Dani Carvajal is set to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season, bringing an end to a remarkable association with the club that has spanned 23 years across two spells.
The 34-year-old right-back, who has made 450 appearances and scored 14 goals for Los Blancos, will depart when his contract expires at the end of June.
A Madrid native and one of the club’s most decorated players, Carvajal leaves with an extraordinary haul of 27 trophies.
He first joined Real Madrid’s academy in 2002 before making his senior debut in 2013 after a season with Bayer 04 Leverkusen, which led the Spanish giants to activate a buy-back clause to bring him back to the Santiago Bernabéu.
During his time at the club, Carvajal won the UEFA Champions League six times, becoming one of only five players in history to achieve the feat and the only player to start in all six victorious finals.
He also captured four La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies, six FIFA Club World Cups, five UEFA Super Cups, and four Spanish Super Cups with Real Madrid.
On the international stage, Carvajal has been a regular for the Spain national football team since 2014, earning 51 caps while helping Spain win the UEFA Nations League in 2023 and the UEFA European Championship in 2024.
The veteran defender was named in the FIFPRO World XI in 2024, won The Best FIFA Men’s World XI award the same year, and was voted Player of the Match in the 2024 Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund after scoring the opening goal.
However, injuries have hampered him in recent seasons, including a cruciate ligament tear in October 2024 followed by another serious knee injury a year later.
Combined with the arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold last summer, Carvajal’s playing time has been significantly reduced, with the defender managing only 892 La Liga minutes this season.
Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez paid tribute to the defender, describing him as “a legend and a symbol of Real Madrid and its academy,” while adding that he has always embodied the club’s values.
Madrid, who are set to end the campaign without a trophy for the second consecutive season, will honour Carvajal during their final La Liga match against Athletic Club at the Santiago Bernabéu on May 23.
