The spectacular left-footed attacking scorer Marco Asensio always dreamed of playing for Real Madrid. Asensio’s dreams came true in a huge way, and when he was barely 18. Now 22, Asensio is aiming not just to represent Real Madrid, but all of Spain in the quest to bring home the 2018 FIFA World Cup (being played in Russia this summer). Marco is featured on the Fox Sports documentary series Phenoms as a player to watch — and also as a player who has had a terrific journey so far. Asensio is an emotional player who is close to his family. His father and his older brother were both excellent soccer players, both of whom played professionally in Spain.
Asensio says he scores all of his goals for his family — his brother, his father, and especially for his late mother, who lost her battle with cancer in 2011 when Marco was 15. But not before she instilled in Marco the same level of confidence she herself had in the young player. Asensio’s mother once confidently told the president of Real Madrid that her son would one day play for the club — at the time Marco was just 8 years old. Perhaps it was destiny: Marco’s mother was Dutch and his father Spanish and the Dutch-Spanish connection, especially in the person of the late Johan Cruyff (longtime leader of FC Barcelona), has given Spain some of its greatest soccer moments. Asensio will try to continue to add to the legacy.
Phenoms premieres Friday, May 25 at 8pm on FOX. The Phenoms episode “Attackers” will re-air Sunday, May 27 at 8:30pm on FS1. The Phenoms episode “Defenders” will re-air Sunday, May 27 at 9:30pm on FS1.
