Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal will leave Real Madrid at the end of the current season, bringing an end to a remarkable 23-year association with the club that began in its youth academy.
The 34-year-old right-back, who has made more than 450 appearances for the Spanish giants, will be out of contract in June and is expected to depart as one of the most decorated players in the club’s history.
Carvajal joined Real Madrid’s academy in 2002 and rose through the ranks before spending a season at Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. The club later activated a buy-back clause to bring him back in 2013, marking the beginning of his long-standing role in the first team.
Over the course of his career, Carvajal has won 27 major trophies with Real Madrid, including six UEFA Champions League titles, making him one of only a handful of players to achieve that milestone.
He also lifted four La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies, six Club World Cups, five UEFA Super Cups, and four Spanish Super Cups, cementing his legacy as one of the most successful players in modern European football.
Carvajal has been a key figure under managers such as Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane, playing a vital role in Real Madrid’s dominant Champions League era.
At international level, he has earned 51 caps for Spain and contributed to their Nations League triumph in 2023 and their European Championship success in 2024.
Club president Florentino Perez praised Carvajal as a symbol of the club’s academy and values, describing him as a “legend” whose legacy will remain permanently tied to the Santiago Bernabéu.
Carvajal’s final season has been heavily impacted by injuries, including a cruciate ligament tear in 2024 and another serious knee setback a year later, limiting his playing time significantly.
His reduced involvement also coincided with increased competition in the squad following the arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has featured prominently at right-back this season.
Real Madrid, who are set to finish the season without a major trophy for the second consecutive year, will honour Carvajal in their final La Liga match at the Santiago Bernabéu against Athletic Club.
The departure marks the end of an era for the club, with Carvajal widely regarded as one of the greatest right-backs in Real Madrid’s history and a key figure in its most successful modern generation.
His leadership, consistency, and big-match performances—particularly in European competitions—have made him a defining figure of the club’s recent dominance.
As he prepares for his final appearance at the Bernabéu, supporters are expected to give him a fitting farewell befitting his status as one of Real Madrid’s modern legends.
