Three Real Madrid stars in The Guardian's Next Generation 2020
Japanese midfielder Pipi, Bruno Iglesias and forward Israel Salazar, 'Sala' represent Madrid in the list which also features Fernando Redondo's son.
UK newspaper The Guardian have selected the most promising young players from around the world who were born in 2003. In the list of 60 talent young players are three of the pearls of Real Madrid's youth academy as well as some of the more well-known players such as Colombian Tomás Ángel, the son of former player Juan Pablo Ángel, Barcelona's Ilaix Moriba, Xavi Simmons - ex-Barcelona and now with PSG, with whom he made his senior debut this summer against Sochaux, and French attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki, who was reportedly in Zinedine Zidane's plans to be signed for Madrid's youth teams.
Madrid have three players in the Next Generation 2020 list. The first is Japanese attacking midfielder Takuhiro Nakai, more commonly known in Valdebebas as simply Pipi. Born in Shiga in October 2003, he started out in the youth teams of his local team Azul Football Club, and arrived in Madrid in 2014. This season, he will play for the Under-18s.
Pipi is an attacking midfielder with excellent vision and reading of the game, he possess quality and skill to dribble past his opponents and always works hard for the team. He joined Madrid after attending one of the club's schools in Japan and really caught the eye with his natural qualities. He was the youngest player to be called by Raúl to take part in the final stage of the UEFA Youth League in August. The other two players who are in the Guardian's list are Bruno Iglesias and Israel Salazar or Sala as his team mates call him, both of whom will spend the new season with the Under-19s.
Bruno Iglesias arrived in Madrid in the summer of 2015. Born in Salamanca on 1 May 2003, he is a pacey midfielder who gets into the rival area with ease. Madrid beat several clubs including Barcelona, Manchester City and Atlético Madrid to sign him. He scored 55 goals whilst playing in Salamanca and was considered to be the best Under-12 player in Spanish football at the time.
Israel Salazar Sala is a forward. Born in Badajoz, like Bruno he joined Madrid in the summer of 2015. He is an authentic killer inside the penalty area: for the past five seasons he has tallied 15 goals or more per season. A potent centre-forward who is strong in the air - he can play as a target man or just outside the box with a strike partner. Last season he began training with Castilla, and he is considered to be one of the players which could eventually graduate to the first team squad in the future.
One of the other players who figures is the list is Fede Redondo, he son of one of Madrid's most historic players, Fernando Redondo. Fede, just like his father, is making a name for himself in the youth ranks at Argentinos Juniors. Fernando has carefully managed his son's progression. In August, he was called up to train with the first team squad and while he has already received offers from clubs in the Premier League, his father says he won't be rushed: “You have to give him time. He has the ability and qualities but it will depend on him whether he can continue developing and maturing as a player”.