Jorge De Frutos: from village late starter at 16 to Spain cap | OneFootball

Jorge De Frutos only took up organised football at 16, yet the Rayo Vallecano winger, now 29, faces Strasbourg on Thursday in the Europa Conference League semi-final second leg at 21:00, the tie 1-0 from the first leg. According to L'Équipe, his unlikely ascent has already carried him into the Spain squad.

Raised in Navares de Enmedio, a village of 91 in Segovia province, his parents ran the only bar while farming and pig breeding seven days a week. An aunt in Madrid brought him his first pair of Predators after he finally secured his registration.

He spent free hours striking a ball by the church fronton, helped with the pigs, then served pinchos and played cards and dominoes with village elders.

After two seasons in local sides, a family friend ferried him to trials around Madrid, and Rayo Majadahonda signed him in the third tier. Living with his aunt, the 18-year-old’s raw pace needed moulding, so a coach added yoga and Erik Satie to teach tempo.

Three years later he joined Real Madrid’s reserve side alongside Vinicius, then reached the top flight in 2019-2020 with loans at Valladolid and Rayo, three seasons at Levante, and a return to Rayo in 2023.

He was called up on 2 September 2025, aged 28, as the club’s joint-top La Liga scorer with 10 goals, and debuted five days later in a 6-0 win over Türkiye in 2026 World Cup qualifying. He became the fifth Rayo player and only the second Segovian to represent Spain. Now on his first European tour with Rayo, he could yet be at the World Cup from 11 June to 19 July.

Source: L'Équipe