Álvaro Arbeloa hailed the club's academy after eight La Fábrica graduates featured in Real Madrid's 4-1 win over Elche at the Santiago Bernabéu on March 14, 2026. Goals from Antonio Rüdiger, Federico Valverde, Dean Huijsen and a stunning Ar
Álvaro Arbeloa fielded eight homegrown players as Real Madrid beat Elche 4-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu on March 14, 2026, a result he said filled him with immense pride. Antonio Rüdiger opened the scoring in the 39th minute, Federico Valverde doubled the lead before half time, Dean Huijsen added a third in the 66th minute and Arda Güler sealed the afternoon with a stunning long range lob in the 89th, a strike Arbeloa called a "work of art" worth the ticket price. Elche scored once late.
The eight La Fábrica graduates who took part were Dani Carvajal, Fran García, Thiago Pitarch, César Palacios, Gonzalo García, Manuel Ángel, Daniel Yáñez and Diego Aguado, with some featuring from the bench. Arbeloa, himself a product of the club’s academy and a former youth coach, described the evening as "indescribable" and said, "I can die happy after a night like this... For someone who came up through the youth ranks and made it to the first team, this is a day of immense happiness and pride." He praised the players’ talent, personality and soul and thanked senior teammates for helping to integrate the youngsters amid an injury-hit period.
The victory kept Real Madrid within one point of league leaders Barcelona and offered a tangible example of Arbeloa’s belief in promoting youth alongside established players. Beyond the scoreline, the match served as a showcase of the academy’s depth and of Arbeloa’s willingness to turn that potential into first-team minutes as the season enters its decisive stages.
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