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Preferred Positions
Last 24 months · all competitions
CM
Central midfieldMain
3,646 min · 45 apps · 42 starts
CDM
Defensive midfield
2,420 min · 28 apps · 28 starts
Squad importance
Current squad importance over the club’s last 40 recorded competitive games in this spell, including previous seasons. Starts and minutes contribute 70%; performance contributes 30%. Absences reduce the score gradually, with less weight when a player is outside the matchday squad.Current role at Alaves · independent of the season filter
Important
Involvement85%
Performance43%
Through the match on 31 Oct 2026. Refreshed daily.
Profile
Career & playing style
A distinctive part of Antonio Blanco's midfield game begins before a tackle. He occupies space ahead of the defenders, anticipates loose balls and turns recoveries into passes. UEFA highlighted that sequence in Spain's opening match at the 2023 European Under-21 Championship: Blanco gathered the ball behind an advanced attack and helped Spain start again.
He joined Real Madrid's academy in 2013 and progressed through Castilla. Madrid's under-19s won the UEFA Youth League in 2020, while Blanco was part of Spain's European Under-17 title in 2017 and Under-19 title in 2019.
His senior Madrid debut came as a substitute at Getafe on 18 April 2021. Three days later he started against Cádiz. In June he made his senior Spain debut off the bench against Lithuania, another step beyond academy football.
A loan took him to Alavés during its 2022/23 promotion season. Alavés won the promotion playoff against Levante in June 2023. Spain had named Blanco in its Under-21 squad that month. Madrid and Alavés agreed a permanent transfer the following month.
At the 2023 Under-21 tournament, UEFA's observers identified Blanco as the player protecting space in front of Spain's defence while teammates pushed high. In the final against England, he won the ball from Emile Smith Rowe during Spain's press and the move ended with a shot. His positioning and pressing worked together to sustain attacks.
Blanco scored in Spain's semi-final win over Ukraine, then started the final, which England won. He was named in UEFA's Team of the Tournament. UEFA's tactical examples show his contribution earlier in moves, when a recovery gave teammates another chance to attack.
For Alavés, a different moment came on 30 January 2026. Following a free kick at Espanyol, Blanco struck a low left-footed shot from outside the area to level the match, which Alavés won. That goal contrasts with the less visible midfield work UEFA documented in 2023: positioning, regains and decisions after possession changes.
Latest stats & form
Antonio Blanco currently plays for Alaves as a central midfielder.
Statistics cover recorded official matches.