Real Madrid academy gem caught in international tug-of-war between Spain and Brazil

Real Madrid academy gem caught in international tug-of-war between Spain and Brazil

Bryan Bugarin is considered as one of the most talented young prospects coming through the ranks at the Real Madrid youth academy.

Just 17 years old, the attacking midfielder is held in high regard at the club, where he has a contract until 2028, and has been tipped for a bright future.

Spain, Brazil to battle for Bugarin

Now, according to AS, a new international tug-of-war could be on the horizon involving Bryan Bugarin as Spain and Brazil battle for his allegiance.

Indeed, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) is set to initiate contact with Bugarin soon, encouraged by his recent absence from Spain U17 national team squads.

That gap has opened the door for Brazil to step in and attempt to convince the youngster to switch allegiance – raising the possibility of a repeat of the Nico Paz case, where Argentina ultimately won the battle over Spain.

Bugarín was born in Vigo and developed in the academy of Celta Vigo, where he was seen as a future Iago Aspas. He later joined the Real Madrid youth setup in 2021 and has represented Spain at youth level, most recently in 2025 with the U17s.

At the same time, Bugarin has strong ties to Brazil. His mother, Gisele, is Brazilian, and he obtained dual nationality in March 2025.

While that move was made for family reasons rather than football, it naturally intensified Brazil’s interest. Now, with the current circumstances, the opportunity feels more real than ever.

What’s Real Madrid’s stance?

From Real Madrid’s perspective, the club prefer their academy players to represent Spain when possible, mainly for logistical reasons.

His next step at club level is promotion to Juvenil A, following the path of teammates such as Cherif Fofana, Enzo Alves, and Mateo Garrido, among others. It is a golden generation, with Bugarin as one of its standout attacking players.

Physical problems have limited his appearances: first a psoas issue, then a grade II ankle sprain. Because of this, he has been managed carefully with Juvenil B under Marcos Jiménez. Now, internally, they say he is “100% fit”.