Ukrainian goalkeeper Ilya Voloshyn, who fled his war-torn homeland and rebuilt his life in Alicante, has now earned his first call-up to Mourinho's first-team squad after winning the UEFA Youth League.

Great courage emerges in times of great disaster. Ilya Voloshyn (Samar, Ukraine, born 2007) chose to pack his bags and travel thousands of miles from home to find a new life. The third goalkeeper called up by Mourinho for the match against Schalke may be an unfamiliar name to fans, but the journey behind it goes far beyond the sporting aspect. Before aspiring to guard the goal for Real Madrid, this young man had to win a much harder battle: escaping the shadow of war.

His journey began in Dnipro, a city ravaged by conflict, which he left as a teenager in the spring of 2022. The escape forced him to make the most painful sacrifice – separating from his mother and starting from scratch in a country where he didn't speak the language. Fate led him to the town of Novelda in Alicante province, which offered him refuge, and he gradually rebuilt his life with football as his way out.

It was between the goalposts that he found his place. With a physique far exceeding his peers – a height of two meters is impressive in any penalty area – Voloshyn stood out at his local club, earning greater opportunities. His guardians, fully dedicated to helping refugees, opened the door for him to trial at Real Madrid. He did not waste the opportunity.

Rayo Vallecano had discovered a raw talent, but had little time to enjoy it. Real Madrid soon appeared on his path, not missing the opportunity to incorporate this destined-to-grow goalkeeper into their academy. He is now 2.02 meters tall. Since arriving at the Valdebebas training complex, the Ukrainian's progress has been rapid, skipping through various youth levels and eventually establishing himself in the Under-19 A team, where his performance has lived up to initial expectations.

The highlight came in Lausanne this April, when he won the UEFA Youth League with Álvaro López's team, the highest honor at the European youth level. The child who fled missiles raised the European champion's trophy with the Real Madrid crest on his chest. Now, accompanying the team to Gelsenkirchen, it is a further step, and also reminds one of the path taken by Lunin – another Ukrainian who came from afar and eventually established himself in the goal at the Bernabéu. For someone who had to rebuild everything, making it to the first team is a reward that goes far beyond football.

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