Raúl Asencio (footballer, born 2003)

Born in Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, Asencio began his youth career at local team Veteranos del Pilar, before joining UD Las Palmas. At the age of thirteen, he joined the youth academy of La Liga club Real Madrid.^[3][4]

After a short spell at RSC Internacional, Asencio returned to Real Madrid, and played for their reserves team. There, he was regarded as one of the most important players in the team.^[5]

In the 2024–25 season, as Real Madrid were short of center-backs following the injury of David Alaba and Éder Militão, Asencio was brought up to the first team.^[6] On 9 November 2024, he made his La Liga debut for Real Madrid, coming on as a substitute in a 4–0 victory against Osasuna.^[7] Two weeks later, on 24 November 2024, Asencio made his La Liga debut as a starter for Real Madrid, in a 3–0 victory against Leganés.^[8] On 4 January 2026, he netted his first goal for the club in a 5–1 win over Real Betis.^[9]

In March 2025, Asencio received his first call up to the Spain national team for the UEFA Nations League quarter-final matches against the Netherlands.^[10]

Asencio mainly operates as a center-back and has been described as "decisive with the ball and with great physical conditioning".^[11]

In September 2023, Asencio and three other Real Madrid Castilla and Real Madrid C players – Ferran Ruiz, Juan Rodríguez and Andrés Garcia – were arrested over allegations that two of the players had filmed and distributed a video of a sexual encounter involving an adult woman and a minor who had not consented to the recording.^[12] Asencio was alleged to have accessed the video and to have distributed it to another person. In January 2025, Spanish sports website Relevo reported that Asencio was no longer under investigation in the case.^[13] However, in February 2025, an appeal by Asencio's lawyers to end the investigation was rejected by a court in Gran Canaria, and Asencio remains indicted on child pornography charges.^[14][15][16]

In May 2025, the investigating court of San Bartolomé de Tirajana confirmed that criminal proceedings would advance against Raul Asencio and three of his former Real Madrid reserve teammates (Ferran Ruiz, Juan Rodriguez, and Andrés Garcia), paving the way for a trial. They are accused of recording and subsequently distributing, in June 2023, sexually explicit videos of a 16-year-old minor without her consent. The alleged incident occurred in a nightclub in the Canary Islands.^[17][18] The formal charges include "disclosure of secrets without consent and violation of privacy," "distribution and transmission to third parties of videos without warning or consent of the injured parties," and "use of minors for pornographic purposes and possession of child pornography material."^[19][20]

As of match played 23 May 2026^[21]

Real Madrid

• FIFA Intercontinental Cup: 2024^[22]