Álvaro Carreras

Álvaro Carreras is a Spanish left-back who can contribute at different stages of an attack. At Benfica, he described attacking along the flanks and connecting with the forwards. Bruno Lage later described using him in a three-player build-up line, giving him responsibility for helping the team move the ball out from the back.

He can also use short combinations inside the penalty area. Against Rayo Vallecano in September 2026, he exchanged passes with Kylian Mbappé before scoring. The mechanism is simple: releasing the ball and continuing forward lets him attack space while a teammate supplies the return pass.

Carreras developed in the youth systems of Racing de Ferrol and Deportivo La Coruña before joining Real Madrid's academy in 2017. After three years there, he moved to Manchester United in 2020. His progress was recognised with United's Denzil Haroun Reserve-Team Player of the Year award for 2021/22.

Loans then gave him a route into senior football: Preston North End in the Championship in 2022/23, followed by Granada in 2023. With Granada he made his LaLiga debut. September 2023 also brought his first Spain under-21 appearance, as a starter in a 6–0 European qualifying win over Malta.

Benfica signed him on loan from United in January 2024 and exercised its purchase option that May. He started the January 2025 Portuguese League Cup final against Sporting, which Benfica won on penalties. The Lisbon spell therefore brought a permanent move and a domestic cup success alongside his development as a full-back.

His return to Real Madrid in July 2025 brought that development back to the academy club he had left five years earlier. This time he arrived for the first team, making his official debut as a starter in the 1–0 league win over Osasuna on 19 August 2025.

Latest stats & form

Álvaro Carreras currently plays for Real Madrid as a left-back.

Statistics cover recorded official matches.