5 Youngest Players to play for Real Madrid

Real Madrid without doubt is one of the most famous and perhaps the most successful club in the history of football. The word 'Real' is Spanish for Royal and was bestowed to the club by King Alfonso XIII in 1920 together with the royal crown in the emblem.

Over the years, some of the best players of the game have adorned the iconic and influential all-white jersey of Los Blancos.

Representing Real Madrid is always a matter of pride for any player due to its rich history. The white jersey also brings with a huge burden of expectations. Many players have fallen by the wayside after failing to cope up with the pressure.

While many players would love to even be given a chance to play for the club at the fag end of their careers, some players have been lucky enough to have got a chance to represent this famous club at a very young age. So, who are the youngest players ever to have represented Real Madrid?

Here is a look at the top five youngest players in that list.

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#5 Javi García

Javi Garcia made 24 appearences in four seasons for Madrid

A product of Real Madrid's youth system, García was born in the Mula region of Murcia and played three La Liga matches for the first team while still a junior. He made his debut at the age of 17 years 9 months and 20 days in a 5-0 home win against Levante UD in the 2004/05 season.

A defensive midfielder by nature, he could also slot in as a central defender if and when required. However, his career at Real Madrid failed to take off after that and he remained on the fringes of the first team for the next three seasons.

He was sold to fellow La Liga club CA Osasuna in the 2007 summer transfer window. García's contract included a buyback clause that could see him return to Real Madrid for €4 million. On 29 April 2008, Osasuna officially reported that the former had exercised their purchase option, and the player returned to the Santiago Bernabéu.

This too proved to be a false dawn as he moved to Portuguese club S.L Benfica in the 2009 transfer window, bringing down the curtains on his Real Madrid career.

Over the course of four seasons he made only 24 appearances for the club before leaving Madrid once and for all.

#4 Raúl

Raúl is a legend at Real Madrid

Raúl González Blanco popularly known as Raúl is one of the greatest Spanish players to have ever played the game. A legend at the Santiago Bernabéu he made his debut for Los Blancos at the age of 17 years 4 months and 2 days in a league game against Real Zaragoza.

This was the beginning of the career for one of the deadliest strikers in the history of the game. He quickly established himself as Madrid and Spain's first choice striker and spent 16 trophy laden seasons with the club.

By the time he finished, he had scored 323 goals for his club becoming the highest ever goalscorer for Real Madrid in the process, a record which was later broken by Cristiano Ronaldo. He was appointed the club captain in 2003 and retained that position until his departure from the club in 2010.

He won every possible accolade during his time at Real Madrid. All in all, he made 741 appearances for the club - the highest in the club's history before bidding a tearful goodbye as he departed to play for Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga.

#3 Alberto Rivera

Rivera went on to play for Levante, Real Betis, Sporting Gijon and Elche

A product of Real Madrid's youth system Alberto Rivera is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a central midfielder. He made his debut for the Real Madrid first team at the age of 17 years 3 months and 25 days in a La Liga match against Celta De Vigo during the 1994-95 season.

However, he failed to strike down a regular place in the playing eleven and played almost exclusively for the Real Madrid reserves during his time at the club. He joined Levante UD in 2002 when the team was struggling in the second division and made an instant impact.

In three seasons, he was an undisputed star at the club, netting a career-high 11 goals in the 2003-04 season before moving onto Real Betis.

He played just three matches for the Real Madrid first team and scored one goal for the club.

#2 Antolín Ortega

Ortega played for Madrid before moving to Betis

Not much is known about Antolín Ortega except that he made his debut for Real Madrid at a tender age of 16 years 10 months and 21 days which places him at No. 2 on the list.

He mainly played as a midfielder and enjoyed the best years of his footballing career in Real Betis.

#1 Martin Ødegaard

Norwegian wonderkid Martin Ødegaard is currently on loan at SC Heerenveen in the Dutch Everdivisie

Martin Ødegaard, an attacking midfielder from Norway is the youngest ever player to play for the Real Madrid first team. He played his first match for Los Blancos at the age of 16 years 5 months and 5 days to cement his place in the record books.

He initially plied his trade in the Norwegian league before he was signed by Real Madrid in the January transfer window of 2015.

He played his first match at the Santiago Bernabéu in 7-3 defeat of fellow La Liga club Getafe FC on 23 May 2015. He made his senior debut for his national team even sooner - at the age of 15 years and 253 days.

He struggled to establish himself in the star studded Real Madrid line-up and was loaned out to Dutch club SC Heerenveen in January 2017 for 18 months.

Till now, he has made only two appearances for the Real Madrid first team. Big things are expected from this talented teenager and he would be hoping to fulfill the burden of expectations that has been put upon him.