🦲 Henry gets his hair back: have Kroos and Modric found their heir? | OneFootball

One of many unwritten football laws goes like this: If an 18-year-old performs in a Champions League round of 16 match against Manchester City as if he’s been playing at this level for ten years, it won’t be long before all of Europe goes crazy.

Real Madrid’s discovery Thiago Pitarch did exactly that, astonishing not only countless fans but also a prominent TV pundit. 

We’re talking about Thierry Henry. After Pitarch’s strong performance in the first leg (3:0), the Frenchman could hardly contain himself. “What a game that boy had!” he exclaimed. “He just ran for everyone.” 

Then came a comment that quickly went viral online: “I don’t know what they put in that shirt. If I put it on, maybe it’ll help me get my hair back.” It doesn’t get much more complimentary than that. 

But what makes this teenager so special?

A Product of the Archrival

Pitarch only made his professional debut against Benfica in February. In the playoff duel, he was given a brief appearance. Just a few weeks later, he suddenly found himself in the starting lineup for two consecutive matches against Man City, performing as if it were the most natural thing in the world. This made him the youngest player in Real’s history to start twice in a Champions League knockout phase.

His path there was classically Spanish. He was trained, of all places, at city rivals Atlético. This was followed by stints at Getafe and Leganés, before he landed at Real’s talent factory La Fabrica in 2023. From then on, things took their course. During an internal test match between the U18 and U19 teams, he caught the eye of then U19 coach Álvaro Arbeloa, who has kept him on his radar ever since.

That’s why the Spanish media speak of “love at first sight.” After Pitarch had already been allowed to get a taste of first-team action under former coach Xabi Alonso, Arbeloa promoted him and more or less threw him straight into the deep end.

“The Beast” in Midfield

The coach affectionately calls his young protégé “the Beast.” And not without reason. Pitarch combines exactly the qualities required of a modern midfielder. He has great stamina, is dynamic, and possesses good technique, making him extremely resistant to pressing.

But there are many more things that set this rising star apart. “His greatest quality is his personality,” says Arbeloa. “He always wants the ball, and even under pressure, he doesn’t feel it.” He demonstrated this impressively against the Skyblues. Hunted by world-class players like his compatriot Rodri, Pitarch remained calm, held onto the ball, and always looked for the creative solution.

On top of that comes an impressive work rate. Henry summed it up perfectly: Pitarch runs “for everyone.” Combined with his ball security, this creates a profile that Real has sorely missed in recent times.

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The Big Vacuum in Real’s Midfield

This is where things get really interesting. Since the departures of Toni Kroos (retired in 2024) and Luka Modrić (moved to AC Milan in 2025), Madrid has had a central problem that can no longer be ignored.

Sure, Aurélien Tchouaméni has impressive physicality. And Jude Bellingham is incredibly dynamic, sometimes almost impossible to defend in the final third. But the strategic class, the game tempo, the control—all the things that Kroos and Modrić embodied for over a decade—are missing.

The consequences are obvious. Last season, Real went without a title for the first time in years. A similar scenario threatens this season. The famous, Real-typical winning mentality? That has gradually disappeared with players like Karim Benzema, Casemiro, Sergio Ramos, and of course Kroos and Modrić. Of the Champions League serial-winning generation, only 34-year-old Dani Carvajal remains, who missed much of this season with a cruciate ligament injury.

Pitarch as the Missing Piece?

Pitarch could fill this vacuum. Even at 17, he was said to have shown remarkable maturity and personality. Today, he brings those qualities to Europe’s biggest stage. 

“I had complete confidence that he would show exactly what he always shows,” Arbeloa recently explained. And when asked whether Pitarch is the present and future of Real, he simply replied: “Yes!”

At a club that primarily relies on ready-made superstars, that’s quite a remarkable statement. Of course, comparisons with Kroos and Modrić are coming early. Probably too early.

But Pitarch definitely brings a lot of what Real is currently missing. Will he really become the new conductor of the world’s biggest football club? That can’t be answered seriously just yet. At least a small indication will come in the “Derbi Madrileño” against Atlético on Sunday evening (9:00 p.m.). Fittingly, against the very club where Pitarch once took his first developmental steps.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

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