Andres: A Rising Star in Stuttgart’s Midfield

Andres’ journey has taken him from the youth fields of Madrid to the heart of Stuttgart’s midfield. However, one of his most significant memories dates back to 2018 when he joined the Madrid academy at the tender age of 13 and met Xabi Alonso, who profoundly influenced his footballing path.

Chema vividly remembers that season. Alonso was just beginning his coaching career at Madrid’s youth academy, transitioning from an iconic midfielder to a manager. In the very first match of his managerial tenure, the inaugural goal scored under Alonso’s guidance came from a young Andres.

“He was my first coach at Real Madrid. We arrived together in the Under-14 A team, and I scored the first goal in the first match on a rebound; it’s quite a funny story,” he shared in an interview with AS.

Yet, it was not the goal that left the deepest impression; it was the training.

“After training sessions, he would stay behind to practice passes with the goalkeepers or long balls that went straight to their feet; it was remarkable,” he recounted. “He had us practice with him, but, of course, his passes were incomparable to ours.”

Seven years later, Andres has evolved from a promising youth player to a Bundesliga starter. After making his senior debut for Madrid in early 2025, he transferred to Stuttgart this summer in pursuit of consistent top-flight minutes. Few anticipated his adaptation would be so smooth, including Andres himself.

When asked about his decision to join Stuttgart, the 20-year-old remarked: “It’s a club that invests significantly in young talent. They are not afraid to spotlight young players in high-stakes matches. They instilled confidence in me long ago and presented an intriguing project.”

In his initial months, he delivered impressive performances, quickly earning the trust of manager Sebastian Hoeness and the sporting director. His physicality, tactical awareness, and passing range made him an immediate asset.

However, the transition off the field proved to be more challenging. “I recently heard Alejandro Grimaldo describe learning German as impossible, and I completely agree. It’s the most difficult thing I’m tackling right now. Fortunately, I speak English well and can communicate easily. But I aim to continue learning and hope to manage basic conversations in German in the coming months,” Andres laughed.

“I’m very happy. Nobody anticipated that my adaptation would be this seamless, not even me. The past four months have been excellent, and I hope the next four will be just as successful.”

Despite moving abroad, Real Madrid remains an integral part of Chema’s journey. He clarifies that his transfer to Germany was not driven by frustration, though limited minutes during the Club World Cup did influence his decision.

“I don’t think it was the deciding factor, but it certainly tipped the scales. I had considered a move beforehand but waited until after the World Cup to avoid premature decisions,” Andres explained.

His development has been guided by mentors such as Raul and Alvaro Arbeloa at the Madrid academy, Lucas Vazquez and Thibaut Courtois during his time with the first team, and his grandfather, who attended nearly all of Chema’s matches growing up. “The poor man still hasn’t managed to visit me in Germany, but he will. He is a pivotal figure in my life; I wouldn’t be here without him,” he added.

This season, Andres has emerged as one of Stuttgart’s most promising talents. His combination of height, physicality, precise distribution, and game intelligence has significantly bolstered Stuttgart’s midfield. The 20-year-old has scored one goal and provided one assist in 12 matches across all competitions for the club.

His contract includes buy-back clauses for Madrid, indicating that the Spanish giants still hold faith in his potential. Stuttgart, on the other hand, views him as a vital long-term component in their midfield.

Looking ahead, Chema keeps his aspirations straightforward: to earn more minutes with Stuttgart, remain a regular in Spain’s Under-21s, and surpass his accomplishments from the previous year. When queried about the senior national team, he humorously dismissed the thought, saying: “Forget it, that’s not something I’m focused on right now.”