Starting his career at Real Madrid, Vázquez made his first-team debut in 2015 after a season on loan at Espanyol. He made his La Liga debut with the latter. Since returning to Real Madrid in 2015 he has appeared in more than 200 matches for the club in the league and has won 16 major trophies including five Champions Leagues and four La Liga titles.
Vázquez represented Spain at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup.
Club career
Real Madrid
Born in Curtis, Galicia, Vázquez arrived at Real Madrid's youth system in 2007, aged 16. He made his senior debut in the 2010–11 season with the C-team. He scored four goals in 23 games in the following season to help the reserves return to the Segunda División after a five-year absence. His first goal came on 25 February 2012 in a 2–2 home draw against La Roda.[4]
Vázquez made his first appearance in the second level on 17 August 2012, playing six minutes in a 1–2 away loss against Villarreal.[5] He scored his first professional goal on 15 October, netting the winner in a 3–2 home success over Las Palmas.[6]
Loan to Espanyol
On 19 August 2014, Vázquez was loaned to La Liga's Espanyol, in a season-long deal.[7] He made his debut in the competition on 30 August, coming on as a second-half substitute for Salva Sevilla in a 1–2 home loss against Sevilla.[8]
Vázquez scored his first goal in the Spanish top flight on 5 October 2014, netting the first in a 2–0 home success over Real Sociedad.[9] On 3 June of the following year, he signed a four-year permanent deal with the Pericos,[10] for a €2 million fee.[11]
Return to Real Madrid
On 30 June 2015, Real Madrid exercised their buyback clause and Vázquez returned to the club.[12] He made his debut on 12 September in a 6–0 away win over his former team Espanyol,[13] and his first start came a week later, in a 1–0 home defeat of Granada.[14]
Vázquez scored his first competitive goal on 30 December 2015, replacing Karim Benzema for the final 15 minutes of the league fixture against Real Sociedad and netting in a 3–1 success at the Santiago Bernabéu.[15] He contributed with seven appearances in the season's UEFA Champions League, as the tournament ended in a win; in the final against Atlético Madrid, he again came on for the Frenchman late into the second half of a 1–1 draw, and converted his attempt in the penalty shootout triumph.[16]
Vázquez started the 2016 UEFA Super Cup against fellow Spaniards Sevilla, providing an assist to Sergio Ramos in injury time to take the game to extra time, where Real Madrid eventually won 3–2.[17] He signed a new contract on 26 October 2016, running until 2021.[18]
Vázquez appeared 33 times during 2016–17 and scored twice,[19][20] helping Real Madrid to its first league in five years.[21][22] He added ten matches in the campaign's Champions League, scoring once in the group stage[23] as his team also conquered the latter tournament.[24]
Vázquez made ten appearances during the 2017–18 Champions League and added one goal,[25] when Real Madrid won their third consecutive and 13th overall title in the competition.[26]
In November 2019, Vázquez broke his toe after dropping a weight on it.[27] After returning, he made 18 appearances during the league season, as Real Madrid won the 2019–20 La Liga.[28]
Being a regular starter during the 2020–21 season, Vázquez injured himself on 10 April 2021, in a 2–1 El Clásico win over Barcelona and was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a Posterior cruciate ligament injury in his left knee.[29] On 3 June 2021, Vázquez signed a new three-year contract, which would keep him until 2024 at Madrid.[30] On 18 July 2024, Vázquez signed a new one-year contract, which runs until 2025.[31]