Imagine this: A young football prodigy, barely a teenager, finds himself under the tutelage of a legendary midfielder, witnessing firsthand the magic that would later define a coaching icon. This is the story of Chema Andres, a rising star who had a front-row seat to Xabi Alonso's coaching genesis at Real Madrid.
Andres' journey began in the youth ranks of Real Madrid back in 2018, where he crossed paths with Xabi Alonso, who was just starting his coaching career. Now, here's a fun fact: Chema scored the very first goal of Alonso's coaching tenure!
"He was my first coach at Real Madrid. We arrived together in the Under-14 A team, and I scored the first goal in the first match on a rebound, which is a bit of a funny story," Chema recalled in an interview with AS.
But it wasn't just about the goals. Chema remembers the training sessions as "spectacular." Alonso's attention to detail and skill were evident even then.
"When training sessions finished, he would stay behind practicing passes to the goalkeepers or long balls that went straight to their feet; it was spectacular," he added. "He would have us practice with him, but of course, there was no comparison between his passes and ours."
Fast forward seven years: Andres is now a Bundesliga starter, making waves with his impressive performances. He made his senior debut for Madrid in early 2025 and then moved to Stuttgart.
"It's a team that invests heavily in young talent. They aren't afraid to put young players in the spotlight in high-level matches. They instilled confidence in me a long time ago and presented a project that was interesting to me," the 20-year-old shared, explaining his move to Stuttgart.
But here's where it gets controversial... or at least, challenging. Chema admits that learning German is the toughest part of his adaptation. "I recently saw [Alejandro] Grimaldo say it was an impossible language. I totally agree. Learning German is the hardest thing I'm doing. Luckily, I speak English well and communicate easily. But I want to keep learning and see if I can get by in German in a few months," Andres laughs.
His move to Germany wasn’t driven by frustration, he clarifies, though limited minutes at the Club World Cup nudged him toward a decision. "I don't think it was the deciding factor, but it did tip the scales. I had considered it beforehand, but I waited until after the World Cup so as not to get ahead of myself," Andres says.
His development has been shaped by mentors: Raul and Alvaro Arbeloa in the Madrid academy, Lucas Vazquez and Thibaut Courtois when he trained with the first team, and his grandfather, who attended almost every match while Chema was growing up.
This season, Andres has become a key player for Stuttgart. His combination of height, physicality, and game intelligence has significantly boosted their midfield. He's already scored a goal and provided an assist in 12 games. And, to top it off, his contract includes a buy-back clause from Real Madrid, indicating their continued belief in his potential.
What do you think? Do you believe that young players benefit from having a mentor like Xabi Alonso? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
