# Mario Rivas (footballer, born 2007)
**Mario Rivas Lagos** (born 2007 in Seville, Spain) is a Spanish footballer who plays as a center-back for [Real Madrid Castilla](https://www.edgepedia.org/real-madrid-castilla), the reserve team of Real Madrid, and for the Spain national under-19 team.[1](https://www.realmadrid.com/es-ES/futbol/cantera-masculina/castilla/mario-rivas-lagos) • [2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mario-rivas/profil/spieler/1176520) A product of the Real Madrid academy known as La Fábrica, he was part of the club's 2007-born generation that won the 2026 [UEFA Youth League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-youth-league) and drew first-team attention during preseason under coach [José Mourinho](https://www.edgepedia.org/jose-mourinho).[3](https://as.com/futbol/champions/lo-que-el-ojo-no-vio-de-la-youth-del-madrid-al-psg-le-ganamos-con-el-escudo-f202604-n/) • [4](https://as.com/futbol/primera/la-hora-de-mario-rivas-f202610-n/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Mario Rivas Lagos[1](https://www.realmadrid.com/es-ES/futbol/cantera-masculina/castilla/mario-rivas-lagos) |
| Born | Seville, Spain; 2007 (the RFEF lists 2007)[1](https://www.realmadrid.com/es-ES/futbol/cantera-masculina/castilla/mario-rivas-lagos) • [5](https://rfef.es/es/selecciones/jugadores/mario-rivas-sub-19) |
| Position | Centre-back (defender); 188 cm, 73 kg, right-footed, shirt number 33[6](https://www.laliga.com/en-EG/player/mario-rivas-1) |
| Club | Real Madrid Castilla, joined 1 November 2024, contract to 30 June 2027[2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mario-rivas/profil/spieler/1176520) |
| International | Spain U19, 7 caps and 1 goal[2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mario-rivas/profil/spieler/1176520) |
| Honors | UEFA Youth League 2026; sub-20 Intercontinental Cup 2026; European sub-19 title 2026[1](https://www.realmadrid.com/es-ES/futbol/cantera-masculina/castilla/mario-rivas-lagos) |
| Market value | €2.00 million (Transfermarkt, June 2026)[2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mario-rivas/profil/spieler/1176520) |
## Youth career
Rivas began at Betera from 2013 to 2016, moved to Getafe from 2016 to 2021, and then entered the Real Madrid youth system, progressing through the Cadete B (2021-2022), Cadete A (2022-2023), Juvenil C (2023-2024), and Juvenil A (2024-2025) sides before reaching Castilla.[1](https://www.realmadrid.com/es-ES/futbol/cantera-masculina/castilla/mario-rivas-lagos) His rise accelerated in the 2024-25 season: after minutes with Juvenil A and Juvenil C, he became an undisputed starter for Castilla under coach Raúl, who was drawn to his composure, his play out of defense, and his tactical intelligence.[7](https://as.com/futbol/primera/mario-rivas-un-coco-al-servicio-de-ancelotti-e-hijo-del-tecnico-del-atleti-c-n/) He was the only regular starter retained when coach [Álvaro Arbeloa](https://www.edgepedia.org/alvaro-arbeloa) rebuilt the Juvenil A eleven around the 2007 generation.[8](https://as.com/futbol/mas_futbol/revolucion-arbeloa-n/)
His father is Victoriano Rivas Álvaro, a football coach.[9](https://www.bdfutbol.com/es/j/j111271.html) AS described Rivas as the son of the coach of Atlético Madrid C, and quoted youth coach Álvaro Gómez-Rey praising his reading of the game from central defense.[7](https://as.com/futbol/primera/mario-rivas-un-coco-al-servicio-de-ancelotti-e-hijo-del-tecnico-del-atleti-c-n/)
## International career
Rivas is a Spain under-19 international, with 7 caps and 1 goal recorded by Transfermarkt.[2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mario-rivas/profil/spieler/1176520) Real Madrid's official site also lists him as a sub-20 international with Spain.[1](https://www.realmadrid.com/es-ES/futbol/cantera-masculina/castilla/mario-rivas-lagos)
