Real Madrid are inarguably the most successful football club on the planet. In the past 10 years alone, they have managed to win more Champions League titles (five) than most other teams can boast of in their entire history.
Former players such as Cristiano Ronaldo (now at Al-Nassr), Karim Benzema (now at Al-Ittihad), Gareth Bale (retired), Sergio Ramos (now at Sevilla), Casemiro (now at Manchester United), Marcelo (now at Fluminense) and current Real Madrid players such as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric were at the forefront of the club’s incredible achievements where they dominated Europe and won multiple La Liga titles.
However, players such as Dani Carvajal – who is a five-time Champions League winner and the starting right-back in all five finals – and Lucas Vazquez – who will certainly go down as one of Los Blancos’ greatest squad players ever – also had big contributions to the cause.
Recently, though, fans on Twitter have been surprised at the age difference between the two Spaniards.
I just found out Lucas Vazquez is older than Carvajal and my life is not the same anymore 💀 pic.twitter.com/WCSbCwEbKP
On the eye test, Vazquez looks much younger than Carvajal
Carvajal, who was born on January 11, 1992, is younger than Vazquez, who was born six months before the former, on July 1, 1991.
It is understandable why fans are surprised at the fact that Carvajal (31 years old) is younger than Vazquez (32 years old), given that the former looks at least a couple years older than the latter, while also considering the fact that Carvajal has played two more seasons for the Real Madrid first team than Vazquez.
Carvajal, who sports a thick beard, looks much older than the baby-faced Vazquez, who has not once donned a beard, always preferring a clean shave.
Carvajal joined Real Madrid’s academy in 2002, at the age of 10, while Vazquez joined the academy at the age of 16 in 2007.
The duo were a part of Real Madrid Castilla, the reserve team, in the 2011-12 season, where Carvajal served as the captain. During that season, Castilla achieved promotion to the Segunda Division (second-tier of Spain) after a five-year absence.
While Vazquez continued to play for the reserve side, Carvajal’s performances caught the eye of Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, who roped him for €5 million ahead of the 2012-13 season.
Real Madrid were wise to include a buy-back clause, and they exercised the option to repurchase Carvajal for €6.5 million after he impressed in Germany. Carvajal became a first-choice right-back for Carlo Ancelotti, who had just been brought in following Jose Mourinho’s departure after the conclusion of the 2012-13 season.
In his debut season with the first team, Carvajal won the UEFA Champions League and was a revelation at just 21 years of age.
Meanwhile, Vazquez played his first-ever season in the top-flight in the 2014-15 season, when he was loaned out to Espanyol. He was one of the best players of the Catalonian outfit, earning him a place in the Real Madrid first team for the 2015-16 season.
The duo have been great servants of the club and will hope to help Real Madrid win more silverware before they call curtains on their illustrious careers at the Santiago Bernabeu.
