Julian Alvarez arrived for trials at Real Madrid when he was just 11 years old. The Argentine spent a month trying to impress Real Madrid youth coaches, as he recounts himself.
"I was playing in children's championships. I was 11 years old but Real Madrid couldn't sign me permanently," Alvarez told reporters.
"To do this, my whole family had to move there, so I decided to return to Córdoba," Alvarez added.
Claudio Gorgerino, Alvarez's agent, confirmed that the player indeed impressed everyone during his trials in Madrid.
"He spent a month in Madrid. The difference he made playing here was so great that people came to see him from all sides. He dribbled past all the defenders he faced from the left or the right and went to the box," Gorgerino said.
There are a number of reasons why Real Madrid didn't sign Alvarez besides his family having to move. For one, Real Madrid had to wait until he turned 16 before making a move to sign him based on the regulation. Los Blancos just couldn't wait and moved on to other targets.
Alvarez was quickly snapped up by River Plate months after his trials at Real Madrid. Four years later, Manchester City paid €21.4m to bring him to Europe.
Alvarez is now developing into one of the most feared strikers in Europe. His technical ability is beyond doubt and he already has a World Cup and Champions League titles to show for his immense talent. There are people who argue that Alvarez is a better footballer than Erling Haaland.
Real Madrid needs a striker, but Alvarez may be beyond their reach now he's already a global superstar.
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