{
  "id": 20138316,
  "title": "Real Madrid academy sensation outshines Guler and Bellingham with remarkable assist record",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/real-madrid-academy-sensation-outshines-guler-and-bellingham-with",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-15T07:40:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/real-madrid-academy-sensation-outshines-074000262.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Real Madrid's youth academy has produced another gem in 18-year-old left-back Jose Luis Saez Espinosa, also known as 'Espi'. The talented youngster has emerged as the leading assist provider across Madrid's four highest-ranked teams, outshining established stars like Arda Guler, Jude Bellingham, and Kylian Mbappe. Espi has managed to register six assists in just ten appearances for Juvenil A this season, a remarkable feat considering his defensive position. He currently leads the academy rankings with his impressive tally, ahead of teammates Company (five assists) and Castilla midfielder Leiva (two assists). Beyond his attacking contributions, Espi has proven himself as an important member of Alvaro Lopez's defensive set-up, earning him a spot in Real Madrid C’s squad for an upcoming match. This young defender has already attracted attention from higher levels, with coaches Julian Lopez de Lerma and Marc Carrasco closely watching his development. With his rapid growth, Espinosa could soon face competition for the starting position at left-back in the first team, potentially providing a challenge for the experienced Marc Cucurella. As he continues to progress, Real Madrid's interest in Espi will only grow stronger, with Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho eager to see the young player excel at the highest level.",
  "summary": "Real Madrid continue to have talented players coming through their academy who look destined for greatness in the future.While not all these players may get a chance in the first team, the club often ...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}