Real Madrid is one of the most successful football clubs in the world, with a rich history of producing some of the greatest players of all time. Fans of the club and football enthusiasts around the world are always eager to learn more about the players who don the famous white kit and take the field at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. However, there is one player whose identity has remained a mystery to many: number 9 on Madrid’s roster.
For a long time, number 9 was worn by Karim Benzema, one of the most prolific strikers in the club’s history. However, in recent years, there has been confusion surrounding the identity of the player who currently wears the number 9 jersey for Real Madrid. While some fans have speculated that it might be a new signing or a young player from the club’s academy, others have suggested that it could be a deliberate move by Real Madrid to keep the player’s identity a secret.
So, who is number 9 on Madrid’s roster? After much speculation and debate, it has recently been revealed that the player in question is none other than Mariano Diaz Mejia.
Mariano Diaz is a 28-year-old Dominican striker who joined Real Madrid’s youth academy in 2011. He made his first-team debut in 2016, but after failing to secure regular playing time, he moved to French club Lyon in 2017. While at Lyon, Mariano enjoyed a successful spell, scoring 21 goals in his first season and earning a reputation as one of the most exciting young strikers in Europe.
In 2018, Real Madrid exercised their buy-back clause to bring Mariano back to the club, and he was given the number 7 jersey. However, after struggling to make an impact in his first season back at the Bernabeu, Mariano was eventually demoted to the reserves and was not included in the first team squad for much of the 2019-20 season.
Despite this, Mariano was handed the number 9 jersey ahead of the 2020-21 season, which led to much confusion among fans and pundits alike. However, it appears that Real Madrid’s decision to give Mariano the number 9 shirt was not a deliberate attempt to keep his identity a secret, but rather a show of faith in the player’s ability and potential.
While Mariano has yet to establish himself as a regular starter for Real Madrid, he has shown glimpses of his talent in recent appearances. He scored twice in a 3-1 win over Villarreal in July 2020, and he also netted a crucial goal in a 1-0 win over Barcelona in March 2021.
As the 2021-22 season gets underway, Mariano will be hoping to continue his progress and cement his place in the Real Madrid first team. While he may not yet be a household name, there is no doubt that he has the potential to become a key player for one of the biggest clubs in the world. And now that the mystery surrounding number 9 on Madrid’s roster has been solved, fans can focus on supporting Mariano and the rest of the Real Madrid team as they look to add to their impressive trophy haul.
