When Kylian Mbappé made his long-awaited move to Real Madrid this summer, the French superstar could have chosen to live anywhere he wanted in the Spanish capital.
Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti owns a luxury apartment in the vibrant city centre, and Mbappe was already familiar with him from previous visits.
His new teammates Luka Modric and Vinicius Junior have an impressive residence in the established and comfortable La Moraleja area, close to Madrid's training ground in Valdebebas, on the city's northern outskirts. .
Mbappe will join Iker Casillas, Raul Gonzalez, Zinedine Zidane, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Eden Hazard, Toni Kroos and David Alaba in the luxury private sector in the Swiss suburb of Pozuelo de Alarcón, west of the city. The development site, La Finca, was selected.
It also helped that there was a suitable luxury property on the market. The minimalist and modern 1,100 square meter residence features eight bedrooms (all with en-suite bathrooms), a full kitchen and a sitting area that includes a large cinema screening room. There is also a home gym, sauna and heated indoor pool, specially designed to meet the demands of top-level professional athletes.
(Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid via Getty Images)
The listing price for the property was 12 million euros (10 million pounds, $12.9 million), but Mbappe's agent had an advantage. The property had been on the market for two years, after the previous occupant left to pursue a new career opportunity in Los Angeles.
This gives the company even more leverage in tough negotiations, said industry officials who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to discuss the matter. The Athletic It was sold for 10.5 million euros.
It is unclear whether it was the golf putting green installed by Gareth Bale in the 3,000 square meter garden that sealed Mbappe's contract. Mbappe is likely to make use of the mini-soccer pitch, basketball court and covered garage that can accommodate six sports cars.
View of some houses in La Finca (Dermot Corrigan/The Athletic)
La Finca's thorough security is The Athletic Although we were not able to get within 500 meters of Mbappe's new home on our recent visit, we spoke to multiple sources who live and work in the area. Some of them asked to remain anonymous to protect their relationships with their very wealthy and sensitive neighbors and customers…
For centuries, Pozuelo de Alarcón and the surrounding area have been a haven for Madrid's wealthy, many of whom have summer homes near the royal hunting grounds that extend all the way to the nearby Sierra de Guadarrama Mountains. Ta.
In 1989, what is now La Finca (Ranch) was parkland when it was purchased by Luis García Cereceda, who successfully developed apartment complexes in the surrounding suburbs. The 100-hectare site was rezoned for residential use in 2000. Three distinct areas were planned within the rugged contours of the existing landscape, utilizing existing pine forests and adding 17 artificial lakes. Los Lagos I (Lakes I) had the largest grounds for the most exclusive mansions. Los Lagos II had chalets and duplexes that were not very large but still very adequate. There were many (relatively) affordable apartments in Prado Largo.
“La Finca is an exceptional living concept with residences surrounded by nature, valued for its safety, privacy and quality,” said Jorge Moran, Vice President of La Finca. The Athletic.
Architect Joaquín Torres of Studio A-cero was hired to maintain a unified modern style throughout the development. Torres designed the Los Lagos II and Prado Largo apartments and worked with each of the purchasers of the Los Lagos I site to maintain a harmonious aesthetic throughout the development.
“Luis and his wife wanted to build the best urbanization in Spain, and they did it,” says Torres. “This was a very fascinating project and an iconic piece of work in terms of courage and quality of product.”
The house was originally sold for 2 million euros, but prices quickly soared in an area that was soon dubbed the “Beverly Hills of Madrid.” Among the first buyers were aristocrats Borja Thyssen and Blanca Cuesta, actors Lydia Bosch and Paz Vega, former bullfighter Fran Rivera, and singer Alejandro Sanz. Other prominent residents include former Pozuelo mayor Jesús Sepulveda and businessman Jesús Correa, both of whom were convicted in the “Caso Grutel” corruption scandal. Gürtel's investigative judge, Baltazar Garzon, was another neighbor in the same development.
(Photo provided by A-cero)
Privacy and security have always been key selling points for La Finca. Torres designed bunker-style guardhouses and checkpoints at the entrance to each of the three zones. Private security guards monitor the property 24 hours a day, and infrared cameras are installed around the perimeter fence.
“[La Finca residents]go for a run and no one can even get close to them. The worst that can happen is to trip over a rabbit,” said a source who has sold many properties in the area. say.
It is impossible to access any of the three areas of La Finca without an invitation from the residents. On a recent Saturday morning, a black Mercedes SL 600 with black-tinted glass waves past the security barrier, while a white Toyota delivery van has to wait until security guards check their invitations. There wasn't, but The Athletic Had to stay on the outside.
Security is tight at La Finca (Dermot Corrigan/The Athletic)
From the beginning, La Finca and soccer have had a close relationship. Madrid and Spain national team stars Raúl and Casillas moved on in the 2000s, and many other Galactico players and coaches have followed over the years.
Only the wealthiest people like Mbappe can afford to live in Los Lagos I, with the mansion costing at least 10 million euros to buy and around 20,000 euros a month to rent.
“[Mbappé's home]has bright open spaces, high quality construction and great attention to detail,” Torres says. “The[La Finca]brand gives them peace of mind. They buy luxury brand watches and cars. Of course, it's the same with real estate.”
Torres has a long family connection to football and Madrid. His father, Juan Torres, was a co-founder of construction giant ACS along with Los Blancos president Florentino Pérez. The architects worked with players including Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo to fit the individual touches each client wanted in their home within the development's harmonious aesthetic.
