Mariano Díaz

In 2018, Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz was given their number 7 shirt, previously held by none other than Cristiano Ronaldo. It’s an honour, dream, and huge responsibility to be tasked with replacing one of the greatest players of all-time, but Diaz is more than equal to the challenge. Currently entering the prime of his career, Diaz is actually in his second spell with Real Madrid. His performances and stunning Champions League goals have marked him out as one of Spain’s most notable young strikers.

Diaz was born in the Catalonian town of Premia de Mar in 1993. His schoolboy career began, aged nine, with Espanyol in nearby Barcelona. After spending time with other local teams, he made his professional senior debut three weeks after his 18th birthday, coming on as a substitute for third-tier team Badalona. After just three appearances, he was signed by Real Madrid and began appearing for Real Madrid C, their now-defunct second reserve team, who also played in the third tier. Over the next four years, he worked his way up through the C and B teams, finally being promoted to the first team in time for the 2016-17 season. He made 14 appearances, scoring 5 goals, and was part of the Champions League-winning squad.

French Ligue 1 side Lyon bought Diaz for a bargain €8 million in 2017. In his one full season there, he was truly able to prove his worth in top-flight football, netting 21 goals and helping the team to a third-place league finish. Real re-signed him during summer 2018, awarding him the iconic number 7 shirt vacated by Ronaldo (who had moved to Juventus).