Real Madrid’s youth team has achieved a remarkable feat that eluded the club’s star-studded senior side, including Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham, during the 2023-2024 season. The achievement came with the help of a young Egyptian talent.
The Real Madrid under-19 team secured the UEFA Youth League title on Monday, April 22, 2024, after a dramatic 3-2 victory over Olympiacos in the final held in Nyon, Switzerland. This marks the first time the young *Merengues* have won this prestigious continental competition.
The path to glory was not easy. Real Madrid found themselves trailing 2-0 after goals from Olympiacos’s Fanis Tzandaris and Christos Mouzakitis in the 13th and 29th minutes, respectively. The Spanish giants faced a daunting deficit at halftime.
The comeback began in the 54th minute when David Jimenez pulled one back for Real Madrid. The equalizer arrived in the 67th minute from the penalty spot, expertly converted by Spanish midfielder Cesar Palacios. With the score level at 2-2, the stage was set for a grandstand finish.
The decisive moment came deep into stoppage time. In the 90+9th minute, Egyptian midfielder Youssef El Mansy delivered a perfect cross into the box. Teammate Pablo Ibanez met it with a powerful header, sealing a stunning 3-2 comeback victory and sparking wild celebrations.
This triumph is particularly notable as it is a title the senior Real Madrid team, despite boasting attacking talents like Mbappe, Vinicius, and Bellingham, did not capture in the 2023-2024 campaign. The first team was eliminated from the UEFA Champions League in the semi-finals.
The victory underscores the strength of Real Madrid’s famed youth academy, La Fabrica, and highlights the contribution of international talents like Egypt’s Youssef El Mansy, who played a crucial role in the historic win.
