Son of Galwayman signed to Real Madrid – at twelve!

Already he’s being called ‘Jonaldo’ . . . and the latest soccer ‘wonder-kid’ to join Real Madrid’s youth system has Galway blood!
At just twelve years of age, John Joe Finn’s soccer skills are catching the eyes of coaches and scouts at the Los Blancos Youth Academy at Real Madrid, one of the best known clubs in the World.
Others who are at the academy with Jonaldo are the son of Jose Mourinho, Chelsea manager, and the son of former World Cup winning France great, Zinedine Zidane.
John Joe’s father is John Finn, a Galway man, who emigrated to Spain over 20 years ago. From Newcastle in the city, John Finn was taught by the late Brother Justin in St Patrick’s national school in the city. He also attended St Joseph’s (The Bish) and NUI Galway.
His parents are Michael Finn of Devlis in Mayo and the late Josephine Finn, nee Barry. Jonaldo trains four times a week with the Real Madrid Academy, and has a match every weekend.
Following a trial in 2012, he was one of only a handful of players who were picked from 14,000 youngsters, who applied to join the academy.
Jonaldo, who regularly visits his family in Ballyhaunis in Mayo, is described as a future prospect, as he is skilful, athletic, and has lightening pace.
It seems athleticism is in the breeding – Jonaldo’s late grandmother is the sister of John Joe Barry, a runner from the Commons in Tipperary who won nine Irish track titles in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

For more on this story, see the Connacht Tribune.