Real Madrid’s famous surnames are beginning to appear in a different part of Valdebebas. The club’s women’s academy currently includes several young players whose fathers made their names in professional football, from Luka Modrić and Raúl González to Roberto Carlos, Javier Casquero and Matías Delgado.
But the interesting part is not simply the surnames on the team sheet. Each daughter has taken a different route through youth football, and some are already making significant progress in their own right.
Ema Modrić: Following Luka’s Footsteps, But Starting Her Own Journey
Credit – Real Madrid.com
The newest addition to the group is Ema Modrić, daughter of six-time European champion Luka Modrić. Ema was born in 2013 and plays as a midfielder — the same position in which her father spent much of his legendary Real Madrid career.
Luka made 597 appearances for Madrid between 2012 and 2025, winning 28 trophies, including six European Cups and the 2018 Ballon d’Or. Ema’s own route to Valdebebas has been more complicated.
Because Real Madrid’s women’s academy historically began at Cadete level, she initially developed at Madrid CFF, where she played from 2019 to 2025. When the Modrić family moved to Italy following Luka’s move to AC Milan, Ema joined Milan’s youth setup for the 2025–26 season. Her year in Italy already produced a piece of silverware.
Ema helped AC Milan’s youth side win the Garino Cup in 2026 and scored in the quarter-final victory over Sassuolo. She has now returned to Madrid and joined Real Madrid’s Cadete side for the 2026–27 season.
So, while the surname is instantly recognisable, Ema is arriving at La Fábrica with a footballing journey of her own already underway.
María González: Raúl’s Daughter Is Already A Proven Goalscorer
If Ema is the newest arrival, María González Redondo is further along the pathway. The daughter of Real Madrid icon Raúl González, María joined the club’s academy in 2022 after developing at Olympia Las Rozas. She progressed from Cadete to Juvenil and is now listed by Real Madrid as a midfielder with the Juvenil side. Her father needs little introduction to Madrid supporters.
Raúl made 741 appearances and scored 323 goals for Real Madrid, becoming the club’s record appearance-maker and one of its defining forwards. He won three Champions League titles and represented Spain 102 times.
María is building a rather different profile. Goals have become a major part of hers. She scored 47 times during the 2025–26 season, including the opening goal in Real Madrid’s Juvenil defeat to Atlético Madrid in the decisive league fixture at Valdebebas. She also scored in Real Madrid’s 2–1 victory over Manchester City at the 2026 Shanghai Future Star Tournament.
At this stage, María is no longer simply “Raúl’s daughter in the academy.” Her goal numbers are beginning to give supporters a reason to follow her on their own terms.
Manuela da Silva: Roberto Carlos’ Daughter Took A Different Route
Then there is Manuela da Silva, daughter of one of the most recognisable full-backs in football history, Roberto Carlos.
Her father spent 11 seasons at Real Madrid, making 527 appearances, scoring 69 goals and winning three European Cups and four La Liga titles. He was also renowned for the explosive pace and left-footed shooting that made him one of the game’s defining attacking full-backs.
Real Madrid’s profile identifies Manuela as a defender and records her Cadete spell from 2024 to 2025, after two seasons with Madrid CFF.
She developed at Madrid CFF between 2022 and 2024 before moving into Real Madrid’s academy. The club’s player profile lists her as a defender, although earlier reporting described her as playing further forward on the right, showing that her development has involved a different tactical role from her father’s famous left-back position.
That makes her progression particularly interesting: Roberto Carlos built his reputation attacking from left-back, while his daughter is developing in a different role and within a rapidly expanding women’s academy.
Bibiana Casquero: From Local Football To Real Madrid B
Bibiana Casquero is another example of a player who has climbed the academy ladder rather than arriving directly at the top.
Her father, Javier Casquero, was a Spanish midfielder whose career included long spells with Sevilla and Getafe. At Getafe, he became a regular under Bernd Schuster and finished his spell with 231 appearances and 28 goals, with his long-range strikes earning him the nickname “Casquerazos.”
Bibiana began playing at Ciudad del Fútbol Las Rozas, where she spent four years before moving to CFF Olympia Las Rozas in 2020. A year later, she entered Real Madrid’s academy.
The progression has been steady: Juvenil from 2021 to 2024, followed by Real Madrid B from 2024 onwards. She has also represented Spain at Under-19 level. That last step matters. Real Madrid B is the bridge between youth football and the senior women’s setup, meaning Bibiana is now considerably closer to the professional environment than she was when she first arrived at Valdebebas as a teenager.
Dolores Delgado: From Atlético’s Academy To Real Madrid B
The fifth name is perhaps one of the most interesting because her development has taken place largely away from the Real Madrid system. Dolores “Dolo” Delgado Rossi, daughter of former Argentine midfielder Matías Delgado, was born in Istanbul in 2008 and developed in Atlético Madrid’s academy before crossing the city to join Real Madrid. The club’s current profile lists her as a forward for Real Madrid B, after spending the 2025–26 season with the Juvenil side.
Her father played professionally in Argentina and Europe, becoming particularly associated with Basel, before also playing for Beşiktaş.
Dolo has already made a serious impression in front of goal. In March 2026, she scored four goals in Real Madrid’s 13–1 victory over CD Móstoles and was reported to be leading the Juvenil scoring charts with 47 goals in 19 league matches.
She also has an international pathway of her own. Despite growing up in Spain and holding an Italian passport, Dolo represents Argentina, having been involved with the country’s youth setup since 2023.
That makes her story different from the others: her club development has been Spanish, her footballing family background is Argentine, and her international future is tied to Argentina.
Fans Notice a Growing Trend
Ema Modrić’s move also sparked discussion about the growing number of daughters of former football stars entering the women’s game. One fan highlighted the trend, pointing to the daughters of players such as Del Piero, Raúl and Roberto Carlos as examples.
A New Generation at La Fábrica
The five players are currently at different stages: Ema is with Cadete, María with Juvenil, while Bibiana and Dolo have reached Real Madrid B. Manuela’s public Real Madrid profile records her Cadete spell in 2024–25.
The presence of these five players adds an interesting layer to Real Madrid’s growing women’s academy. Their fathers may have already written their names into football history, but their daughters are following separate paths through Madrid’s youth structure.
From Ema Modrić in Cadete to Bibiana Casquero and Dolo Delgado with Real Madrid B, their journeys show different stages of development rather than one guaranteed route to senior football. For now, the famous surnames may attract the headlines. Their performances and progression through the academy will determine what comes next.
