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Marco Asensio Willemsen (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmaɾko aˈsensjo]; born 21 January 1996) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a winger and attacking midfielder for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Spain national team.
After starting out at Mallorca, he signed with Real Madrid in November 2014, being consecutively loaned to his former club as well as Espanyol. Upon his return, he has gone on to win several honours, including two Champions League and two La Liga trophies.
Asensio made his senior debut for Spain in 2016. He represented the nation at the 2018 World Cup.
Early life
Born in Palma, Majorca, Balearic Islands to a Dutch mother and a Spanish father, Asensio joined RCD Mallorca in 2006 from CF Platges de Calvià. His mother, Maria Willemsen, died of cancer when he was 15.
Asensio struggled with growth deficiencies in his knees during his youth, which only subsided when he was a teenager.
2019–present: Injury and redemption
On 24 July 2019, during a preseason match against Arsenal, he tore his ACL. On 19 June 2020, in a 3–0 win over Valencia, he came on for Federico Valverde in 74th minute, scored the second goal with his first touch, and provided the assist to Karim Benzema for the third goal. He returned for the final stretch of the season, scoring three goals in nine games, as Real Madrid won the 2019–20 La Liga.
On 22 September 2021, he scored his first senior hat-trick against former club Mallorca, which ended in a 6–1 victory.
International career
Asensio during a 2017 European Under-21 Championship match against Portugal.
Being of both Dutch and Spanish descent, he chose to represent Spain although he received invitation from the Royal Dutch Football Association. After being a regular for Spain at youth level, Asensio made his debut for the under-21 team on 26 March 2015, coming on as a late substitute for goalscorer Gerard Deulofeu in a 2–0 friendly win over Norway in Cartagena. In July, he was part of the victorious under-19 side at the UEFA European Championship in Greece, where he scored both goals in a semi-final victory over France in Katerini, in the 88th minute and in added time.
On 17 May 2016, Asensio and Espanyol teammate Pau López were called up to the full side for a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He made his debut on the 29th, starting in the 3–1 win in Switzerland.
Selected in the squad for the 2017 European Under-21 Championship by manager Albert Celades, Asensio scored a hat-trick in his debut in the competition, helping to a 5–0 group stage routing of Macedonia. He reached with his teammates the final of the tournament, losing 1–0 against Germany.
Back with the seniors, he was included in Julen Lopetegui's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, making his debut in the competition on 20 June by replacing Real Madrid teammate Lucas Vázquez for the final ten minutes of the 1–0 group stage win against Iran.
Asensio scored his first goal for Spain on 11 September 2018, playing the entire 6–0 home rout of Croatia for the UEFA Nations League and also being directly involved in the play that led to Lovre Kalinić's own goal.
In July 2021, he was included in the 22-player squad of the under-23 team for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Personal life
Asensio's father, Gilberto (a Basque who spent his childhood in Essen, Germany), was also a footballer. Also an attacking midfielder, he represented Barakaldo CF as a youth; Marco's elder brother Igor played for Platges de Calvià, as a defender.
sio's goal celebration in the 2017 Champions League final was dedicated to his family: "I told them that if I scored then I'd run to where they were.
