What are your main memories from real sociedad?
MM: There are many, right?
MZ: Yeah, I spent 14 years there. Ultimately, I think you’re left with the friendships and the day-to-day moments. Beyond everything you might have contributed in terms of achievements, I think it’s the people who stay with you.
**MM:**Also, the daily crossword puzzles every morning!
MZ: Real Sociedad doesn’t just help you grow as a player, but also as a person, in terms of studies. They care about your teachers, your family, your environment. It’s a club that has helped me perfectly, and I’m very proud of what they’ve built.
MM: Yes, they help you with everything and you notice this immediately when you get to the first team and young players come up to train with you. They have very well-developed tactical and technical foundations. That’s worked on from the youth levels, from all ages. I’ve travelled and been at different teams, different clubs and academies and you see how young players come up, and there they really focus on that. And it shows – it’s amazing. Then, when you play with them, they may make mistakes due to inexperience or not being used to the pace, but they have the fundamentals.
What was Xabi Alonso Like as a Coach?
**MZ:**It was strange because it took me a while to get used to the idea that my idol was now my coach. He also came from Antiguoko, we played in the same position, so that explains it. But, yes, it was a bit hard to go from that admiration to having him as my coach. But honestly I feel very lucky because you can already see all the potential he has.
who was your idol, mikel?
MM: Maybe it was Rafa Nadal. I wanted to play tennis. In my garage at home the whole wall was covered in ball marks – my dad still reminds me of it!
You two won the Copa del Rey together in 2021, in the Basque derby against Athletic Club. What do you remember from that day?
MM: It was great. Honestly, it was like a film because Covid had just hit, so we had qualified for the final but we couldn’t play it until a year later. So there was a lot of anticipation around it, a whole year talking about the only all-Basque final in history. Just imagine a whole year thinking about it. “If we win, great, and if we lose, what then? How will it go down in history?” It was a shame not to be able to play it with fans, because football is for the fans, and not having ours there was tough. But the memory of that victory is magical.
MZ: Yeah, for me Covid actually brought something positive because, otherwise I would’ve watched it from home, since I was in the reserves. Because it got delayed I got to play the final.
MM: Winning with a club like Real Sociedad, which had gone so long without doing it, in that way against our arch-rival is something that will go down in history. It’s always something special, especially because of the group we had. We were homegrown players, a family, everyone very involved.
How did it compare with winning the Euros with Spain in 2024?
MM: You can’t compare them.
MZ: Yes, it’s different.
MM: But the Euros… when I was a kid I said “One day I’m going to win the Euros and the World Cup, no question!” I would say it without thinking! Later you realise how difficult that is, and wow, it’s great being there.
Did Declan Rice say anything about it when
you arrived?
MZ: He made a joke, but we’re in the
minority here!