Seven Real Madrid Wonderkids Who Failed to Make the Grade As JJ Gabriel Closes on Transfer

Real Madrid have won the battle for one of world soccer’s next, next big things, with JJ Gabriel poised to relocate to the Spanish capital imminently.

Former interim Manchester United manager Darren Fletcher described Gabriel as “the best 15-year-old in Europe” earlier this year, adding: “The world is his oyster.”

The now-16-year-old forward appears to have taken that statement quite literally as he walked out on the Red Devils back in September.

Though not yet official, Madrid are understood to have sealed a deal for the player once dubbed “Kid Messi,” which includes plans to fast-track the teenager into José Mourinho’s first team.

It’s an exciting marriage of super-talent and super-club. However, success if far from guaranteed. If Gabriel grew impatient waiting for his chance at United, he may face a hard reality check in Madrid with the likes of Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, Yan Diomande, Arda Güler, Brahim Díaz, Endrick, Carlos Espí, Rodrygo and more to elbow past in the attacking pecking order.

Recent history is littered with examples of seriously hyped talents who didn’t quite live up to expectations in the unforgiving environ of the Bernabéu. Here are seven that Gabriel can learn from.

1. Denis Cheryshev (2002–16)

The Spanish-raised son of a Russia international, Cheryshev joined Real Madrid aged 11 and worked his way through La Fábrica; his combination of pace and technical ability turning him into one of the most talked-about talents of his generation—and a favorite of Football Manager and FIFA players in the early 2010s.

However, injuries and a series of underwhelming loan spells stunted his development and he only ever made seven first-team appearances for Madrid.

He is best remembered for inadvertently causing Real Madrid’s Copa del Rey disqualification in 2015–16, after Rafa Benítez played him against Cádiz, unaware that Cheryshev was suspended for the game.

2. Enzo Zidane (2004–17)

Enzo and Zinedine Zidane. — Father and son together at Madrid. | Helios de la Rubia/Real Madrid/Getty Images

The eldest son of the legendary Zinédine Zidane was always going to have a tough time living up to the hype.

Hailed as the second coming of his dad as he progressed through Madrid’s academy, Enzo was set up for failure.

Despite scoring from outside the area on his first-team debut in the Copa del Rey in 2016—with his father watching on from the dugout—he never made another first-team appearance.

A player once fought over by Spain and France at youth level, Zidane went on to turn out for Alavés, Rayo Majadahonda and Rodez among others, before retiring in 2024 at the age of 29.

3. Royston Drenthe (2007–12)

The Netherlands dominated the U-21 scene at the start of the 21st century, winning back to back European Championships in 2006 and 2007.
The unstoppable Drenthe was the star of the second triumph and was named UEFA’s Player of the Tournament.

Real Madrid snapped up the 20-year-old from Feyenoord that summer, with big things expected of the winger who had wowed Europe with his speed and skill.

While Drenthe managed 65 appearances across three seasons, he never became the superstar he was seemingly destined to be, as he struggled with both disciplinary and anxiety issues.

He retired in 2023 after a nomadic career that took him to 12 clubs in seven countries.

4. Jesé Rodríguez (2007–2016)

The same year Drenthe arrived, Madrid beat out competition from Barcelona to bring 14-year-old Jesé to the academy.

The Canary Islander was rated as one of Spain’s most exciting prospects, even drawing comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Jesé’s dribbling and eye for goal made him a star of Madrid’s Juvenil A and Castilla teams—and he bagged 22 goals for the B team in 2012–13.

However, terrible injuries and almost as terrible disciplinary issues conspired to make sure he never fulfilled his true potential.

Still, he left Madrid in 2016 as a two-time Champions League winner, with Los Blancos even inserting an ‘anti-Barcelona’ clause in his sale to PSG that prevented him from ever moving to Camp Nou.

5. Mink Peters (2014–19)

After a lot of reflection, I’ve decided to stop my career as a professional football player.⁰I’m grateful for the journey and the memories along the way.⁰Thanks to everyone who has been part of it. ⚽️ @lafabricacrm @managingmadrid @CastillaStats pic.twitter.com/5rEANraKtY
— Mink Peeters (@MinkPeeters98) April 24, 2026

Touted as the pick of a supremely talented generation at Ajax that also included Matthijs de Ligt, Peeters left his homeland as a 16-year-old to try his luck with Madrid’s academy.

His face, along with those of Martin Ødegaard and Marco Asensio, was plastered on the front of MARCA the following year as a symbol of a new-look Madrid building for the future.

However, the attacking midfielder, dubbed “the Dutch Guti,” never got to be a part of that brave new future, having seen his body broken by injury setback after injury setback.

He retired at 27 having made just 40 first-team appearances across his career—none at top-tier clubs.

“One day you’re the best, and the next nobody remembers you. That’s just how it is,” he reflected to MARCA in 2026.

6. Martin Ødegaard (2015–21)

The wonderkid to end all wonderkids. Ødegaard was (non-alcoholically) wined and dined by every big club in European soccer before settling on Real Madrid in 2015.

The 16-year-old was presented to the world alongside club legend Emilio Butragueño, while a plan was put in place to shuffle him between the first team and Castilla as he developed.

That plan never really worked out though, with Ødegaard later confessing in The Players’ Tribune: “I ended up not finding my place with either group ... I felt a bit like an outsider. I was stuck in between.”

Hype fast turned to frustration and the super-talent, who had made his Norway debut aged just 15, was sent out on loan before leaving permanently for Arsenal in 2021. He only ever made 11 first-team appearances at Madrid.

Unlike many others on this list, the rest of his career worked out just fine, though.

7. Augusto Galvan (2017–22)

Identified as a part of a strategy to scoop the finest young Brazilian talent directly from source, Augusto was the player signed a year before Vinícius Jr, arriving from São Paulo for around $3.5 million.

The attacking midfielder’s move had reportedly been two years in the making, with Los Blancos beating Barcelona to the punch.

And yet, after all the build up, the young star’s time in Spain fell flat. He never made it to the first team, spending one year at Castilla before going out on loan, then falling off the soccer landscape altogether.

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