Marco Asensio Willemsen (; born 21 January 1996) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe.
After starting his career with Mallorca, Asensio signed for Real Madrid in November 2014, being consecutively loaned to his former club as well as Espanyol. With Real Madrid, he went on to win several honours, including three Champions League and three La Liga trophies. In 2023, he joined French club Paris Saint-Germain. Following a one-season loan stint in the Premier League with Aston Villa, in 2025 Asensio moved to Fenerbahçe.
Asensio made his senior debut for Spain in 2016, representing them at the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Born in Palma, Majorca, Balearic Islands, to a Dutch mother and a Spanish father, Asensio joined Mallorca in 2006 from Platges de CalviÃÂ. His mother, Maria Willemsen, died of cancer when he was 15.
Asensio struggled with growth deficiencies in his knees during his youth, which only subsided when he was a teenager.
After being scouted by Real Madrid and Barcelona, Asensio made his senior debut with Mallorca's reserves in the 2013âÂÂ14 season in the Tercera División, despite still being a junior; he made his first competitive appearance for the first team on 27 October 2013, playing the last six minutes in a 1âÂÂ3 away loss against Recreativo de Huelva in the Segunda División.
Again from the bench, Asensio played the last six minutes in a 0âÂÂ0 home draw against Lugo. After impressing in his first games, he was promoted to the first team by manager José Luis Oltra.
Asensio scored his first professional goal on 16 March 2014, netting the first in a 2âÂÂ0 home win over Tenerife. The next season he was made a starter under new coach Valeri Karpin, scoring against Osasuna, Deportivo Alavés and Llagostera within a month.
On 24 November 2014, Real Madrid reached an agreement in principle to sign 18-year-old Asensio. On 5 December the deal was officially announced, with the player (who had been a supporter of the club as a child) signing a six-year deal for a â¬3.9 million fee and remaining with the Bermellones on loan until the end of the campaign. According to Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal played a crucial role in the transfer of Marco Asensio to Real Madrid.
On 20 August 2015, after making the whole pre-season with Real Madrid, Asensio was loaned to Espanyol in La Liga. He played his first game in the competition on 19 September, featuring 86 minutes in a 3âÂÂ2 success at Real Sociedad, and he ended his spell at the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with 12 overall assists.
Returning to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium for 2016âÂÂ17, Asensio was now a full international. His first competitive appearance took place on 9 August, as he played the full 120 minutes and scored a 25-meter effort in a 3âÂÂ2 win against fellow Spaniards Sevilla in the UEFA Super Cup. He made his first league start 12 days later, netting the second goal in a 3âÂÂ0 success at Real Sociedad.
Asensio featured 23 times over his first season, scoring three times as the club won the national championship for the first time since 2012. He added as many goals in that year's UEFA Champions League, including one in the final against Juventus (4âÂÂ1) to give the Spaniards their 12th title in the latter competition.
Asensio scored his first goal of the 2017âÂÂ18 season with a 25-yard finish in a 3âÂÂ1 win over Barcelona at the Camp Nou, for the Supercopa de España, He repeated the feat with a similarly spectacular effort in the second leg, in a 5âÂÂ1 aggregate triumph.
On 28 September 2017, Asensio extended his contract until 2023. On 18 February 2018, in a match where he contributed with a brace to a 5âÂÂ3 away win over Real Betis, he scored Real Madrid's 6,000th goal in the Spanish top division.
Asensio made 11 appearances while scoring one goal during the 2017âÂÂ18 Champions League, and the club won its third consecutive and 13th overall title in the competition.
On 24 July 2019, during a preseason match against Arsenal, he tore his ACL. On 19 June 2020, in a 3âÂÂ0 win over Valencia, he came on for Federico Valverde in 74th minute, scored the second goal with his first touch, and provided the assist to Karim Benzema for the third goal. He returned for the final stretch of the season, scoring three goals in nine games, as Real Madrid won the 2019âÂÂ20 La Liga.
On 22 September 2021, he scored his first senior hat-trick against his former club Mallorca, which ended in a 6âÂÂ1 victory.
On 28 May 2022, Asensio was on the bench against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Final as Real Madrid went on to win their 14th UEFA Champions League title. Asensio ended the 2021âÂÂ22 season with 10 goals in 30 La Liga games. He also won the 2021âÂÂ22 La Liga with his club Real Madrid.
On 3 June 2023, Real Madrid confirmed that Asensio would be departing upon the expiry of his contract, thus becoming a free agent.
