One thing that has become crystal clear over the past two seasons with Real Madrid failing to win any silverware is how badly the club miss characters in the side who were willing to work their tails off for the team, take pressure off the superstars, and focus more on the club than their own chance to get into the spotlight.
A lot of the role players at Madrid have been dreadful lately, as Real Madrid have lost a lot from the departure of the old guard of squad players like Nacho Fernandez and Lucas Vazquez. Although Nacho was legitimately a world class defender at his best, most people outside of Madrid did not appreciate or really even know about him.
Nowadays, Nacho is finishing up his career like so many Madridista legends in the Saudi Pro League, but the native of the club always has a close affinity with the Royal White quarter. And so when he speaks his mind about Real, Madridistas tend to listen.
Jose Mourinho is right on the money
Nacho is a big, big fan of one of the new signings, praising new starting Real Madrid left back Marc Cucurella highly after the Spanish international proved his mettle as the best left back of the tournament at the 2026 World Cup.
The former Real Madrid standout said of Cucurella to Diario AS, via Madrid Xtra, “Marc Cucurella is an incredible signing. He will really help now that we need intensity.”
Jose Mourinho wanted Cucurella specifically as his only option at left back, telling Florentino Perez that he was perfect for the scheme and what he wants to do at the club. And Mourinho has been harping this summer on how Real Madrid have lacked intensity, just as Nacho Fernandez is saying here, which is why he has been so focused on bring in intense players like Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, Denzel Dumfries, and Yan Diomande who have insanely high work rates.
Marc Cucurella is one of the best left backs in the world in terms of his ability to progress play and deliver shutdown defense on the flank, and as a pretty darn good left back - and right back...and center back, obviously - Nacho 100 percent knows what it takes to succeed as a defender at the Santiago Bernabeu because it is not an easy gig at all. Mourinho signed Cucurella to be a top player at left back and run the field, and Nacho sees it, too.
Add us as a preferred source on Google