MADRID, Spain – Real Madrid C.F. have officially announced that club captain and legendary right-back Dani Carvajal will leave the club at the conclusion of the 2025–26 season, bringing an end to an extraordinary 23-year association with the Spanish giants.
Okay News reports that the historic announcement, made on Monday, May 18, 2026, details a mutual agreement between the 34-year-old defender and the club board not to extend his contract past June. The news comes amid a monumental week of transitions at the Santiago Bernabéu, unfolding on the exact same day the club reportedly finalized an agreement to bring José Mourinho back as manager to succeed Álvaro Arbeloa next term.
Carvajal leaves behind an unmatched legacy as a symbol of Madrid’s academy, La Fábrica. Having joined the youth ranks as a ten-year-old in 2002, he famously stood alongside the iconic Alfredo Di Stéfano to lay the very first stone of Ciudad Real Madrid. Over his 13 seasons in the first team—interrupted only by a brief stint at Bayer Leverkusen—Carvajal racked up 450 appearances, scored 14 goals, and amassed a staggering 27 major titles. He stands as one of only five players in football history to win 6 UEFA Champions League trophies, alongside 6 Club World Cups, 5 European Super Cups, 4 La Liga titles, 2 Copa del Rey crowns, and 4 Spanish Super Cups.
“Dani Carvajal is a legend and a symbol of Real Madrid and its academy,” club President Florentino Pérez stated in an emotional tribute. “His image alongside our beloved and remembered Alfredo Di Stéfano laying the first stone of Ciudad Real Madrid will forever remain in the hearts of all madridistas… Carvajal has always exemplified the values of Real Madrid. This is and will always be his home.”
The veteran’s final two seasons at the Bernabéu were heavily disrupted by physical setbacks, starting with a severe multi-ligament knee injury in October 2024 that sidelined him for nine months. Following a subsequent arthroscopic procedure in December, his minutes were strictly limited, while the arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold last summer accelerated a shift in the starting right-back role. Having also been left out of Spain’s preliminary squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Carvajal will now look entirely toward his next chapter. While Middle Eastern moves present geopolitical challenges, a transition to Major League Soccer (MLS) remains a high possibility, given his previous declarations that he would never play for another European side against Real Madrid. The Santiago Bernabéu stadium is set to host a massive, emotional tribute for the captain this Saturday during their final La Liga match against Athletic Club.
