Who is Sergio Reguilón?

After weeks of anticipation, Madrid finally gave their first impressions under Julen Lopetegui. Sensations were positive and countless youngsters were afforded the opportunity to don the royal white shirt. Some, more than others, left fans yearning to see more. The Hard Rock Café Stadium in Miami, Florida bared witness to one such youngster; a bustling yet technical, intelligent, and attack-minded left full back. On countless occasions, the fullback would be found bursting a lung as he flew up the pitch to engage in the Madrid attack. Oddly enough, that fullbacks name was not Theo Hernandez, but a certain 21-year-old Madrid product named, Sergio Reguilón or as his teammates call him, “Regui”. Currently a member and co-captain of Real Madrid Castilla, Reguilón is considered one of the great promises of the Cantera and the club have been careful with his development.

Born in Madrid in December of 1996, Regui was only four years old when he began showing his talent and formed part of “la Fundación Real Madrid Becerril”,which is a program for young kids to teach them the values of the club, educate them on social skills and culture, and of course play football. It was thanks to his skill at such a young age, that as an 8-year-old, Reguilón was given access to the club and has since gone through every level or category that La Fabrica has to offer.

Throughout his career, Sergio Reguilón has been known for his versatility. He has operated as a left winger, a center-back, and most notably as a left back. He has the speed, and most importantly, the engine to get up and down the left flank. His technique is superb and he can wiggle his way out of tight spaces by connecting on quick give-and-go passes with a teammate. It was during his time with Juvenil A, a standout season where he demonstrated these skills, that gave Regui the confidence to believe in his dream of becoming a professional and moving closer to the first team. He was an undisputed starter under Luis Miguel Ramis where he operated at the left fullback and center-back position. Ramis was a huge admirer of Regui’s talents and the player was promoted to Castilla following his great year. Under Zinedine Zidane, Reguilón was one of the youngest defenders in the squad (18) and found opportunities hard to come by, thus he was loaned out to UD Logroñés of Segunda Division B. At UD Logroñés, Regui was the youngest member of the squad and it was his first true experience in a professional team away from Real Madrid. He played twelve games with Logrones, earning the affection of the city, the fans, and the club. With Zidane’s promotion to the first team in the winter of 2016, Luis Ramis was appointed interim Castilla manager and recalled Sergio Reguilón, placing him again as an indisputable starter in his team.

In the 2016-2017 season, Santiago Solari was brought in as head coach of Castilla. Reguilón returned on loan, this time for the full campaign, to UD Logroñés. He became one of the most important pieces to that team and played mostly as left midfielder/winger. Again, after his second spell, UD Logroñés only had rave reviews for Regui and few can forget his game against Athletic Bilboa B, where he scored four goals. After his excellent season on loan, Solari recalled the player for Castilla where has gone on to become one of the captains of the side and plays primarily in the left back role.

His development and performances have not gone unnoticed by the club. In May of 2018, the player was rewarded with a contract extension with the expectation that he may well start to feature with the first team. “It’s been a privilege to defend this badge since I was eight”, he stated in an Instagram post. “It’s a great source of pride that I will belong to the best club in the world for the coming years”. With reports suggesting Theo Hernandez is set for a loan move to Real Sociedad, it is likely Nacho Fernandez will be the replacement for Marcelo. But if resources are stretched due to suspensions, injuries, or rotations, then Sergio Reguilón may very well find himself among the Real Madrid first team. If his history with the club and his performance against Manchester United are anything to go by, then he will not look out of place. Sergio Reguilón is a Madridista through and through, and this upcoming season he may very well have the chance to fulfill his dream and repay the faith shown in him by the club.