Many soccer stars have idolized the icons of the game before eventually competing against their childhood heroes. The transition from admiring these legends from afar to competing with or against them is a distinctive accomplishment that many current stars have clinched.
Notable names like Kylian Mbappe and Alejandro Garnacho admired Cristiano Ronaldo, considering him their childhood hero and a source of inspiration. Similarly, Real Madrid midfield starlet Brahim Diaz is another talent who has accomplished the feat of playing alongside his childhood idol.
Who is Brahim Diaz?
Brahim Abdelkader Díaz was born on August 3, 1999, in Málaga, Spain. He initiated his soccer journey at the age of seven with his hometown club, Malaga’s Academy. His skills quickly caught the attention of Premier League giants Manchester City, leading him to relocate to England and join their youth setup in 2014.
The talented Spaniard made significant strides at Manchester City, standing out as a key player in the club’s Under 18-21s team before breaking into the main squad. He marked his debut with the senior team for the Citizens on the 21st of September 2016.
Following his debut, Brahim Diaz signed a three-year contract with the City. Subsequently, he became involved in first-team operations under manager Pep Guardiola. Unfortunately, due to the competition in the star-studded team, he struggled to secure regular minutes and made only 15 appearances for the club.
In 2019, the Spanish titans Real Madrid secured Diaz’s signature on a six-year deal when he made an aspirational move to Madrid. The midfielder won the 34th La Liga title with Los Blancos. However, the lack of game time persisted in Spain and forced him to join Milan in 2021.
Moreover, the 24-year-old recently switched his national allegiance to Morocco due to his Moroccan descent, making him eligible to represent the African nation.
Brahim Diaz’s journey from ball boy to idol teammate
At just 24, Diaz has already represented three of the most elite clubs in the world. Despite all this, the most memorable achievement for the player was playing alongside his idol, Isco, during his first spell with Los Blancos. Going from being a ball boy watching his hero play to sharing the same pitch is nothing short of a fairytale.
Most recently, during Real Madrid’s weekend clash with Real Betis, at the full-time whistle, Diaz headed straight to greet the former Real Madrid star Isco Alarcón, who now plays for Betis.
Brahim Diaz dazzled with his performances in Rossoneri colors, becoming a fan favorite at AC Milan with 124 appearances and an impressive tally of 33 goals contributions for the Italian side.
He also played an essential role in the club’s historic 2020/21 Serie A-winning season. Consequently, the midfielder was recalled by Los Blancs this summer to join forces with new-age Galacticos on a permanent move.
