Real Madrid And Barcelona See Investing In Brazilians As The Strategy For Glory

European and La Liga champion Real Madrid’s sustained success, and rival Barcelona’s desperation to enjoy it again, largely rests on one country. Both already have Brazilian talents in their squads, and their continued intent on dipping into the South American market shows they believe this is the secret to winning trophies and becoming a better brand and financial operation overall.

Some of the latest hotshots to be linked are Flamengo midfielder João Gomes, reportedly being watched by Real among others, and Endrick—the 16-year-old striker on Palmeiras’ books, whom Barcelona has high hopes of signing. Matheus Nascimento, a forward at Botafogo, has also been on Real’s radar. Meanwhile, both clubs have been keeping tabs on Athletico Paranaense goalscorer Vitor Roque for when the transfer window next opens.

Los Blancos have been at the forefront of attracting the best talent from the nation, departing with roughly €90 million ($87 million) on Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, with both already coming of age in Madrid. It also spent big on Eder Militão, who has improved since he arrived from Porto and is on track to feature at the World Cup (Spanish). Also on the books is Reinier Jesus, without first-team experience but a loan asset to fellow La Liga side Girona. Barcelona’s eye on the next Brazilian stars, plus its decision to swoop for winger Raphinha, says it’s opting for a similar tactic.

While most mentioned players don’t come cheap, they make sense for both clubs and on different levels. In Vinícius and Rodrygo’s case, they are piling significant returns on their initial investment and have a long way to go. Indeed, it’s scary to think how much Real could theoretically recoup for them in three or four years. For the Blaugrana, the idea is to spend a way out of economic trouble by cultivating a winning brand at any cost. Literally. Raphinha is a crucial cog in that machine, with it needing to win the top honors again.

So how do both compare to some other big European names? Unlike in La Liga, where both Clásico teams seem the ones to beat, this year’s Bundesliga and Serie A appear close contests. Bayern Munich, a usual banker for the title, is currently flailing after gambling on expensive Dutch pair Mathijs de Ligt and Ryan Gravenberch. Regarding Italy, there seems to be no continued winning structure at reigning champion AC Milan, with Napoli and Atalanta the fast starters. In England, Manchester City has entrusted former Borussia Dortmund trio Erling Haaland, Manuel Akanji and Sergio Gómez to take the side forward. Paris Saint-Germain’s dominance in France goes on.

Real and Barcelona have a rich tradition with Brazilians, and both are scanning the market in search of exciting young players. The man behind Madrid’s operations is scout Juni Calafat, who also helped bring Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde to the Santiago Bernabéu. The result has been a much stronger Spanish team and an equally powerful impact on the Brazilian domestic game.

There has always been a steady conveyor belt of players from the five-time World Cup winner, and European soccer provides too good an opportunity for them to turn down. Eastern Europe, namely Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, have attracted many—with stars knowing a voyage to a colder, lesser European league is still enough to firmly put them on the elite map, which Brazil cannot offer. Their desire to move means sides have limited bargaining power, as the likes of Santos, Flamengo and Palmeiras struggle to stop them.

The money remains welcome for Brazilian clubs, but—particularly given the top exports produced—it is hard to attract eyeballs on the league from afar when players leave. During the summer, Botafogo supposedly attempted to mitigate this by offering Nascimento good money and the chance to play in Europe in annual spells, amid interest from Real and Atlético Madrid. It held onto him, but the eventual outcome appears clear.

When the most appealing Spanish sides call, it’s hard to stop them. Real seems to have mastered the art of choosing and nurturing the best prospects across the Atlantic. With that set to persist, its sustained interest will have sporting and financial ramifications on European and South American soccer, benefitting La Liga and keeping the players’ native division in a state of flux.