Mario Camero praises CD Estepona's growth and reflects on his time in Real Madrid's youth academy

CD Estepona soccer player Mario Camero looked back on his career in an in-depth interview with the YouTube channel Bernabéu Digital, where he discussed his time in Real Madrid’s youth academy, the injuries that have shaped his career, and his current stint with the Estepona team.

Mario Camero highlights CD Estepona’s competitive leap forward

During his conversation with José Tamargo, the Granada-born center back highlighted the structural and sporting growth of CD Estepona since his arrival at the club this season. Camero said he feels “very comfortable” at the Costa del Sol club and described it as an institution with a structure befitting higher divisions.

The defender explained that he joined Estepona after his stint with Real Ávila CF, at a difficult time for the team, which had only managed to accumulate seven points in the first half of the season. However, he highlighted the change the team has undergone since Julen Guerrero took over as head coach.

According to the player, the team managed to turn things around in the second half of the season, reaching 44 points, coming close to securing direct survival and ultimately competing in the relegation playoff against Real Madrid C.

Camero also praised the level of professionalism at the Malaga-based club, noting that it has the resources, coaching staff, and organization typical of higher divisions, even going so far as to say that Estepona “could easily be in the Second Division.”

A Real Madrid youth product plagued by injuries

In the interview, Mario Camero recalled his arrival at Real Madrid at just 13 years old from Granada, an experience he described as “impressive” and which forced him to leave home while still barely a teenager.

The center back played through various levels of the Real Madrid youth system, competed in the UEFA Youth League, and was part of a generation considered one of the most promising in “La Fábrica,” sharing a locker room with players like Raúl Asencio, Nico Paz, Jacobo Ramón, Gonzalo García, and Manuel Ángel.

In addition, the player spoke about his relationship with Álvaro Arbeloa, whom he described as a coach who is approachable, sincere, and deeply devoted to Madrid. He also had words of admiration for Raúl Asencio, with whom he shared a room at the Valdebebas residence and whom he considers “an older brother”.

“Soccer owes me something”

One of the most emotional moments of the interview came when Camero reflected on the injuries he suffered during his loan spells at teams like SD Tarazona and CDA Navalcarnero.

The defender acknowledged that injuries repeatedly slowed his progress just when he was at his best on the field, though he made it clear that his desire to compete at the highest level again remains undiminished.

Currently, the player continues to recover from a cruciate ligament injury and stated that one of his main goals is “to enjoy soccer again” and regain the feeling he had before his physical problems.

Returning to Andalusia, Key to His Recovery

Mario Camero also explained that returning close to home after years away from Andalusia has been important to his personal and athletic journey. The player emphasized that having his family and his daughter close by is helping him a great deal, both emotionally and in his recovery from injury.

After several years spent on loan at various clubs across Spain, the footballer believes that his time in Estepona could be crucial to reviving his career.

The Granada-born defender participated in an interview published on May 15, 2026 on the YouTube channel Bernabéu Digital, where he reviewed his career in professional soccer and his current stint at CD Estepona. The full conversation can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/ngPL3EoaZM8?si=T7fr38MN5AbP29F5