Eleven years after wearing the White shirt for the last time, Joselu makes a great return to his youth club, Real Madrid. The forward is back at our club after winning the Nations League 2023 with the Spanish national team, where he played a key role thanks to his winning goal against Italy in the semi-finals, and after being the top Spanish goal scorer in the last LaLiga campaign (16 goals for Espanyol).
A tall forward with great technical abilities and very clever in movement and link up play, Joselu, 33, will try to repeat his great 2022-23 campaign that he had at Espanyol, where he scored 17 times and assisted 4 times in total. Ancelotti's squad is strengthened with an experienced player, who has scored goals in the three big leagues in which he has played. With 58 goals in Spain, 22 in the Bundesliga and 10 in the Premier League.
Joselu joined Real Madrid's youth academy in 2010 and played for Castilla. In the two seasons with our reserve team, he was the top scorer in the team. In the second of them, the 2011-12, he proved to be instrumental in winning promotion to the Second Division as champion of the division. He scored 19 goals in the regular league and 7 more in the promotion play-offs.
His performances for Castilla saw him make his debut for Real Madrid on 21 May 2011, against Almería at the Bernabéu. And just three minutes after coming off the bench in that LaLiga match, he was on the scoresheet. After his time with our youth team, Joselu pursued his career in two challenging leagues such as Germany and England and then returned to the Spanish league. His last two clubs before joining Real Madrid were Alavés and Espanyol.
Champion with Spain: A Spain international since March this year, he scored a brace on his debut against Norway. The forward played a pivotal role in winning the Nations League 2023, scoring the winning goal in the semi-final against Italy and converting his spot-kick in the final against Croatia during the penalty shoot-out.
Career:
Celta Vigo (2009-10)
Castilla (2010-12)
Hoffenheim (2012-13)
Eintracht (2013-14)
Hannover 96 (2014-15)
Stoke City (2015-16)
Deportivo de La Coruña (2016-17)
Newcastle (2017-19)
Alavés (2019-22)
Espanyol (2022-23)
Real Madrid (2023-)
Joselu successfully passed his medical examination at the La Moraleja Sanitas University Hospital, prior to his unveiling as a new Real Madrid player on June 20. The event of his unveiling took place at Real Madrid City and started with a video showing the best images of the forward. President Florentino Pérez then spoke: "All Madridistas are very happy today. One of those great youth academy players who has been nurtured in this house and who went on to build a brilliant career in the world of football is returning to Real Madrid. Welcome back to Real Madrid and to the excitement that awaits you with this badge, which is a very important part of your life".
He continued: "You are one of our youth academy players who has been successful in the world of football, through your talent, your quality and those values that have accompanied you throughout your career and that have no doubt helped you when you needed it most. Here you have learnt something that no one who has been trained at Real Madrid ever forgets: never give up".
Passion for Real Madrid: "Your goals, your hard work, your ambition, your character, have brought you back to Real Madrid. And I'm convinced that you're going to help make us a better team, a team that you have also experienced in some of our great Champions League finals. Your passion for Real Madrid will be, along with the support of our fans, one of your greatest strengths in order to achieve the success that awaits you during one of the most exciting periods of your life".
After the president, it was the forward who had his word: "I've been dreaming of this moment since the day I left. I'm very excited. I'd like to thank the president, Jose Angel and Carlo Ancelotti for their confidence. Wearing the Real Madrid badge on my chest is the greatest honour one can have. I'm going to give everything for it. Always and forever: Hala Madrid!"
Before the presentation ceremony, Joselu signed his new contract in the boardroom at Real Madrid City, alongside president Florentino Pérez. After the signing, he was given a watch, a replica of the Santiago Bernabéu and a shirt with his name and number 14.
After the official presentation ceremony to introduce Joselu as a new Real Madrid player, he spoke to the media in the press room at Real Madrid City. The forward said: "Today could be one of the happiest days of my life, apologising to my children and my wife. When you leave here, you always dream of coming back. I'm very proud of what I have done over the last few years and that today is that day I return. I would like to say thank you for being able to be here. I'm going to give my all, it's the most important club in my life. They have taught me values that I've never forgotten throughout my career. As a forward, I like to score goals. I've scored goals throughout my career and I don't think it's not going to be like that now".
Number: "Any number in the Real Madrid first team is big. I'm really proud to be able to wear any number. That's secondary right now. The important thing is that I'm here and enjoying the moment. I liked the '9' at Castilla, but to be able to have a number among the best 25 in the world is incredible".
Pressure: "I'm not here to replace anyone. I'm here to do my bit and to contribute everything I've learnt. I want to enjoy myself and do whatever the coach asks of me. We all know the standard Karim has been at this club. He is one of the best forwards in the world".
Madridismo: "I've never kept my Madridism hidden because I've felt that way and in life you have to be as natural as possible. To be able to have a number at the best club in the world makes me proud".
Style of play: "I'm a more physical player. I like to get in the box a lot. I like to score goals, like any forward. My experience of playing in two of the best leagues in the world has made me grow as a footballer. These last few seasons, in terms of numbers, I've been among the top players on a national level and I want to show that here".
His time at Castilla: "Everything has changed a lot. I've been a madridista since I was a kid and when the opportunity came up to sign here when I came to Castilla it was a huge moment. I remember it as one of the best days of my life. You're 18 or 19 years old and you don't appreciate it in the same way as you do now, but you come here and you soak up everything that this club transmits. I learnt values that only Real Madrid has, and that has enabled me to achieve big goals in my footballing and personal life, above all".
