Real Madrid midfielder Denis Cheryshev says becoming the first Russian to make a senior appearance for the Spanish giants and score a goal could have made for one of the happiest days of his life.
The 21-year-old midfielder found the net in a 5-1 drubbing of third-tier side Real Olveido in a preseason friendly on Tuesday, a decade after joining Madrid as a schoolboy.
"At home! Now going to rest! Today could be one of the happiest days in my career! Without you [his followers] would not have been possible!" Cheryshev wrote to his 40,000 followers.
"Thanks to all for the support!"
Angel Di Maria scored two, with Esteban Granero and Lucas Vazquez grabbing the others.
Cheryshev was brought into football by his father, Dmitri, a former player and a coach, who worked with children's team of Real Madrid in 2008 and 2010 and spent last season as the head coach of Russian Premier League side FC Volga Nizhny Novgorod.
Cheryshev started playing at Sporting Gijon at the age of six, when his father was a forward at lower league side, Burgos FC.
Five years later he was invited to join Real Madrid.
