the club tries to instil in its young players as they progress through the academy system.
Diego Aguado made his La Liga debut vs Elche . (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
As per the defender, humility and consistent hard work remain key principles for anyone hoping to succeed at Real Madrid.
"They always teach us humility, to work hard every day without looking down on anyone, and they ask us to be ourselves.
"There are more and more cases of academy players making it to the first team,"he celebrated.
The young defender, who had made his senior team debut in January 2025 under Carlo Ancelotti in the Copa del Rey, admitted that the jersey from his debut match will become a treasured memory that he plans to keep for the rest of his life.
He also explained the instructions he received from manager Alvaro Arbeloa before stepping onto the pitch.
"He asked me to play calmly, to give the team width, to bring the ball out, and to play the way I know how."
