Alejandro "ÃÂlex" Grimaldo GarcÃÂa (born 20 September 1995) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a left wing-back for club Bayer Leverkusen and the Spain national team.
Born in Valencia, Valencian Community, Grimaldo joined Barcelona's youth system in 2008. He made his official debut for the B-team on 4 September 2011, starting in a 4âÂÂ0 away win against Cartagena at the age of 15 years and 349 days and becoming the youngest player ever to appear in a Segunda División game, before he was surpassed by Lamine Yamal in 2023.
On 23 February 2013, Grimaldo suffered a serious knee injury, being ruled out for the remainder of the season. He returned to action in January of the following year, appearing in 14 matches to help his team finish in third position.
On 13 September 2014, Grimaldo scored his first professional goal, netting his side's last in a 3âÂÂ2 success at Alavés. In a campaign which saw the team relegated, he netted four times in 36 matches; he and Sergi Palencia were sent off on 25 April 2015, in a 2âÂÂ1 win over Ponferradina at the Mini Estadi.
On 29 December 2015, as his contract was about to expire, Grimaldo signed with Portuguese champions Benfica until 2021, for â¬1.5 million. Barcelona has the right to a percentage of a future sale.
Grimaldo played his first game with his new team on 26 January 2016, coming in as a 62nd-minute substitute for SÃÂlvio in a 6âÂÂ1 away routing of Moreirense for the Taça da Liga. He debuted in the Primeira Liga on 29 February, featuring the full 90 minutes in a 2âÂÂ0 home win against União da Madeira; he only appeared once more in the latter competition until the end of the season, filling in for suspended Eliseu in a 4âÂÂ1 victory over Nacional also at the Estádio da Luz that sealed the club's third consecutive national championship. He remained in the team for the league cup final on 20 May, the 6âÂÂ2 defeat of MarÃÂtimo at the Estádio Cidade de Coimbra.
Grimaldo's first full season began on 7 August 2016, as he started in a 3âÂÂ0 win against Braga for the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira in Aveiro, assisting Franco Cervi for the opening goal. On 2 October he scored his first goal for the club, a free kick to conclude a 4âÂÂ0 home triumph over Feirense; on 28 May 2017, he played the full 90 minutes in the final of the Taça de Portugal, won after defeating Vitória de Guimarães 2âÂÂ1.
Grimaldo's maiden appearance in the UEFA Champions League took place on 13 September 2016, when he played the entire 1âÂÂ1 group stage home draw to Beà Âiktaà Â. His first goal in the competition came during the same stage but on 2 October 2018, in a 3âÂÂ2 away win over AEK Athens; he repeated the feat against the latter opponent on 12 December in the return fixture, his 30-meter free kick in the 88th minute helping to a 1âÂÂ0 victory.
On 21 May 2023, Grimaldo signed a four-year contract with German club Bayer Leverkusen on a free transfer. On 12 August, he debuted in a DFB-Pokal match against FC Teutonia Ottensen. On 15 September, he scored his first goal for the club, a direct free kick from the edge of the box away at Bayern Munich in a 2âÂÂ2 draw. On 14 April 2024, Leverkusen beat Werder Bremen 5-0 to secure the first Bundesliga title in the club's history. Grimaldo assisted the fifth goal of the game.
Grimaldo was named in the 2023âÂÂ24 Bundesliga's team of the season, finishing as the top assist provider in the Bundesliga with 13 assists and being involved in more goals than any other Leverkusen player despite playing as a left-back. Grimaldo was later nominated for the 2024 Ballon d'Or for his performances in Leverkusen's unbeaten league and cup double.
On 13 September 2025, Grimaldo scored two free-kicks in a 3-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, in Kasper Hjulmand's first match as Leverkusen coach. This was the first time in over a decade that a player had scored two free-kicks in one Bundesliga game. On 18 October, Grimaldo scored another brace, in a 4-3 win over Mainz. He was nominated for the Bundesliga Player of The Month award for October.
Grimaldo won his first call-up for the Spain under-21 team on 5 February 2013 before he had turned 18, playing the second half of a 1âÂÂ1 friendly draw in Belgium.
On 10 November 2023, Grimaldo received his first call-up to the Spain senior national team, for Euro 2024 qualifiers against Cyprus and Georgia. Six days later, he made his debut as a starter against Cyprus, assisting Mikel Oyarzabal for Spain's second goal in a 3âÂÂ1 away victory.
In May 2024, he was named in Spain's 26-man squad for the UEFA Euro 2024. Grimaldo was widely expected to be a starter, but Marc Cucurella was ultimately preferred, though Grimaldo did play in the 1-0 win over Albania and the 4-1 win over Georgia.
Benfica
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Spain U19
Spain
Individual