GOAL sits down with Bernardo Requena to examine the turning point that helped Dani Ceballos, the former Real Madrid standout from Utrera, raise his level enough to become a regular in Madrid and win a recall to the national team under Luis de la Fuente.
There is no denying that Dani Ceballos is enjoying a remarkable spell. His rise at Real Madrid appears as if he rewrote a chapter, and his invitation back to the Spanish squad reflects a fresh confidence and clarity of purpose. The story is not just about a rebound; it is about a deliberate, behind‑the‑scenes effort that GOAL has traced to reveal the mechanics behind his resurgence.
For three years, Ceballos has trained under the close guidance of Bernardo Requena, a high‑level sports advisor who has helped him unlock his physical potential. Through a bespoke preparation, the changes behind his breakout have become clear. The transformation is striking, and the question many ask is where the core secret truly lies.
Requena emphasizes a straightforward truth. The turning point does not rest on a single trick, but on a constant, intentional way of being. Dani embodies the mental fabric of a professional athlete: a steady hunger for improvement, a daily pursuit of perfection across performance, rest, tactical understanding, nutrition, and even emotional management. He works to become a better version of himself, and that mindset helped him endure an injury and return with renewed momentum. The gains come not from a one‑off secret but from a sustained approach to growth and resilience. His ability to handle emotions and pressure is a key part of that story.
Dani has shown a remarkable capacity to overcome setbacks, and the work has intensified after injury. The focus has shifted toward controlling what can be controlled, recognizing the limits of influence over external factors, and prioritizing day‑to‑day improvement. Training quality, habits, and enjoyment form the backbone of his routine. When faced with moments of not playing, the response has been to double down on what he can influence and to trust the process. This persistent personal development feeds a broader shift in performance and mindset.
Since the start of the collaboration three seasons ago, the core elements of Dani’s training have remained consistent, even as they adapt to the moment. The routine continues to center on training, nutrition, and disciplined habits, but it evolves to fit the present demands. The result is a sense of normality and stability, a biomechanical rhythm that has stayed free from recurring discomfort or lingering effects of past injuries. The season begins in a favorable frame, with a steady baseline that supports the team’s trajectory through the year. In simple terms, there has been no radical overhaul, just a careful integration of new habits into an established routine that remains true to the fundamentals of preparation and recovery. A critical insight here is that the change lies in the consistency of the habits themselves rather than any dramatic shift in method. The routine has been reinforced, refined, and aligned with the evolving calendar and the team’s needs.
What are some of those habits? The answer highlights a complete daily protocol that morning to night shapes the athlete’s life. Waking up begins with hydration, followed by mobility work and a deliberate focus on performance at the sports city. Nutrition is tailored, and supplementation is calibrated to preferences, season timing, and weekly schedule. Even spare time is structured with intention, balancing rest, recovery, and mental preparation. The overarching idea is that Dani’s 24 hours are optimized for his profession, a pattern that has become almost second nature to him. The attention to daily rituals extends into the pre‑season, a period marked by increased demands after a season of injury. The goal was to build a robust foundation before the team’s camp, enabling a smoother entry into competition through heightened adaptation and volume. The approach, in practice, involved alternating training environments and adding targeted work to prime the body for the rigors ahead. The practical implementation included altitude sessions followed by sea‑level work, splitting the preparation into two phases and leveraging the Sierra Nevada’s slopes to build resilience and endurance. This dual‑phase strategy was chosen to maximize adaptation at a critical junction in the calendar, aligning physical readiness with the club’s pre‑season schedule.
On the nutrition front, the plan is evidence‑based and flexible, adapting to handpicked preferences while staying aligned with the sport’s demands. The timing of meals, the balance of macronutrients, and the use of supplementation are all considered in relation to the day’s activities and the week’s rhythm. Even on game days or during back‑to‑back sessions, the nutrition strategy remains responsive, ensuring peak performance when it matters most. Beyond the kitchen, there is continued work in recovery and injury prevention. Individual sessions and targeted exercises occur in the afternoons, complementing the collective training with a clear objective: keep the body resilient and the performance sharp. This continuous thread of focused work mirrors the broader philosophy guiding Dani’s preparation and progress.