The Stage is SET | June 18th, 2026

The Daily Merengue is a place where you can feel free to d all things football. Do not be alarmed by the overt RMCF bias. It’s in the name! Shoutout to the mods who do a fantastic job, Ezek, Valyrian Steel, Felipejack, Juninho, NeRObutBlanco and yours truly, Kung_Fu_Zizou

Lion-Hearted: Jude Bellingham kick-off his World Cup campaign with a trademarked run and finish. A quite extraordinary and adaptable player who scarcely gives in to circumstance. Jude is a player who insists. There are many talented players. Players who thrive in certain systems, players who look great when they have the right players around them or thrive when they follow the coach’s instructions to the letter. And there are players like Jude Bellingham who insist, who persist and who conquer.

England won an enthralling 4-2 encounter against the much-vaunted Indefatigables of Croatia, who were lead by the legendary Luka Modric. England are as in recent tournaments one of the favourites, and having fallen at the final hurdle at EURO 24, will be looking ravenously at staking a claim on immortality on the world’s biggest stage. It is no longer a question of talent, profiles and ability. It is now a question of conquest. The big lion has let out a roar. It’s game-on!

Real Madrid are looking to be swift in the transfer market this summer. The club have already secured 4 additions to the squad before dawn.

Ayyoub Bouaddi is the type of player Real Madrid would be looking to sign over the past 4 seasons. Young, talented and with a high ceiling. Still affordable. However, the pressure of the last two barren seasons would make such a signing an apparent luxury.

Juni Calafat has played a large role in rebuilding the squad and while the focus leaned heavily on young talent he has generally delivered quality players to the club. This time around Mourinho’s veto powers will be another check placed on the legendary scout’s proposals. Mourinho already knows how to leverage his powers at a big club with egotistical characters like Florentino and Abramovic. He will make it a point to show that nobody goes above his head to interfere with his vision for the squad.

Real Madrid have had to rebuild their midfield again. This is arguably the longest part of the rebuilding process. From 2009, the process would culminate with the famous KCM in 2015. The current process began in 2022 with the departure of Casemiro. Needless to say, 2 years from now, the midfield could be very different, so different as to resemble the change from the midfield that won La Decima to the midfield that won the threepeat.

Mourinho seems to have his eyes set on Enzo Fernandez as the player to complete his midfield puzzle. I would not be quick to question Mourinho’s player choices given how consistently successful he has been.

Victor Muñoz has completed a move to Liverpool. The Castilla graduate has joined one of the biggest clubs in world football only 1 season after leaving home. I hope he goes on to prove his worth and take his game to the next level. It is always wonderful to see Castilla graduates thriving, even if away from home. Maybe he will return one day.

Real Madrid’s allure and the penchant for big name signings often leaves academy prospects seemingly underwhelming. Nico Paz, Gonzalo Garcia, Thiago Pitarch(Should have probably chose to play for Morocco), and Victor Muñoz are just some of the latest prospects to highlight the quality coming out of La Fabrica. These are players much like Hakimi who could go on to light up the stage at the other clubs while getting very little love at home.

José Mourinho has been given a significant say in talent acquisition this summer. While this has its benefits, it also creates a risk. Should the club be investing long-term in only Mourinho-type players or finding a balance instead?

The Stage is SET | June