Nacho

Real Madrid

Early career

Born in Madrid, Nacho arrived in Real Madrid's youth system at the age of 11. He made his senior debut in 2008–09, playing two games with the reserves in Segunda División B and subsequently appearing in a further two full seasons in that level; it was during this time he formed a long-lasting friendship with future Russian national team player Denis Cheryshev. On 23 April 2011, Nacho made his first-team – and La Liga – debut, starting as a left back in a 6–3 away win against Valencia and playing in the entire match. His second appearance came the following week, in a 2–3 home loss to Real Zaragoza.

2012–2017: Establishment and success

On 2 September 2012, main squad manager José Mourinho announced that Nacho, along with Álvaro Morata and Jesús, would be promoted to the first team but continue to play with Castilla. He became an official full-time member at the start of 2013–14, receiving the number 18 shirt after the departure of Raúl Albiol. On 3 July 2014, Nacho signed a new contract with Real Madrid until 2021. He scored his first official goal for them on 10 January of the following year, closing the score in a 3–0 home victory against Espanyol. Two minutes after replacing the injured Marcelo in a UEFA Champions League group stage match against Paris Saint-Germain on 3 November 2015, Nacho scored the only goal and sealed his team's advance to the knockout stage with his first goal in a European competition. He…

Youth career

Nacho represented at under-17, under-19 and under-21 levels. He was a member of the Spanish squad that won the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, playing once in a 3–0 win over the Netherlands in Group B.

Senior career

On 2 September 2013, Nacho was called up to the Spain senior team for the first time, replacing the injured Iñigo Martínez in the squad for a friendly match against Switzerland. He made his debut by replacing Real Madrid teammate Sergio Ramos early into the second half of the 2–2 draw against Chile in Geneva. Nacho was named in Spain's final squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He started the team's opening Group B game against Portugal at right-back on 15 June, scoring his first international goal with a curled shot from 30 meters in a 3–3 draw. After being an unused substitute in the team's second and third group fixtures, he started Spain's round of 16 match against hosts Russia on 1 July. He played 70 minutes before being substituted for club teammate Dani Carvajal in Spain's eventual 4–3 penalty shootout loss. In March 2023, Nacho was recalled to the Spain squad for the first time since 2018 for UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers against Norway and Scotland. He was named in the starting line-up for the match against Norway, playing the full 90 minutes as Spain won 3–0 in Malaga. He was named in Spain's squad for the 2023 UEFA Nations League Finals and appeared as a 78th-minute substitute as the team beat Croatia via a penalty…

A player known for his versatility in every defensive position on the pitch, both Julen Lopetegui and Zinedine Zidane used Nacho as a centre-, right- and left-back. He is seen as a reliable full-back option due to his skills on the ball and penchant for making forward runs down his flank; a fast and agile defender who is known for his work rate, endurance and strength in the air despite not being particularly tall for his position. Apart from his defensive skills, Nacho is also a precise passer of the ball in both short and long distances, with a 89.8% pass completion and accuracy in 2017–18. During the same season, he scored goals from set pieces.

Nacho's younger brother, Álex, is also a footballer. A midfielder, he too graduated from Real Madrid's academy, and both made their first-team debut in the same game; Álex moved on, settling at Cádiz, and they played against one another in 2020 and 2023. Their physical appearance is quite dissimilar, owing to Álex's red hair. In November 2016, Nacho revealed that he has lived with type 1 diabetes since he was 12 years old. Throughout his first five years in the first team, Nacho managed to avoid major injuries, attributing his success to his eating habits and preparation. Nacho has four children with his wife María Cortés, two daughters and two sons.