Malayali youth trained by Real Madrid head coach breaks into Spanish football system

For years, Indian footballers have looked to Europe for a breakthrough. Now, it’s a coach making that move.

Jithin Janardhanan, a 26-year-old Malayali, took a significant step into the European system by joining a Spanish football club. Last July, he was appointed Assistant Coach of AD Alcorcon B, the reserve side of AD Alcorcon, which competes in the Primera Federacion, the third division in the Spanish football pyramid.

The native of Kannur, who was raised in the UAE, completed a four-year undergraduate engineering course at Christ College, Irinjalakuda, before venturing into the demanding field of football coaching.

“I realised I could not live a life without football,” said Jithin Janardhanan, who idolises iconic French coach Arsene Wenger and Italian great Paolo Maldini. Jithin said his transition from playing to coaching was not planned, but one that gradually took shape after a series of setbacks. He started out as a footballer before recurring injuries forced him to step away from the game at the competitive level.

He moved to Spain to pursue a master's in Football Coaching and Management from Escuela Universitaria Real Madrid, which is also called the Real Madrid Graduate School due to its connection to the famous football club, Real Madrid. Jithin says he attended practical sessions led by Alvaro Arbeloa, current Head Coach of Real Madrid.

He transitioned from academic training in one of football’s most structured environments to a hands-on role within Spain’s competitive league system by joining AD Alcoron C. “At Alcoron C, I did a great job under the Head coach Aleksandar Tanceski. After he left, the head coach of B was impressed by my work, especially my dedication, so he decided to appoint me as an assistant coach.”

Breaking into the European system, however, was not straightforward. He had to chase multiple opportunities to land his current role. His role in AD Alcorcon usually involves carrying out sessions after the warm-up and strength training until the last tactical session of the head coach, and assisting him in all sessions.

Jithin has been away from home for nearly three years but his determination to excel as a coach is what keeps him going. He wishes to coach the Indian national football team someday.

He believes making the transition to Spain was slightly smoother because of his early exposure to structured football in the UAE, which helped him better understand organised league systems. Currently, he works with Jordi Condom Auli, who is the Head coach of AD Alcorcon B.

“The entire Spanish football league is highly thrilling and very organised; we have a proper league system for the senior, U19, U16, U13, U10, U7 and U5s, in which a minimum of 200-300 clubs are officially registered. Also, the Royal Madrid Football Federation provides player insurance in all categories and takes care of their hospitalisation and recovery.”

Jithin believes that parents should support the younger generation’s passion for football and help them pursue it if they wish to. “I believe students with a sincere passion for football should pursue it and the key to that is to trust themselves; they should never think they cannot make a living out of football.”

Four other Malayalis graduated from the Escuela Universitaria Real Madrid the same year as Jithin (2023), and have broken into the sports industry in Spain. Jyothis George works for the International Olympic Committee and FIFAe sports social media; Rhytha Hazel is the co-ordinating producer for the International Sports Broadcasting; Anshad Aboobackar works as a physiotherapist with Siello FC and Mohammad Ihsan is employed as a physiotherapist with the reserves side of Union Deportiva San Sebastian de los Reyes.