Thirty six La Liga appearances, thirty six starts. That one line from Antonio Blanco's 2025/2026 season explains why the Alaves midfielder deserves more attention than he gets. He doesn't score many goals and he rarely makes the highlight reels. He just turns up every week, wins the ball back and gives it to someone better placed to hurt the opponent.
Now he's 26, his contract ends in June 2027, and the timing matters. A player this reliable, with less than a year left on his deal, is the kind of name that appears on recruitment lists. Whether anyone acts on it is another matter.
The Essentials
| Full name | Antonio Blanco Conde |
|---|---|
| Born | July 23, 2000, in Montalban de Cordoba, Spain |
| Age | 26 |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Height and weight | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in), about 70 kg (154 lbs) |
| Position | Defensive midfielder, also used in central midfield |
| Preferred foot | Right |
| Club and shirt | Deportivo Alaves, number 8 |
| Contract | Runs until June 2027 |
| Spain senior caps | 1 |
From Montalban to Valdebebas
Montalban de Cordoba is a small town in Andalusia, not a place scouts tend to pass through by accident. Blanco played for local sides Montalban and Seneca in Cordoba before Real Madrid took him into their academy in 2013, when he was 13.
He climbed the youth ladder the slow way, eventually landing at Real Madrid Castilla, the reserve side. That path produces plenty of good professionals and very few Madrid regulars. Blanco ended up as one of the former.
Medals Without Many Minutes
His first team debut came in the 2020/2021 season under Zinedine Zidane, and across that campaign and the next he made five La Liga appearances for Madrid. He was part of the squad that won La Liga and the Champions League.
Be honest about what that means. Blanco was not a key figure in those trophies. But spending time around that dressing room at 20 and 21 is an education most midfielders his age never get, and it shows in how calm he is on the ball under pressure.
Cadiz Went Wrong, Vitoria Went Right
In August 2022 Madrid sent him on loan to Cadiz in La Liga. It didn't work, and he was recalled in January 2023. Plenty of careers stall at exactly that point.
Instead he went to Alaves on loan for the rest of that season, with the club in the Segunda Division. The fit was immediate. Alaves won promotion back to La Liga that summer and signed him permanently in July 2023 for a reported fee of around 4 million euros. He has been a starter ever since.
Thirty Six Starts and a Lot of Yellow
The 2025/2026 season was Blanco's most consistent yet. Here's the summary:
- Appearances: 36 in La Liga, all as a starter
- Minutes: more than 3,100
- Goals and assists: 2 and 3
- Yellow cards: 9
- Average match rating: around 7.06
The attacking numbers are modest, and that's fine. Blanco's job is tackles, interceptions, clearances and quick, simple passes that keep Alaves moving. He reads danger early and occasionally tries his luck from distance. The nine bookings tell you he commits to challenges, which is part of the role, though it is also a lot of cards to carry over a season.
Across his career he has now passed 110 La Liga appearances, with 2 goals and 5 assists in the competition, plus experience in the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.
A Body That Keeps Turning Up
For a midfielder who spends his afternoons throwing himself into tackles, Blanco's injury record is remarkably clean. The only spells worth mentioning are a short absence in September 2023 of about five days and a knee problem in October 2024 that kept him out for roughly a week, from around October 19 to October 25.
That durability is a big part of his value. Coaches build around players they can count on, and Alaves clearly count on him.
The Lithuania Night
Blanco came through Spain's U17, U19 and U21 sides, and his one senior cap arrived in unusual circumstances. In June 2021, ahead of Euro 2020, Sergio Busquets tested positive for COVID 19 and the senior squad had to isolate. Spain called up a group of under 21 players for a friendly against Lithuania, and Blanco made his debut in a 4 to 0 win.
There have been no senior call ups since. Spain's midfield is a crowded place, and a holding midfielder at Alaves has to be exceptional for a long stretch to break in. It isn't impossible, but it would take a move or a sustained leap in output.
What He Earns, as Far as Anyone Knows
There is no official public figure for Blanco's wealth. Icon Polls estimates his net worth at $4 million to $6 million, based on his earnings from his Real Madrid years through his current Alaves contract.
His salary is estimated at around 1.15 million euros gross per year, roughly 22,115 euros a week. That's a solid wage at a club of Alaves's size and a long way below what La Liga's biggest stars earn. Treat all of these as estimates rather than confirmed numbers.
The Clock on His Contract
Major valuation platforms put Blanco's market value at around 9.5 million to 10 million euros, more than double what Alaves paid in 2023. Icon Polls sees that rise as a fair reflection of his age, his reliability and his place at the heart of the team.
Here's the catch. With his deal ending in June 2027, Alaves's leverage shrinks every month. If no extension is agreed, the club risks either selling for less than his value or losing him for nothing. For Blanco, the next window could be the best chance to test himself at a bigger club during his prime years. Nothing official has been announced, so for now this is a question rather than a story.
Is a holding midfielder like Blanco underrated in a game obsessed with goals? Weigh the players you rate most highly in our vote for the best football players of all time.
Three Things People Ask
Did Antonio Blanco actually play for Real Madrid's first team?
Yes. He made five La Liga appearances across the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 seasons and was part of the squad that won La Liga and the Champions League, though his minutes were limited.
Why does he have only one Spain cap?
His debut came against Lithuania in June 2021 when an under 21 group stepped in after a COVID 19 case forced the senior squad to isolate. He hasn't been recalled since.
How much is he worth on the transfer market?
Valuation platforms estimate around 9.5 million to 10 million euros. With his contract expiring in June 2027, any actual fee would depend heavily on timing.
