Real Madrid announced that captain Dani Carvajal, 34 years old, one of the most veteran figures remaining at the club (the only one remaining from the starting line-up of the 2014 Champions League final), is leaving at the end of the season, as the club did not extend his contract. The 34-year-old right back has spent 23 years at the club, from the youth teams to the first team, spending only a year (2012-13) at Bayer Leverkusen as a loan.
Since 2013/14, he has been integral part of the team that won six Champions League. In total, 27 trophies, only one less than Luka Modric, who has the record for most collective titles won at the club. Perhaps his biggest moment was in 2024, when he went from scoring a goal in the Champions League final (one of the 14 goals the defender has scored in 450 matches with the senior teams) and being named Man of the Match, to being captain of the Spanish team that won UEFA Euro 2024 two months later.
However, his last two seasons have been marred by serious injuries, including a torn ACL in October 2024, and has been side-lined in favour of Trent Alexander-Arnold, with gossip that he was being benched intentionally by coach Álvaro Arbeloa because of the animosity between the two players when both played together for Real Madrid. Carvajal has not been included in the 50-man preliminary list for World Cup 2026.
Sunday's match at the Bernabéu against Athletic, the last one of the season, will be the farewell for the player, but more Real Madrid players are expected to be sold or not renewed this season, as a major shake up of the dressing room is expected with Mourinho as the new coach...