## 2026 titles and first-team breakthrough
Rivas was part of the Real Madrid side that won the 2026 UEFA Youth League, beating Club Brugge on penalties in the final in Lausanne; AS credited the 2007 generation, including Rivas, as the core of the triumph.[3](https://as.com/futbol/champions/lo-que-el-ojo-no-vio-de-la-youth-del-madrid-al-psg-le-ganamos-con-el-escudo-f202604-n/) Real Madrid's official profile also credits him as champion of the 2026 sub-20 Intercontinental Cup and the 2026 European sub-19 championship.[1](https://www.realmadrid.com/es-ES/futbol/cantera-masculina/castilla/mario-rivas-lagos)
**Preseason under Mourinho.** In the summer of 2026, with the first squad short of fit center-backs, Mourinho used academy players extensively and singled out Rivas and Joan Martínez, calling them "two kids with a fantastic future, with tremendous class" and saying "the door is open for them".[4](https://as.com/futbol/primera/la-hora-de-mario-rivas-f202610-n/) On 8 August 2026, Rivas started and scored his first goal for Real Madrid, the opening goal before halftime in a win over Ferencváros in Budapest; he told Realmadrid TV he "couldn't believe it" when he scored.[10](https://www.realmadrid.com/en-US/news/football/first-team/latest-news/mario-rivas-08-08-2026)
Through the start of the 2026-27 season he remained with Castilla in the [Primera Federación](https://www.edgepedia.org/primera-federacion) while appearing in first-team squads: AS reported he was named in five matchday squads that season, against Espanyol, Real Sociedad, Málaga, and Betis in [La Liga](https://www.edgepedia.org/la-liga) and Inter in the Champions League, without yet making his official first-team debut.[4](https://as.com/futbol/primera/la-hora-de-mario-rivas-f202610-n/) LALIGA's official statistics page showed no league appearances for him in the 2026-27 season.[6](https://www.laliga.com/en-EG/player/mario-rivas-1) In Castilla, AS counted 453 minutes for him early in the season, behind the recently arrived Naasei among the center-backs used by coach Luis López de Lerma.[11](https://as.com/futbol/primera-rfef/el-partido-mas-dificil-para-joan-martinez-jugo-en-ibiza-horas-despues-de-fallecer-su-abuela-f202610-n/)
## Playing style
Observers describe Rivas as a ball-playing center-back with strong tactical understanding. Gómez-Rey said he has "a privileged head" and understands the game well from the inside, and Raúl's Castilla teams valued his calmness and build-up play.[7](https://as.com/futbol/primera/mario-rivas-un-coco-al-servicio-de-ancelotti-e-hijo-del-tecnico-del-atleti-c-n/) At 188 cm he plays as a central defender and is right-footed.[6](https://www.laliga.com/en-EG/player/mario-rivas-1)
## References
1. [Mario Rivas, Web Oficial, Real Madrid C.F.](https://www.realmadrid.com/es-ES/futbol/cantera-masculina/castilla/mario-rivas-lagos)
2. [Mario Rivas, Player profile, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mario-rivas/profil/spieler/1176520)
3. [Lo que el ojo no vio de la Youth del Madrid, AS.com](https://as.com/futbol/champions/lo-que-el-ojo-no-vio-de-la-youth-del-madrid-al-psg-le-ganamos-con-el-escudo-f202604-n/)
4. [La hora de Mario Rivas en el Madrid, AS.com](https://as.com/futbol/primera/la-hora-de-mario-rivas-f202610-n/)
5. [Mario Rivas (sub-19), RFEF](https://rfef.es/es/selecciones/jugadores/mario-rivas-sub-19)
6. [Mario Rivas, LALIGA EA SPORTS player page](https://www.laliga.com/en-EG/player/mario-rivas-1)
7. [Mario Rivas, un "coco" al servicio de Ancelotti, AS.com](https://as.com/futbol/primera/mario-rivas-un-coco-al-servicio-de-ancelotti-e-hijo-del-tecnico-del-atleti-c-n/)
8. [Revolución Arbeloa, AS.com](https://as.com/futbol/mas_futbol/revolucion-arbeloa-n/)
9. [Rivas, Mario Rivas Lagos, BDFutbol](https://www.bdfutbol.com/es/j/j111271.html)
10. [Mario Rivas: "I feel happy for the goal and the victory", Real Madrid C.F.](https://www.realmadrid.com/en-US/news/football/first-team/latest-news/mario-rivas-08-08-2026)
11. [El partido más difícil para Joan Martínez, AS.com](https://as.com/futbol/primera-rfef/el-partido-mas-dificil-para-joan-martinez-jugo-en-ibiza-horas-despues-de-fallecer-su-abuela-f202610-n/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Spanish footballers born 1995 onward › Goalkeepers and defenders*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license