Dani Carvajal Ramos has long established himself as the right-back for Real Madrid, the highest-ranked football club in Europe. It hasn’t been an easy ride; after initially failing to break into the team, Carvajal moved to Germany’s Bayern Leverkusen. Success in the Bundesliga, however, saw Real buy him back and he has been a mainstay of the team ever since. He has won no fewer than four Champions League titles with the club, as well as La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and several other trophies.

Born in the Madrid suburb of Leganes in 1992, Carvajal joined Real as a ten-year-old-schoolboy and bean appearing for their reserve team in 2010, also being handed the captaincy. He helped them to win promotion in his second season and seemed set to sail into the first team. Unable to get a break, he transferred to Bayern Leverkusen. During his one season there, he was voted one of the Bundesliga’s top-three defenders. Real exercised their buy-back option and put him in their first team. During his first season back with them, he made over 40 appearances. Success came that season in the form of his first Champions League winner’s medal. Since then, the titles, trophies, and accolades have poured in.

Carvajal has also made his mark with the Spanish national side, winning both the U19 and U21 Championships with them. He joined the first team in 2014 and played in the 2018 World Cup. A key figure at one of the world’s greatest footballing institutions, he will be one to watch at the 2021 European Championships.