Sergio Martínez goes from Racing’s academy to Real Madrid in just one year

In little more than a year, Sergio Martínez has gone from Racing Santander’s youth system to one of Europe’s biggest clubs. The 19-year-old midfielder is joining Real Madrid on a contract through 2030 after a rapid rise that included a memorable debut in Spain’s top division.

Martínez arrived at Racing as a young academy player and progressed through the club’s age groups before moving to Rayo Cantabria. He then began training with the first team last season and emerged as one of the academy’s most promising players.

His breakthrough came after Racing won promotion to the top flight. José Alberto López unexpectedly placed him in the starting lineup against Villarreal, and Martínez scored from outside the penalty area. That performance introduced him to a wider Spanish football audience and attracted interest from several major clubs.

Although he had played only 15 official matches for Racing across the previous and current seasons, Real Madrid had been tracking his development. The club ultimately won the race for the Cantabrian midfielder, who also represents Spain at under-19 level.

Martínez is expected to begin with Real Madrid’s reserve side, Castilla, while training near the first team. His decision takes him from a club where he could have continued building a role in the top division to one of the most demanding academies in football. His journey began in Laredo, a small town in Cantabria, continued in Santander and now moves to Madrid, where his next challenge is to establish himself at Real Madrid.