First reaction when the club called: "This was sealed a few days ago. I didn't tell my children anything until the last minute, because when you're in negotiations you never know what might happen. But when the interest comes, it's what any player has dreamed of all his life. I don't think my children and my wife believe it yet. We want to enjoy the moment. The first contact I have with Real Madrid, other players are never mentioned. Madrid has certain values and they always respect any contact with a player. They've been great in that respect. We've all done our bit to make this happen. The club has also respected what was going on in my club and until they found out what was going on, I didn't know anything about this situation".
Role models: "As a forward you always look to the best and you've had some of the best in the world here. I've been lucky enough to train with them and enjoy that experience. I couldn't tell you one in particular, but everywhere I've been I've tried to take a little bit from each of them".
Did you feel the support of the fans? "I'm very grateful. The Madrid fans deserve the best. They've always treated me with a lot of respect. I've played here as an away player and people have always been very nice to me on the street. I can only say thank you, because you're in the best team in the world and the people back me and believe in me".
Key moment in his career: "Returning to Madrid is always good, at any time, but there's no better time than now. I'm in a good period in my career, but that's not what's important. Being able to be here today and enjoy these moments is special for any player in the world".
Leading role: "I'm here to help, to contribute everything I've learned. I'm not the one to say whether more people will come or not. When I start training with my team-mates I'll be nervous about that first day. I can't wait to get started. I've come to help and I'm going to be at the coach's disposal for everything he needs from me".
Have you had a chance to speak to Ancelotti? "I haven't had the chance to speak to him yet. I know what kind of player I am and I know what I can contribute on an individual and team level. I'll talk to the coach and I'll adapt to what he asks of me. I'll be at his disposal for anything.
Current form: "I think I need a few days off to take it all in. I want to enjoy the moment. The season didn't end the way we all wanted it to, but everything happens for a reason in football. I'm proud of what we've achieved with the national team and of being here today. That's what I'll remember".
Has anything changed since you left the club? "There are more pitches, more buildings. It's not like it was 12 years ago. Everything is growing. This club always builds and it has the best. They're going to show me everything now and hopefully I'll be able to enjoy it soon".
His family relationship with Carvajal: "We shared the dressing room eleven years ago, we've had a special relationship since then and it's much, much closer now. He's very happy that this opportunity has come up and I hope to be able to celebrate a lot of things with him".
Butragueño, Real Madrid's Director of Institutional Relations, also joined Joselu at the press conference and expressed his joy for youth team players that return home: " We're very happy to have you back with us. It's a source of pride for us madridistas every time a youth team player returns to this club. Like the president said, you know the values perfectly and those values are the ones that are going to help you to achieve all your goals with this jersey. Congratulations for winning the Nations League and for your superb contribution to that trophy. We will do everything we can to make sure that you and your family are very happy at Real Madrid. Welcome home".
After his unveiling, Joselu gave his first interview as a madridista to Realmadrid TV, speaking to the official channel on his return to our club: I feel like a little kid. Being here changes everything. It's a dream for any footballer and I've had the chance to be here in the past. You always dream of coming home to a place where they treated me so well and that helped me go beyond my expectations. I'm delighted to be back here”.
He added: "You're at the best club in the world, so when you have to leave, of course you have that yearning. Coming back has brought up so many emotions. You come to the best club in the world, even at the academy, and everything is different. Everything is better and we managed to gain promotion to the Segunda División. That was one of the best dressing rooms I've been a part of in my career. Many years have passed, lots of different experiences and I have grown as a professional. I have also had a family and that brings a bit more emotional stability. I'm so proud of the career I've had and to have come this far”.
Ancelotti: "He's one of the best coaches in the world, if not the best. I have had lots of coaches in my career but I think he will bring me so much on a tactical level and in how I play because from an attacking perspective I have a different profile to others in the squad. Anything he can show me and all I can learn in the early months of preseason will be hugely beneficial”.
His eye for goal: "It's something you're born with. It's a gift that some players have and thank God, in recent seasons I've been able to get a fair few goals so I'm thrilled, and to have won the Zarra Trophy too, because it's not easy to score goals in the Primera División”.
The European Cup: "The European Cups sure make an impression. It's the biggest prize in club football and Madrid are the best in the world. The best players in history have been here and you always dream of lifting that trophy. If it's thrilling from the outside, I can't even begin to imagine how it feels to win it on the inside”.
La Decimocuarta final: "Throughout my career I've never hidden the fact I'm a huge Real Madrid fan, I've always followed them, supported them and loved them because they were my childhood club. In recent years, Carvajal became part of my family and I had the chance to go and enjoy the final. I went to support him like anyone else and it was absolutely amazing as a fan. I got goosebumps, especially when Vini Jr. scored. So many emotions and it brings back all kinds of memories of your time here”.
His Real Madrid debut: "I made my Primera debut with my boyhood club and that is a dream come true. I even got a goal. I always get asked who set me up and of course, I get to say it was Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest players in Real Madrid history and world football. These are things that will never leave your memories. I remember the next day we had a match against Alcoyano in the promotion playoffs, my first year with Castilla and I spent the whole night with a fever. You're so young and you live those moments with such intensity”.
Message to the fans: "Thank you so much. The messages of support have been unbelievable since the moment it was announced I'd be back playing for Real Madrid. You're the greatest fans in the world, Hala Madrid!"
Following the unveiling and press conference, the player donned the Real Madrid kit, which he posed with at the Alfredo Di Stéfano stadium. Ready for a great adventure with Real Madrid!
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