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Marco Asensio by Anton Zaitsev –

Top 10 Little-Known Facts about Marco Asensio

The real (OG) golden boy, Marco Asensio Willemsen, is a professional soccer (football) player. He plays as a winger and sometimes attacking midfielder for Real Madrid (Los Blancos) and Spain’s national team.

Born in 1996, Asensio burst into the global football scene in the 2016/17 season at Real Madrid in spectacular fashion. He was tipped to be one of the best in the world and while he is yet to deliver, there is still more to come from the Spaniard who is yet to hit peak form.

Asensio can only be described as a serial winner during his stint at Real Madrid. For the past few seasons especially the 2021/22 season, injuries have hampered his development significantly. However, 2022/23 has seen the once ‘fallen’ giant begin to rise, managing to get a call-up to the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Below are some less-known facts about Real Madrid’s OG Golden Boy!

1. Born and Raised in Mallorca

Asensio was born on 21st January 1996 in Palma, Mallorca, Spain. He is the son of a Dutch mother, Maria Gertruida Margaretha Willemsem, and a Spanish father, Gilberto Asensio.

Marco was raised in his hometown of Mallorca, eventually joining local club RCD Mallorca in 2006 at age 10. He fell in love with the game at a young age and never looked back.

According to Real Madrid’s president Fiorentina Perez, he met Asensio as a kid and his mother said to him, “Mr. President, this is our boy, Marco, and one day he will play for Real Madrid.” How right she was! Sadly, Asensio lost his mother at age 15 to cancer.

2. He Had a Growth Deficiency

Asensio struggled with growth deficiencies in his knees during his youth, which only subsided when he was a teenager. Growth deficiencies are a rare occurrence but Asensio is not the first.

The so-called ‘GOAT’ Lionel Messi himself was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency (GHD) at age 11. He was able to fight it thanks to rigorous treatment using injections of human growth hormone.

Asensio on the other hand experienced a developmental dysfunction. It implied that each time he entered the field to play, the joints in his legs and lower legs would erupt angrily in excruciating pain. The issue did not require any treatment whatsoever and resolved itself in his teenage years.

3. Debuted For Mallorca In 2013

Marco Asensio made his debut for Mallorca’s first team in 2013 while still a junior. At this time, he was getting attention from both Real Madrid and Barcelona.

He became a regular for Mallorca and eventually became a starter under then-coach Valeri Karpin. He scored his first goal on March 16th, 2014 against CD Tenerife.

4. Joined Real Madrid in 2014 Then Loaned Out Twice

On 5th December 2014, Asensio’s move to Real Madrid was made official after an agreement by the clubs. Asensio signed a six-year deal and Mallorca received €3.9 million from Real. He remained with Mallorca, (albeit on loan) for the remainder of the 2014/15 season.

Marco spent the 2015/16 pre-season with Real Madrid. He was then loaned out to Espanyol before the league started. The loan was a success and Asensio ended the season with 4 goals and 15 assists.

5. His Move to Real Madrid Was influenced By Rafael Nadal

If you’ve interacted with tennis in any way then you’ve definitely heard the name Rafael Nadal. He is one of the greatest tennis players of all time and like Asensio, his home is Mallorca.

Nadal also happens to be a huge Madrid fan and he has a great relationship with the directors at Los Blancos. This relationship was crucial as Nadal connected the right people, guaranteeing Asensio’s move to Madrid. Talk about connections!

6. Debut Specialist

Marco Asensio celebrates a goal with teammate Vinicius Jr. by All-Pro Reels –

Only four things are certain in life; birth, death, change, and Asensio scoring on his debut. During his time at Espanyol, Asensiohad built a reputation as a good player. However, Real Madrid was not quite ready for what they got!

Asensio made his debut in Madrid’s UEFA Super Cup win scoring a 25-meter screamer against Sevilla. 12 days later he made his League debut at Real Madrid scoring yet again in Real’s 3-0 win over Real Sociedad.

Asensio was not done with great first impressions as of yet! He went on to score in several other debuts for Real Madrid in the Champions League, Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup.

7. Won 4 Trophies in His First Season at Madrid

Real Madrid celebrates their 13th UCL win by Anton Zaitsev –

Considering his record with debuts, it’s only consistent that his first season (debut season) was also a great success. Asensio won a total of 4 trophies in his first season so yes, the debut specialist claims do hold.

These trophies include the UEFA Super Cup which he won in his first start for the Madrid giants. What a way to begin life in a new club. Asensio also won the 2016/17 league title, Madrid’s first since 2012 as well as the Champions League and the Club World Cup.

8. Named After Marco Van Basten

Asensio is half Dutch, thanks to his mother who was from the Netherlands. The name Marco is not particularly common among Spaniards and the name is thanks to his Dutch roots and his mother.

His mother was a huge football fan and was particularly a fan of the AC Milan, Ajax, and Dutch footballing legend Marco van Basten. So much so that she named her son after the footballing legend.

9. He Has Persistent Injury Woes

Injured player by Ben Kerckx from

During his time at Real Madrid, Marco Asensio participated in several historical events. However, his potential and the high expectations fans have of him are both in jeopardy because of persistent injuries.

In the 2019/20 season, Asensio suffered a Cruciate Ligament Rupture injury that kept him out for 249 days missing out on 39 consecutive games. Upon his return, Asensio has very clearly only been a shadow of the player he once was.

He has also had other minor recurring injuries that have seen him miss 9 games in total and have not helped his development. These injuries have seen him linked with a move from Madrid. With his contract expiring in mid-2023, he will leave unless offered an extension.

10. Headed to Qatar 2022 World Cup

Asensio at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Match, Russia v Spain by Anton Zaitsev –

On 17th May 2016, Asensio got his first international call-up. He made his debut against Switzerland on29th May. He became a regular for the Spanish side and was part of Julen Lopetegui’s squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

In November 2022 he was named by Luis Enrique in his 26-man squad for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. While he may not start games at the tournament, there is no doubt that Asensio will make an impact and play a significant role in Spain’s progression in the competition.