Six Real Madrid Youngsters Hoping for Breakout Seasons in 2026

The new season promises to be one of transition for Real Madrid. And changes brings opportunity.

With Florentino Pérez’s re-election, José Mourinho has been appointed as the new first-team manager, while the roster is already beginning to take shape ahead of the start of the 2026–27 season.

Mourinho and Madrid’s focus has been on adding proven quality and depth to a team that has drastically unperformed over the last two seasons, with Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries the first four signings.

More transfers are expected as the squad gets finessed in the coming weeks, but with a new season—and a new era for the club—comes the potential for rising stars to force their way into the manager’s plans and become household names.

Here are six Real Madrid youngsters who could be in line for breakout seasons.

Diego Aguado

It’s been quite the year for 19-year-old Aguado already. The defender scored the winning penalty in Real Madrid U-19’s UEFA Youth League triumph back in April and then starred in Spain’s UEFA European Under-19 Championship win this summer.

Described by MARCA as “the best of his generation”, Aguado can operate both at left back or centrally and could be a useful depth option for Mourinho this season—if he is not loaned out.

Left-footed, lightning quick and composed on the ball, the product of La Fábrica made his first-team debut back in January of 2025 during a Copa del Rey win over Minera.

Jesús Fortea

Another 19-year-old full back, Fortea also shone during this summer’s U-19 Euros and is tipped for a big future, having joined Real Madrid from Atlético back in 2022.

Prior to Dumfries’s signing there was talk that Madrid might not even need to buy a new right-sided defender and should instead trust the teenage academy talent.

While he will do well to earn minutes ahead of Alexander-Arnold and Dumfries, neither of the two more experienced options is especially defense-minded and Fortea could prove a useful third option for Mourinho throughout the season.

Thiago Pitarch

Brought into the first team at the tail end of the 2025–26 season under Álvaro Arbeloa, Pitarch held his own in difficult circumstances.

The former manager championed the tenacious young midfielder during his brief tenure, with Pitarch becoming Madrid’s youngest-ever player to start twice in the Champions League knockout stages.

If Pérez and the club hierarchy cannot source a new deep-lying midfielder, expect Pitarch—another star of Spain’s U-19 Euros win—to get more game time in the coming season. His work rate and technical quality make him an exciting prospect.

Daniel Yáñez

Back in March, Yáñez recorded his first senior assist as he set up Dean Huijsen in the 4–1 La Liga win over Elche and big things are expected of the youngster MARCA described as a “Tasmanian devil”.

The electric winger’s situation draws parallels with Nico Paz in that he’s too talented to ignore, but too hard to fit into the first-team picture just yet.

A loan or partial rights sale could be in the 19-year-old’s future, though with Rodrygo still out of action for the long-term, Yáñez may have a chance to impress enough in preseason to force his way into Mourinho’s thinking.

Endrick

Hardly a new name, but Real Madrid fans will be hopeful that 2026–27 is the season Endrick finally makes an impact on the first team.

The Brazilian, still only 20, struggled to make much of an impact under Carlo Ancelotti and then was effectively frozen out by Xabi Alonso before being sent out on loan to Lyon.

He then shone with a goal-contribution heavy half-season in France, even earning a spot on Brazil’s World Cup roster. Having showcased his ability to play off the right wing in Ligue 1, there could be more of a pathway into the first team this time around.

Jacobo Ortega

There has been talk that Mourinho would like a ‘plan B’ style striker to play backup to Kylian Mbappé next season, though it may not be a priority area of focus when it comes to the transfer market. Enter: Jacobo Ortega.

The homegrown 20-year-old stands at well over six foot and is a very traditional center forward, who can play with his back to goal and has dominated in the air at youth level.

With fellow young forward Gonzalo García’s future uncertain, there could be an opportunity for Ortega to stake his claim as the kind of battling target man Mourinho just loves.

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