Puerto Rican soccer talent Jeremy de León signs historic deal with Real Madrid

On Thursday morning, De León shared on his Instagram account a photo of the moment he signed the contract with Real Madrid. He’ll use number 21. (Capture via @10jeremyandre)

By Mivette Vega

January 25, 2024

The striker was born in Puerto Rico but as a teenager, he moved to Spain with his mother to pursue professional opportunities in soccer.

Jeremy de León made history on Wednesday by becoming the second Puerto Rican soccer player to sign with the legendary Real Madrid of Spain.

The 19-year-old is set to play for Real Madrid Castilla, which is officially Real Madrid’s ‘B’ team.

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De León was born in Puerto Rico but as a teenager he moved to Spain with his mother to pursue professional opportunities in soccer.

He began his career on the island, as part of the national team at the U-20 level. He plays the striker position.

In Spain, the player spent two and a half seasons at CD Castellón, the team that made the transfer announcement.

“From CD Castellón we want to thank De León for the work done. He played matches with Juvenil A, the reserve team, and made the jump to the first team in the final stages of the 21-22 season,” the team said in a news release.

The player thanked the team and fans of El Castellón for their support.

“The time has come for me to say goodbye to the club that opened the doors for me in Spain. I arrived here without knowing anything, unaware of everything that was going to happen and how incredible the path was going to be. I thank God for bringing me here and for giving me the opportunity to be part of this club,” the player wrote on Instagram.

On Thursday morning, De León shared on his Instagram account a photo of the moment he signed the contract with Real Madrid. He’ll use number 21.

“The moment I dreamed of since it all began has arrived. I have fulfilled one of my biggest dreams and I can say that I am going to wear the shirt of the best team in the world. Thank you to all the people who made this possible and eager to do great things with this club. Hala Madrid! 🤍” wrote the player in the photo’s caption.

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Eduardo Ordoñez was the first Puerto Rican to play for the famous Spanish club in 1926 and 1927.

If De León continues to advance and reaches the first team, he would be the first Puerto Rican to do so in almost one hundred years.

Author

Mivette Vega

Mivette Vega is a seasoned journalist and multimedia reporter whose stories center the Latino community. She is passionate about justice, equality, environmental matters, and animals. She is a Salvadorrican—Salvadorian that grew up in Puerto Rico—that has lived in San Juan, Venice, Italy, and Miami.

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CATEGORIES: COMMUNITY | SPORTS

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