Carvajal Says Farewell After 23 Years

Dani Carvajal and Real Madrid said on May 18 that the club captain will leave at the end of the 2025-26 season, closing a relationship the club said began in 2002 and lasted 23 seasons. Real Madrid announced the decision in an official statement and described Carvajal as one of the greatest legends in club history. The club said the right back spent 10 seasons in the academy and 13 with the first team. Real Madrid also said the Santiago Bernabéu will pay tribute to him on Saturday during the team's final La Liga match of the season. ### How long was Carvajal at Real Madrid? Real Madrid said Carvajal joined the club in 2002 and represented its shirt for 23 seasons. The club's accounting breaks that spell into 10 years in the academy and 13 in the first team, a distinction that explains why some reports describe his stay as 13 seasons while the club frames it as 23. (realmadrid.com) The official statement said Carvajal and the club had agreed to "bring an end to a wonderful chapter" at the conclusion of the current season. Real Madrid did not give contractual details in the statement, but said the separation was agreed with its captain. ### What did he win with the club? Real Madrid said Carvajal leaves with 27 titles. (realmadrid.com) The club listed those as six European Cups, six Club World Cups, five European Super Cups, four La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey titles and four Spanish Super Cups. The club also said Carvajal is one of five players in football history to have won six European Cups. (realmadrid.com) That places him among the most decorated players of the modern Real Madrid era, according to the club's statement. ### What do the individual numbers look like? Real Madrid said Carvajal played 450 matches and scored 14 goals for the first team. (realmadrid.com) With Spain, the club said, he earned 51 caps and won Euro 2024 and the Nations League in 2023. In 2024, the club said, Carvajal was included in the FIFPro World XI, won The Best FIFA Men's World XI award and was named best player in the Champions League final, in which he scored. (realmadrid.com) Those details were included in Real Madrid's farewell statement as part of its summary of his career. ### What did Real Madrid say about his departure? (realmadrid.com) Florentino Perez said in the club statement that "Dani Carvajal is a legend and a symbol of Real Madrid and its academy." Perez added that Carvajal had always represented the club's values and that "this is and will always be his home." Real Madrid also linked Carvajal's image to the club's academy history, with Perez recalling a photograph of him alongside Alfredo Di Stefano at the laying of the first stone of Ciudad Real Madrid. (realmadrid.com) The club used that image to underline Carvajal's status as an academy product who rose to captain the first team. ### Why do some reports call this the end of an era? Carvajal's departure removes one of the last senior players directly tied to Real Madrid's academy and to the club's run of six European Cups in his playing career. That description comes from the club's own record of his titles and from outside reports that identified him as a lifelong Madrid player and current captain. (realmadrid.com) Spanish media reports on Monday said his final appearance in white is expected to come this weekend at the Bernabéu against Athletic Club. Real Madrid's own website lists that final La Liga fixture for Saturday, May 23, at the Bernabéu, and the club statement says the stadium will honor him that day. (realmadrid.com) (realmadrid.com)