Real Madrid Academy & Training Ground 2026

Real Madrid training ground: Ciudad Real Madrid (Valdebebas)

Real Madrid academy: La Fabrica

Founded: Modern form 2005 at Valdebebas, with academy systems going back decades.

The Real Madrid academy operates at industrial scale, producing senior players for the first team while regularly selling academy products to other clubs for significant fees. The Castilla reserve team plays in the Spanish second tier, giving young players competitive senior football before any promotion to the main squad.

Notable Real Madrid academy graduates

The story of the Real Madrid academy

Ciudad Real Madrid in Valdebebas was opened in 2005 as one of the most ambitious training complexes in European football, replacing older facilities at the Sport City and other sites around the capital. The complex covers a vast area in the northeast of Madrid and houses the senior squad, the reserve team Castilla, and the youth academy under one organisational roof. The academy itself, La Fabrica (literally meaning the factory), has produced everything from world-class internationals like Iker Casillas and Raul to dependable senior contributors like Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez. It is also one of the most prolific developers of players who go on to other clubs, with graduates including Achraf Hakimi, Theo Hernandez and Marcos Llorente all selling for substantial fees. The combination of the training complex and the academy makes Real Madrid one of the most complete development operations in world football.

Real Madrid academy graduates at a glance

Frequently asked questions about the Real Madrid academy