The physical change of the "beast" Brahim and a celebration for board games: "It has nothing to do with it"

“You see? It’s simple,” Brahim Díaz confidently declares after each of his seven goals this season. Unlike his friend Jude Bellingham, who crosses his arms in celebration, Brahim raises his forearms with palms up and makes a nonchalant gesture with his face. To him, scoring goals is just that easy. “It’s like telling people, ‘See? It’s easy’,” the Andalusian explained in Valdebebas, where his viral celebration originated. In tonight’s game in Leipzig, filling in for the injured Bellingham, the former Málaga and Manchester City player will aim to repeat his gesture.

This celebration, however, has a deeper origin. It harkens back to Brahim’s childhood days spent playing board games with his four sisters, where his competitive spirit always shone through. For the Abdelkader-Díaz family, the past decade has been a roller coaster of emotions.

At the presentation of the then 19-year-old Malaga native in the Bernabéu in January 2019, his parents, Sufiel and Patricia, and his four little sisters, Zaira, Idaira, Dunia, and Irina, were in attendance. Little did they know that Brahim’s celebration would become a hallmark of Spanish football.

Perhaps due to that presentation, where his body was still developing, Brahim’s physique has caught attention in the Madrid sports city this season. The team acknowledges his transformation, with increased lower body strength, muscle mass, and upper body volume in the abdomen, back, and arms. This physical development is a result of the hard work Brahim put in during his time in Manchester and especially during his last season at Milan, where intense physical training helped him gain strength.

In the locker room, Brahim is known as “Brahino,” a nickname that highlights his improved physique. Teammates who shared the space with him before his Milan stint can hardly believe the transformation. “He’s like a roadrunner, a beast, or a wizard,” they say.

Interestingly, Brahim’s season has been intertwined with his early interactions with Jude Bellingham. During the preseason, the Madrid club arranged for Brahim, Bellingham, and Arda Güler to work together, and their chemistry was evident from day one. However, most of Brahim’s playing time has come when Bellingham is injured or resting. “He has a problem, and that is that Jude is in his position,” admitted coach Ancelotti. Although Brahim had the opportunity to secure a place in the starting eleven during Vinicius’ absence, the return of the Brazilian and Ancelotti’s faith in Rodrygo have relegated him to the bench. Nonetheless, Ancelotti’s appreciation for Brahim has grown compared to last year. The coach now recognizes Brahim’s physical and tactical improvement.

Looking ahead, Brahim has the prospect of a national team call-up. He is eligible to choose between Spain and Morocco, but it is clear that he would not hesitate if given the opportunity to play under Luis de la Fuente.

Lug in San Siro

And perhaps because of that presentation, in which the midfielder was 19 years old and had a fine body still to develop, in the white team's sports city Brahim's physique has drawn attention this season, already since the preseason in the capital and in the United States. Joined. “He's like a beast,” they admit from the Madrid locker room.

Brahim has gained in lower body, muscle mass and volume in the upper body, both in the abdomen and in the back and arms.. It is the result of the work he has been doing since his time in Manchester, but especially during his last season at Milan, where the tradition of extreme physical work in clubs was perfect for him to gain strength and muscle.. At San Siro, little Brahim hit his growth spurt.

'Brahino' for the locker room

«He has always wanted to gain muscle. Being a player who is stopped with his body, he understands that he needs to protect himself physically,” summarized in the Madrid sports city.. And you can see it. So much so that in the locker room those who shared space with him before leaving for Milan still do not believe his physical condition: “It has nothing to do with it,” they say.. “Roadrunner”, “beast” or “wizard” are some of the nicknames they use for him, although the main one remains the simple “Brahino”.

Curiously, Brahim's season has depended directly on one of the first people he had dinner with in Madrid this summer. Madrid brought the Andalusian together at a table with Bellingham and Arda Güler to work together during the preseason and it went well, because the Englishman and the man from Malaga, who speaks English from his time in Manchester, understood each other perfectly from day one.

Waiting for Spain

Of course, the vast majority of Brahim's minutes have come with injuries or rest from Bellingham. “He has a problem, and that is that Jude is in his position,” Ancelotti admitted in the fall.. Brahim took advantage of Vinicius' physical problems to find a place in the eleven for some games, but the Brazilian's return and the Italian coach's confidence in Rodrygo have relegated him to the bench.. Even so, Ancelotti's words towards the man from Malaga are not the same as those he used last year.

12 months ago, when there were rumors about his return, not everyone in Valdebebas was clear that Brahim could be as important as he is this year.. And we return to the physical. They remembered him as lighter, less powerful in duels. But not anymore. “He has improved physically and also tactically, he is much better,” Ancelotti praised him.

On the horizon, the next call for the national team. He can choose between Spain and Morocco, but he would not hesitate when faced with a call from Luis de la Fuente.