--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was 11 or 12 when I had my trial with…" description: "\"I was 11 or 12 when I had my trial with Real Madrid.\" — Marcos Alonso" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/marcos-alonso-9092_adversity_i-was-11-or-12-when-i-had-my-trial-with_1424404.jpg" --- # I was 11 or 12 when I had my trial with Real Madrid. ![“I was 11 or 12 when I had my trial with Real Madrid.” quote by Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/marcos-alonso-9092_adversity_i-was-11-or-12-when-i-had-my-trial-with_1424404.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/marcos-alonso-9092_adversity_i-was-11-or-12-when-i-had-my-trial-with_1424404.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/marcos-alonso-9092_adversity_i-was-11-or-12-when-i-had-my-trial-with_1424404.jpg) > “I was 11 or 12 when I had my trial with Real Madrid.” [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He began training with Real Madrid at a very young age, showing early talent and dedication **In simple terms:** Started with Real Madrid as a pre‑teen Key Takeaway Start early and commit to elite training for success Themes sports development dedication career youth training Mood inspirational reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - Youth academies - Early scouting - Professional contracts - Skill drills Key Concepts TalentIdentification SkillDevelopment Mentorship Questions to Reflect On - What support systems help young athletes thrive? - How to balance education with early sports training? A Different Perspective Early starts don’t guarantee professional careers ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Madrid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madrid/) [Trial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trial/) ## Related quotes > [Big nerves are for when you are 15-year-old and you go for a make-or-break trial at Real Madrid. That's when you have the biggest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-vazquez/big-nerves-are-for-when-you-are-15-year-old-and-you-go-for-a-make-or/) [Lucas Vazquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-vazquez/) > [Real Madrid was my home for a long time and I've not forgotten it. I grew up there, I met a lot of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/real-madrid-was-my-home-for-a-long-time-and-i-ve-not-forgotten-it-i/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [I decided to join Bolton because I didn't get lots of minutes at Real Madrid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/i-decided-to-join-bolton-because-i-didn-t-get-lots-of-minutes-at-real/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [All my life I had played in a back-four, at Real Madrid Castilla and at Bolton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/all-my-life-i-had-played-in-a-back-four-at-real-madrid-castilla-and/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [I spent 17 years at Real Madrid and nobody can doubt that I'm a 'madridista.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul/i-spent-17-years-at-real-madrid-and-nobody-can-doubt-that-i-m-a/) [Raul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul/) > [I love Real Madrid and their fans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pepe/i-love-real-madrid-and-their-fans/) [Pepe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pepe/) > [The pressure at Real Madrid is independent of the outcome of other teams and is always the highest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-pellegrini/the-pressure-at-real-madrid-is-independent-of-the-outcome-of-other/) [Manuel Pellegrini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-pellegrini/) > [To be at Real Madrid, it means that you're a mature player, even if you're very young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcelo/to-be-at-real-madrid-it-means-that-you-re-a-mature-player-even-if-you/) [Marcelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcelo/) > [I know that I will always regret it later in life if I had turned down the chance to play at another great club…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckham/i-know-that-i-will-always-regret-it-later-in-life-if-i-had-turned/) [David Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckham/) > [In 2009, I accepted the proposal of Real Madrid, but I was completely destroyed there because I could not give what I had given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaka/in-2009-i-accepted-the-proposal-of-real-madrid-but-i-was-completely/) [Kaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaka/) > [Players when they're linked with Real Madrid, their eyes light up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nicol/players-when-they-re-linked-with-real-madrid-their-eyes-light-up/) [Steve Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nicol/) > [I got my big break in the semi-final as a young kid against Real Madrid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-hargreaves/i-got-my-big-break-in-the-semi-final-as-a-young-kid-against-real/) [Owen Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-hargreaves/) > [If Real Madrid land on Manchester airport, then the airport will be surely flooded just to see one player whom fans want most. Everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-neville/if-real-madrid-land-on-manchester-airport-then-the-airport-will-be/) [Gary Neville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-neville/) > [ The fact that an Englishman has an Argentinian as an idol is very rare. I keep watching my \[title-winning\] goal against QPR and every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-aguero/the-fact-that-an-englishman-has-an-argentinian-as-an-idol-is-very/) [Sergio Aguero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-aguero/) > [Real Madrid are Real Madrid, and any player would want to be at Real Madrid. Why would I want to leave Real Madrid? