“Look out though for Jack Harper, who joined Real Madrid’s academy in 2009.” – Commentator prior to kick off in Real Madrid’s U19 European Championship against Liverpool. Mark those words.

You may be forgiven for your ignorance for not knowing the second British star in the Real Madrid, with Welshman Gareth Bale taking center stage as the Brit abroad, but the young Scots reputation in Spain is growing by the day, and a combination of raw ability, a solid attitude and a determination to succeed has seen Harper progress through the ranks at Madrid’s academy.

Jack plays as a forward for Madrid, or sometimes just behind, in the mediapunta role, or in the hole as its known in the British game. Jack has a wonderful creativity about his game, and possesses a great touch and an ability to link play between the front line and midfield, which has seen his reputation as a centre forward grow exponentially. There is a certain Britishness, or an Alan Shearer-esque approach to his game, wuth his ability to head the ball. Harper is fantastic aerially and proved that with a fine goal in the prestigious UEFA Youth League, where clubs youth teams play against the academies of the clubs the first team play against in the Champions League. Jack scored a wonderful header before setting up the second with a spectacular bicycle kick which rattled off the bar, and was slotted home by a team mate. Harper has featured on 6 occasions in the Youth League, where his side sit top of the group, and the youngster has netted on 3 occasions, whilst assisting twice. An impressive record in such a prestigious competition, averaging a goal every 133 minutes.

Harper’s rise through the academy has seen him experience great heights, despite only being 18 years old. He’s played alongside Zinedine Zidane’s son, Enzo and played under Fernando Morientes in the Juvenil B squad last season at the academy, where he scored 25 goals. He is now with the Juvenil A side, where he is expected to progress into the Real Madrid Castilla side, who are currently coached by Madrid legened, Zidane.

However, the youngsters ambition does not stop there, and he has his eyes firmly set on a place in the Real Madrid first team. The coaches he has worked with having nothing but positive remarks about the starlet, and one of his early coaches at Real, Santiago Sanchez, always felt Jack could reach the top.

“He has a lot of talent and, while he has a lot of developing to do, I really believe he will play for Real Madrid in years to come.”

As well as impressing at Madrid, Harper is impressing his Scotland coaches, with Performance Director Mark Wotte comparing the youngster to Manchester United’s Robin van Persie. Despite being born in Fuengirola in the Andalusian region of Spain, Jack has insisted he only ever wanted to play for his parent’ homeland.

“Even though I live in Spain, I feel Scottish – so I want to make my family proud and play for my country.”

It was not easy for Madrid to tie down the services of Harper, with Sevilla almost signing the youngster from his side in Malaga, however, Jack admits, when Real Madrid came calling, there was no decision to make, it was Madrid, 100%.

Harper continues to stand out for the Real Madrid youth outfit, and with an impressive tally of goals, and a growing reputation, his is a name that will be cropping up more regularly in the future, and if you are yet to learn of the youngsters talents, you soon will. A name that could soon share a team sheet with Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo et al.

Good luck, Jack Harper!