Jeremy de León is making history in Puerto Rico and Real Madrid. The 19-year-old has just joined Real Madrid from CD Castellón, making him just the second-ever Puerto Rican player to sign for what is arguably the biggest club in the world.
First reports indicated de León would be the first Puerto Rican to ever play for Real Madrid. However, those reports proved to be incorrect, as Eduardo Ordoñez played for the Spanish club in 1926 and 1927. That means de León won’t be the first, but he still has a chance to leave a mark, as he will be the first to do so in almost one hundred years.
De León reacted to the history-making on Instagram and said, “I thank God for having brought me here and for giving me the opportunity to be part of this club.”
De León, who is a forward, is set to play for Real Madrid Castilla – officially Real Madrid’s ‘B’ team. There he will play under coach Raúl González Blanco, one of Real Madrid’s greatest players and arguably someone who has the experience to help de León develop. His contract is set to run until 2026.
Real Madrid already has some of the best attackers in the world, including Brazilians Vini Jr. and Rodrygo. They also have another Brazilian, Endrick, waiting in the wings. So de León’s best bet is to develop enough to be a good backup option for the superstars already on the team.
The good news is that a team like Real Madrid needs a very deep roster to face the number of games they are required to play every year – Champions League, Copa del Rey, and La Liga games take a toll on any team that doesn’t have a lot of players. So, if Jeremy de León puts on a good showing in Real Madrid Castilla, he could see time in the first-team.