Sergio Canales spoke on El Larguero about his time at Real Madrid, reflecting on what it meant to join the club as a 19-year-old during José Mourinho’s tenure in 2010–11. The midfielder explained that the move came at a time when it was far less common for top clubs to recruit very young domestic talents.
Canales said: “At that time, I was one of the first young players to go to the biggest clubs, not like now when it’s more common to see it.” He noted that the experience exposed gaps he still had in his game and pushed him to mature quickly: “It made me realize the needs I had. It was amazing for me in terms of mentality.”
Canales’ early years at Madrid were impacted by injuries and limited minutes under Mourinho, but he emphasized that the environment accelerated his development and shaped his professional standards. His comments provide relevant context today as Real Madrid continue to integrate young players into a much more structured development pathway compared to the early 2010s.