Sergio Canales

From Racing to Real Madrid and back: the Cantabrian playmaker's journey.

Sergio Canales Madrazo (born 16 February 1991) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for La Liga club Racing de Santander.

Quick Facts

Full name: Sergio Canales Madrazo
Born: 16 February 1991
Birthplace: Santander, Spain
Height: 1.76 m / 5 ft 9 in
Position: Attacking midfielder
Current club: Racing Santander

Lore & Background

After starting out at Racing de Santander, Canales signed as a 19-year-old with Real Madrid for €4.5 million, but failed to reproduce his form and left after only one season. He went on to represent, always in La Liga, Valencia, Real Sociedad and Betis, totalling 384 games and 49 goals across 15 seasons and winning the Copa del Rey once with Real Madrid and Betis. He moved abroad for the first time in July 2023, joining Liga MX club C.F. Monterrey, and left in April 2026 after his contract expired. On 22 June 2026, he returned to his first club Racing, recently returned to the top tier, 16 years after leaving.

Reader's Guide

Canales earned 39 caps for Spain at youth level, winning the 2013 European Championship with the under-21 team. He made his senior debut on 23 March 2019 as a 74th-minute substitute for Dani Ceballos in a 2–1 win over Norway in Valencia. He scored his first senior goal on 11 November 2020, opening a 1–1 friendly draw with the Netherlands in Amsterdam.

Did You Know?

Canales scored twice against Espanyol in a 4–0 away win on 6 December 2009, and repeated the feat at Sevilla on 9 January 2010.
He suffered a torn cruciate ligament in October 2011, then relapsed from the same injury in April 2012, missing six months each time.
His second cousin, Borja Docal, was also a footballer.