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Marco Asensio

The boy who would not grow and lost his mother.

The death of his mother has conditioned the life of the Real Madrid forward. Everything he has accomplished since he was 15 years old, he dedicates to her. Marco was a skinny and small kid, but he never gave up. Now he will have the opportunity to dedicate a World Cup to her.

Marco Asensio, born on April 21, 1996, in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, is a Real Madrid player. In recent years he has become one of the most successful players in Spain and Europe, far from his tough childhood, one with many obstacles and injuries that put him through very dark times. Nevertheless, he knew how to win in life and achieve his greatest dream: to be a professional football player. But it wasn't easy...

Born to a Biscayan father, Gilberto Asensio, and a Dutch mother, Maria Gertruida Margaretha Willemsen, Marco started playing soccer very young. He played until he was 10 years old at C.F Playas de Calvià, the local team where he began to stand out and show his talent.

At the age of nine, he did tryouts with the Espanyol youth academy. Ultimately he decided to go to Mallorca the following year, the biggest club on the island where he was born. He quickly moved up in the different youth categories until he debuted with the team on February 27, 2013. He played only 6 minutes, but it was a big step. After that, he earned a place on the first team and started to become more crucial. He scored his first goal on March 16, 2014, in a match against Tenerife, where Mallorca won 2-0

In December 2014, Real Madrid contacted Asensio, and consequently, they signed him. A dream come true for the Mallorcan youth academy player. He would stay with the club that year on loan, where he would grow quite a lot. He evolved into a team leader at just 18 years old, contributing to 14 goals, scoring 7, and assisting in another 7. Los Blancos paid 3,5 million euros for him. He made his debut in a friendly match on August 4, 2015, vs. Tottenham at the Audi Cup.

At Madrid, they thought that the best thing for Marco is to go on loan and gain more experience, so in the 2015-2016 season, he sings on a loan deal with Espanyol. Ultimately, in September, he debuts with Espanyol, and in his first game, he forced a penalty and gave an assist. Feeling important, all of Spain starts to talk about young Marco. He finished the season with 4 goals and 15 assists, excellent numbers upon his return to Madrid.

The Mallorquin has been officially with Real Madrid's first team since 2016, where he has become an essential piece for the team. He has played a total of 239 games, scoring 50 goals and giving 24 assists. Having won multiple titles with the team: 3 leagues, 3 Champions Leagues, and 3 Club World Cup finals.

As a child, he had a lot of growth issues, suffering from excruciating ankle and knee pain. Having to go to the doctor on multiple occasions because his extremities could not handle the pain. His family comes from humble beginnings. They could not afford big luxuries, making his life a harsh one from the start. Little by little, he was able to help out at home so they could get ahead in life.

In 2011 everything would fall apart. His mother passed away from cancer. An indescribable pain for a 15-year-old boy. She was his biggest supporter since he was just a boy. A very dark moment for him and his family. Just as his growing issues where the physical pain went away, his heart was emptied due to his mother's passing. And again, little by little, he began building himself up, and in 2013 he made his dream of playing for Mallorca possible.

As an anecdote, one day, Marco and his mother were walking through one of the ports of Mallorca, and there they met Florentino, who used to anchor his yacht in the area. The mother forced him to take a photo with the president of Real Madrid and told him: "my boy will play for Madrid one day and succeed." Years later, Asensio would fulfill his dream, but his mother was not there to see him, but she sure gave him the necessary strength to do so. He always celebrates his goals by looking at the sky and pointing with both hands in honor of his mother.

On May 29, 2016, he made his debut with the Spanish National Team and managed to fulfill another of his dreams. He plays 60 minutes against Bosnia in a friendly match. He has played a total of 29 games with the senior team and has managed to score one goal. That same year, Marco Asensio was nominated for the Golden Boy, the best young player of the year. Many speculated that he could become a Ballon d'Or winner in the years to come.

Unfortunately, in the 2019/2020 season, his life's second most challenging moment would come. On July 24, 2019, Marco Asensio tore his knee ligament, an injury that would keep him out of the pitch for 250 days. He had a lot of sorrowful moments when it seemed he would not play football again, but day after day, keeping his hopes up he managed to move forward.

It was a complicated injury; even when he recovered, he was afraid to force his leg, to shoot from afar. The injury was more demanding mentally than physically. It completely stopped his projection, and the Asensio, who dazzled Europe with his spectacular shot and character, has not been seen again. He is still a great player, but, he is no longer included in the pools of future Ballon d'Or winners.

This season has been a turning point in his career. He felt he deserved more minutes and was looking for a club exit. He did not leave in the summer but has not renewed with Madrid and remains in the team. He didn't play the first few days, but Ancelotti has regained confidence in him little by little. He scored in the last Champions League game and has been called up against all odds with the National Team. If someone knows about overcoming obstacles, it is Marco Asensio, and nothing will stop him from achieving his goals. He will continue to dedicate goals to his mother, and who knows if he will dedicate the World Cup in Qatar to her...