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvaro-morata/real-madrid-are-real-madrid-and-any-player-would-want-to-be-at-real/) [Alvaro Morata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvaro-morata/) ## More by Marcos Alonso > [When you are a kid, you aren't mature and you want to get up and play every week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/when-you-are-a-kid-you-aren-t-mature-and-you-want-to-get-up-and-play/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [It's good to play in different ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/it-s-good-to-play-in-different-ways/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [My father is a massive Barcelona and Atletico fan because he used to play in those teams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/my-father-is-a-massive-barcelona-and-atletico-fan-because-he-used-to/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [Wembley is one of the top stadiums in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/wembley-is-one-of-the-top-stadiums-in-the-world/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [People were used to see me in a 3-5-2 because in Fiorentina that was also where I played. But the hard thing was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/people-were-used-to-see-me-in-a-3-5-2-because-in-fiorentina-that-was/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [Wherever the team needs me to help I will try to do my best, and it's good to be able to play in more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/wherever-the-team-needs-me-to-help-i-will-try-to-do-my-best-and-it-s/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [Every season with Chelsea, we have to fight for every competition and every game and we will go for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/every-season-with-chelsea-we-have-to-fight-for-every-competition-and/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [Football is a sport that changes very quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/football-is-a-sport-that-changes-very-quickly/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [I had some other offers from other teams from Italy and Spain but when Chelsea came to get me, I did not think twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/i-had-some-other-offers-from-other-teams-from-italy-and-spain-but/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [Football is like this. The better the team you play for, the more fans follow you and there are millions of coaches and managers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/football-is-like-this-the-better-the-team-you-play-for-the-more-fans/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [It's like after uni when you go to do a master's. Italy is like that for defenders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/it-s-like-after-uni-when-you-go-to-do-a-master-s-italy-is-like-that/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [All you can do is keep working hard, keep training and try to be ready for when the chance comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/all-you-can-do-is-keep-working-hard-keep-training-and-try-to-be-ready/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [To win games sometimes I need to get more in attack, and sometimes I need to defend more, but the main thing is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/to-win-games-sometimes-i-need-to-get-more-in-attack-and-sometimes-i/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [I learnt a lot at Bolton. At Sunderland I had six months. When I arrived they were bottom of the table and we got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/i-learnt-a-lot-at-bolton-at-sunderland-i-had-six-months-when-i/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) > [It's important to start games well and then we could keep control of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/it-s-important-to-start-games-well-and-then-we-could-keep-control-of/) [Marcos Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) [Explore all 75 Marcos Alonso quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) James Buckham Kennedy > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) S.E. SEVER > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was 11 or 12 when I had my trial with Real Madrid.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcos Alonso" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/i-was-11-or-12-when-i-had-my-trial-with-real-madrid/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adversity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/i-was-11-or-12-when-i-had-my-trial-with-real-madrid/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/marcos-alonso-9092_adversity_i-was-11-or-12-when-i-had-my-trial-with_1424404.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/marcos-alonso-9092_adversity_i-was-11-or-12-when-i-had-my-trial-with_1424404.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/480/marcos-alonso-9092_adversity_i-was-11-or-12-when-i-had-my-trial-with_1424404.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was 11 or 12 when I had my trial with Real Madrid.” — Marcos Alonso", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Marcos Alonso", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcos-alonso/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was 11 or 12 when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/i-was-11-or-12-when-i-had-my-trial-with-real-madrid/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcos-alonso/i-was-11-or-12-when-i-had-my-trial-with-real-madrid/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```