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SportsFormer Real Madrid Castilla player Jorge Casado retires, says Mourinho gave me life
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Jorge Casado, a former Real Madrid Castilla player, announced his retirement from professional football. In an interview with AS, he reflects on his career, which was revitalized by José Mourinho. Casado was part of Castilla's 'golden generation' that included Carvajal, Nacho, Morata, and Joselu, and helped the team earn promotion to Segunda. He made his first-team debut for Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey and later played for Betis, Ponferradina, Zaragoza, Xanthi, Rayo Majadahonda, and Guadalajara, where he played his final match against Castilla. Casado describes Mourinho's demanding but unbeatable daily approach, focused on intensity and minimal video analysis. He plans to continue running his family's driving school and holds all three coaching levels.
Source report
Updated: July 23, 2026 — 06:04 CEST
By Fernando S. Tavero Real Madrid Section Editor
A relaxed Jorge walks into the AS newsroom with a smile as his calling card, as always. Accompanied by his partner, María, he takes advantage of a small gap in the afternoon: "I dropped my daughter off at a birthday party."
With a treasure chest of memories ready to be dusted off, he reflects on so many years of football that now, for the first time, are in the past. He will continue to be 'Casado from Castilla' — "that's for life," he says with a laugh — but now it is time to start being Jorge full-time. That Jorge who holds all three coaching levels, but intends to continue with the family driving school.
Fate would have it that his last opponent, with Guadalajara, was Castilla — his Castilla. That is how capricious football can be. That club with which he was promoted to Segunda as a kid, alongside the golden generation (Carvajal, Nacho, Jesé, Morata, Joselu…) that touched so much elite.
That day there were tears — in the hours before, many more. But tears of joy, the same with which he remembers a career that Mourinho breathed life into. A journey that included a Copa del Rey debut with Madrid, stints at Betis, Ponferradina, Zaragoza, Xanthi, Rayo Majadahonda, and Guadalajara, where he hung up his boots. A journey he analyzes with crystal-clear memory.
Interview
How are you?
Good, good.
And the hours leading up to that last day?
It was a tough week. When I made the announcement, I was with my children and my partner.
How many messages came in?
A ton! Look, I was talking about it with María. I knew people would write to me, but I am grateful to have received very nice words from many people. Former teammates, people who were just passing through... People I didn't expect. Each message, a big tear. When I made the announcement, tears came to my eyes. When I talked about it, I had a knot in my stomach. And the 24 hours before, I was like a jelly. I slept little and was very nervous.
"The 24 hours before the retirement, I was like a jelly." — Jorge Casado, to AS
Normal.
When I got to the field, it felt strange. The coach usually calls us about 1 hour 45 minutes before, to give the talk. But that day it was two hours. Strange... Something's up. He gives the talk, the lineup, and suddenly — a video. All my teammates, even those who left in December, the coaching staff... and my family. When I saw them, I broke down. From then on, fine.
A lot of emotion.
It's bittersweet. You leave a very beautiful part, grateful, sad... A mix that you don't know how to handle. And you spread it. My father — I barely saw him cry when my grandparents died, and look.
Jorge Casado, in the AS newsroom. — PEPE ANDRES
Source
Feed MRSS-S real_madrid_aWestern
Part of this Story
Jorge Casado Retires: Mourinho Gave Me Life