“Working with clients is the most difficult part of the profession, especially those who are famous, have money, and are still young,” he says. “They always have their own ideas, but you have to know how to sell your vision to them. It was easier for Penelope (Cruz) or Javier (Bardem) than for Cristiano or Zidane. I can’t say it.”
Architect Joaquín Torres designed Zidane and Ronaldo's homes (Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
Madrid's England international Bellingham and his mother Denise are also at Los Lagos 1, where they live in a 700 square meter six-bedroom house with a home theatre, sauna, gym and pool in the garden. Former teammate Kroos, who recently retired, lives a few doors down the street. Around the corner is the mansion Hazard bought from singer Sanz in 2019 for 11 million euros.
While Cristiano Ronaldo and his family lived in La Finca, his mother Dolores Aveiro lived in Los Lagos II. There, luxury chalets with large gardens and private pools cost between €2.5 million and €5 million, or at least €4,000 a month to buy. rent.
Industry officials revealed The Athletic Mbappe's mother, Faiza Ramali, recently rented a property in Los Lagos II. His neighbors include Atlético Madrid teammate Antoine Griezmann, Atlético coach Diego Simeone and former Real Madrid players Guti and Alvaro Arbeloa.
When we visited this area, The Athletic I also got a glimpse of Los Lagos II's grounds from the adjacent public park, which is thick with pine trees. There, middle-aged joggers in designer sports gear and shades were enjoying a nice sunny morning. One local resident said that soccer players are rarely seen out and about, and that they make up a small percentage of La Finca's overall population.
View of Los Lagos II (Dermot Corrigan/The Athletic)
The exposure that soccer players bring may keep home prices rising, but it can also attract unwanted attention and attention. In March 2014, three people were reportedly hospitalized after a fire broke out in the apartment where Madrid star Jese Rodriguez was living at the time.
“Athletes are good at selling sports equipment, but they're not good at selling houses,'' says a real estate source. “La Finca is a paradise and we want it to remain a paradise.”
After founder García Cereceda passed away in 2010, there was a public battle for succession within the family. Her relationship with Mr. Torres came to an abrupt end, sparking a high-profile and bitter legal battle between the parties that lasted more than a decade. “For better or worse, I am always involved in the La Finca project,” says the architect.
Meanwhile, La Finca and the surrounding area continue to develop, offering more facilities and amenities for the wealthy. Microsoft, Accenture and Uber are among the business park's customers. The David Lloyd La Finca Fitness Center offers state-of-the-art gym equipment and private tennis lessons. The steaks at the upscale Basque grill Urec restaurant have been popular with soccer players for years.
Alana Martina, the daughter of Ronaldo and his partner Georgina Rodriguez, was born in November 2017 at the nearby El Quirón private hospital. On school days, Kroos, Hazard, Torres and Guti are often among the parents who drop off and pick up their children from upscale private schools that offer education in Spanish, English and French.
Under current Executive President Susanna García Cerceda, La Finca's operations have recently expanded. La Finca Grand Café Center will open in 2023 and the first shots at La Finca Golf Club were shot last June. These include new luxury residential developments, including a chalet sold for €4.5 million at the 15th Green Sale, and nearby apartments priced between €1.5 million and €2 million.
La Finca Grand Cafe's ground floor stores include high-end fashion stores, interior designers, stylists, florists, perfume shops, and a winery. The second floor is lined with restaurants serving international cuisine and is frequented by soccer players who live nearby. La Finca Gran Café is open to both local residents and the general public.
(Photo provided by La Finca)
Last March, Spain captain Alvaro Morata held a private birthday party for his former partner Alice Campello in Indochina. Staff said Mbappé and Bellingham dined here recently. Madrid defender Alaba, who is currently injured, is also a regular customer.
“The players usually come on weekdays, when it's not as busy as weekends,” said a staff member at an Indochina restaurant. “They can set up in a private space, so they can eat in peace. They often bring their children as well, and people respect that and keep their distance.”
Ancelotti came out of the city center to dine at the Italian restaurant Leonardo in La Finca Café, while Bellingham and Atlético Madrid captain Koke was in attendance the week after the derby between the two teams. When we bumped into each other at a sushi restaurant in Tottori, we had a long conversation. It was interrupted by the Ultras throwing a missile onto the pitch.
“[The locals]don't see me as Jude Bellingham, the soccer player. They just see me as Jude, the nice guy you go to for coffee,” Bellingham said in his first year in Madrid. He spoke to Real Madrid TV on the way. “They take good care of me. I feel like I'm at home.”
(Photo provided by A-cero)
The association with football is commercially important. In early October, La Finca Golf Club hosted an event for Real Madrid's Charitable Foundation. The collections of the Bernabéu's club museum are currently on display throughout the center in an exhibition called “Pegada al Corazon'' (Pricking the Heart). The Casillas resident also has a match-worn Alfredo Di Stéfano jersey, Ronaldo Nazario's old boots and his favorite gloves for many years. Kroos' shirt from the 2024 Champions League final, his last game in the club's history, is on display opposite the Orthodontic Institute Smile Design.
During a recent visit, The Athletic Not a single soccer player (or ultra) was among the customers walking the shopping center's bright marble floors. However, Bellingham and her mother noted that the BM supermarket stocks Taylor's Yorkshire Tea and Twinings Earl Grey, should they ever feel like drinking beer.
There is a growing sense that this special project, which began as a haven for Spain's wealthiest and most private people, is opening up to the world.
(Photo: La Finca/Dermot Corrigan/Design: Eamonn Dalton)
