Madrid Spain

Lore & Background

In the Jack Ryan universe, Madrid is portrayed as a vibrant yet tense metropolis where intelligence agencies operate in the shadows. The city's rich history and strategic location make it a prime target for terrorist plots, often requiring collaboration between the CIA and Spanish authorities. Key events include foiled attacks on transportation hubs and diplomatic missions, with Ryan himself occasionally involved in covert operations within the city.

Reader's Guide

Harper has elected to represent Scotland at international level, saying that 'even though I live in Spain, I feel Scottish, so I want to make my family proud and play for my country.' He has stated his ambition to play for Scotland at the FIFA World Cup. He was called up by the under-15 squad in April 2010, and by the under-16s in July 2011. He made his under-17 national debut in August 2012. He made a total of six appearances for the under-17s in 2012, scoring once. He made his debut for the under-19s in August 2014, making three appearances for them that year. He was dropped from the under-19s in March 2015. He was selected for the Scotland under-21 squad in March 2017, but did not play. Harper has been compared to Robin van Persie. His brothers Ryan and Mac were also footballers. Ryan was born in Barrhead in Scotland before the family moved to Spain in the mid-1990s.

Did You Know?

• Madrid is a central location for CIA operations in Europe, often working alongside the Spanish CNI.
• The city has been the target of multiple Al-Qaeda-linked plots in the Jack Ryan timeline.
• The city's Plaza Mayor and Retiro Park have been used as meeting points for intelligence handoffs.
• Madrid's high-speed AVE train system has been a focal point for threat assessments in the series.