Who is Alvaro Rodriguez? Real Madrid's new striking sensation ready to star in Champions League

Suraj Radia

• Updated: 25 Feb 2023 19:55 GMT
• 10 min read

Real Madrid may have the reigning Ballon d’Or holder leading the line but the La Liga giants may already have his replacement on the books in Alvaro Rodriguez.

The 18-year-old has enjoyed a dramatic rise to the first team in recent months, having made his senior debut and covered for Karim Benzema while the first-choice No.9 was injured.

And given his chance in the first team, he has made a spectacular impression. He became Real Madrid's second youngest scorer in history when he headed the equalising goal in a February 2023 derby against Atletico Madrid. A week earlier, he grabbed an assist in his league debut against Osasuna. It took him just two minutes to make that impact.

At 6 foot 4 inches tall, Rodriguez is a natural successor to Benzema and his stature has proven to be a match for most defenders despite his tender age.

With Benzema's long-term future up in the air, here is what to expect of the young man who might just be his long-term replacement at the Bernabeu.

What position does Alvaro Rodriguez play in?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Rodriguez is primarily a centre-forward renowned for his height, although he can also play out wide and is left-footed.

How good is Alvaro Rodriguez?

Rodriguez has progressed through the ranks rapidly since joining the Real youth team in 2020, winning the Copa del Rey Juvenil in 2022 at La Fabrica.

After impressing with the Juvenil teams, Rodriguez made his Castilla debut aged 17 and has scored nine goals in 33 games for the ‘B’ team.

Having played four times for Spain’s U18 team, Rodriguez declared his allegiance to Uruguay, whom he is eligible for due to his father, Coquito, who won 12 caps for the country.

Rodriguez was the joint-second top scorer at the U20 Copa Sudamericana, netting five goals in the tournament as Uruguay finished runners-up.

Upon his return to Madrid following the tournament, Rodriguez made his senior debut, coming off the bench to assist Marco Asensio’s goal in just two minutes of game time, as well as having another one ruled out for offside.

He marked his home league debut in spectacular style, heading the equalising goal in a 1-1 draw against Atletico Madrid.

Real boss Carlo Ancelotti was full of praise for Rodriguez after the game, saying: “He has a lot of quality. He’s tall, controls the ball well and can header it too. He can help us, just like he helped us tonight.

“It’s not easy for a young player to come on and make a first-team debut. I’m convinced he’ll help us over the rest of the season.”

He earned his place in Real Madrid's first team with strong performances in the Primera Federcion, where his dribbling, finishing and defensive instincts stood out.

Alvaro vs Primera Federacion forwards: 2022/23 Finishing

What teams are interested in Alvaro Rodriguez?

Rodriguez was signed from Girona as a 15-year-old, a team who have a link with Barcelona, and the Catalan side were recently revealed to have turned down the chance of signing the youngster before Real made their move.

Teams know that they have no chance of convincing Real to sell one of their prized prospects who still has plenty of time remaining on his contract so there has not been much speculation surrounding Rodriguez.

However, with Rodriguez still an emerging talent and growing in reputation, a good performance could see teams take note, with the teenager having a release clause of €50 million.

When does Alvaro Rodriguez’s contract expire?

Alvaro Rodriguez has four years remaining on his contract that expires in June 2027.

How old is Alvaro Rodriguez?

Alvaro Rodriguez was born on 14 July 2004 making him 18 years old.

What is Alvaro Rodriguez’s Instagram?

Alvaro Rodriguez has 163,000 followers on Instagram as of February 2020.