On 6 July 2023, Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) announced the signing of Asensio, with a contract running until June 2026. He made his debut in a 0âÂÂ0 draw against Lorient at the Parc des Princes on 12 August. Two weeks later, in his second match for the club, Asensio scored his first PSG goal, the opener in a 3âÂÂ1 home win over Lens. In the following match away to Lyon on 3 September, he scored another goal and provided the assist for Kylian Mbappé's second in a 4âÂÂ1 victory for Les Parisiens.
On 3 February 2025, Premier League side Aston Villa announced the loan signing of Asensio until the end of the season. He made his debut on 9 February, coming on as a substitute in a 2âÂÂ1 FA Cup victory against Tottenham Hotspur. On 22 February 2025, he scored his first two goals for Villa to give them a 2âÂÂ1 comeback win over Chelsea in the league.
On 1 September 2025, Asensio signed for Turkish Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe on a three-year contract with an option for a further year. A transfer fee of â¬8.5 million was reported in the media. On 14 September, he made his debut with the team in a 1âÂÂ0 league victory over Trabzonspor. On 21 September, he scored his first goal for the club against Kasñmpaà Âa. On 24 September, he made his UEFA Europa League debut against Dinamo Zagreb.
On 2 November 2025, Asensio scored in the derby against Beà Âiktaà Â, helping his side to 3âÂÂ2 win. On 23 November, he scored a brace against ÃÂaykur Rizespor, in a 5âÂÂ2 league win. The goals against ÃÂaykur Rizespor meant he had scored in five consecutive matches, a first in Asensio's career.
On 14 February 2026, Asensio scored in another crucial match, scored his 10th Süper Lig goal against Trabzonspor, helping Fenerbahçe to 3âÂÂ2 away win.
Being of both Dutch and Spanish descent, he chose to represent Spain although he received an invitation from the Royal Dutch Football Association. After being a regular for Spain at youth level, Asensio made his debut for the under-21 team on 26 March 2015, coming on as a late substitute for goalscorer Gerard Deulofeu in a 2âÂÂ0 friendly win over Norway in Cartagena. In July, he was part of the victorious under-19 side at the UEFA European Championship in Greece, where he scored both goals in a semi-final victory over France in Katerini, in the 88th minute and in added time.
On 17 May 2016, Asensio and Espanyol teammate Pau López were called up to the full side for a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 20-year-old made his debut on the 29th, starting in the 3âÂÂ1 win in Switzerland.
Selected in the squad for the 2017 European Under-21 Championship by manager Albert Celades, Asensio scored a hat-trick in his debut in the competition, helping to a 5âÂÂ0 group stage routing of Macedonia. He reached with his teammates the final of the tournament, losing 1âÂÂ0 against Germany.
Back with the seniors, he was included in Julen Lopetegui's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, making his debut in the competition on 20 June by replacing Real Madrid teammate Lucas Vázquez for the final ten minutes of the 1âÂÂ0 group stage win against Iran.
Asensio scored his first goal for Spain on 11 September 2018, playing the entire 6âÂÂ0 home rout of Croatia for the UEFA Nations League and also being directly involved in the play that led to Lovre KaliniÃÂ's own goal.
In July 2021, he was included as overage player in the 22-player squad of the under-23 team for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
In November 2022, Asensio was included in Spain's final 26-man squad for the 2022 World Cup. He started against Costa Rica in the opening fixture of Spain's World Cup campaign, and scored the second goal against Costa Rica which Spain won 7âÂÂ0.
Asensio's father, Gilberto (a Basque who spent his childhood in Essen, Germany), was also a footballer. Also an attacking midfielder, he represented Barakaldo CF as a youth; Marco's elder brother Igor played for Platges de CalviÃÂ, as a defender.
Asensio's goal celebration in the 2017 Champions League final was dedicated to his family: "I told them that if I scored then I'd run to where they were. I knew where they were and that is what I did."
Asensio married his long-time girlfriend Sandra Garal on 10 July 2023.
In June 2024, Asensio and Garal announced on their respective social media confirming a mutual agreement to divorce.
Asensio holds dual SpanishâÂÂDutch citizenship and is multilingual, being a native speaker of both Spanish and Dutch while also speaking fluent German, English and Catalan.
Spain score listed first, score column indicates score after each Asensio goal.
Real Madrid
Paris Saint-Germain
Fenerbahçe
Spain U19
Spain U21
Spain Olympic
Spain
Individual