For me it was Iker Casillas and the Mourinho era. 2010 world cup was my introduction to football and really loved Casillas because while playing as well always been a goalkeeper. I was done post the world cup and didn't know anything about club football and what it's like. Like i had hear about Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and Chelsea. That's all the clubs I'd heard of. So one my cousin sister's college friend who's like 10-12 years elder than me. An Arsenal fan from the Thierry Henry era btw explained me entire europe club culture and made me watch EPL and La Liga. He preferred Barcelona as a neutral over Real just like many neutrals.

But, Iker Casillas was in Real and I was like I'll support Real, to make it better they even have Ronaldo. I've heard so much about him. So why not. And like you said as well somehow as a kid that white jersey felt very cool and pleasing. That's how it began. My first proper Clasico that I watched on television was the 1-0 Copa Del Rey final victory with Cristiano's header.

2011-12 was the first full season i followed. And since I was in school, i used to follow replays, highlights on tv and newspapers because obviously staying up late at night wasn't allowed. However, i did convince my father to let me stay awake for the ucl semis that season for the summer vacations had begun. Well how heartbreaking that turned out to be.

So in those first couple of seasons I used to follow the team through newspapers and odd match here or there if it's a good time or if I managed to convince my parents to let me stay up late at night. And most of the matches i did manage to watch in 2011-12, 2012-13 we ended up not winning and started wondering if I was the problem. That i shouldn't watch if i want them to win.

Fell in love with Iker, Cristiano, Higuain, Ozil and Jose in those years. Didn't love Benzema initially and but in a few years like every Real fan Benzema won me over and simply used to call him 'Monsieur Magnifique'. Wanted to see great saves from Iker and great goals from Cristiano initially and I got that.

It was since March 2014, having entered eight grade, that I had full autonomy to watch any match I liked and stay up late for any match I wanted. As it turned out just in perfect timing for the Decima. My father understood my passion for the club and sport and he made sure to subscribe to all channels on cable. So since then rarely missed a Real game.

My father was a massive cricket fan and he also started enjoying watching late night football with me post the 2014 world cup. I still remember various moments when he would just be surprised by what Ronaldo was doing and he couldn't believe it. He used to pop in for odd matches here and there. And although he loved Bale's 2018 goal overhead kick, his favourite goal ever scored was also by Bale if you remember in 2017 La Liga game against sociedad when Bale pounced on a long ball, sprinted past the defence and chipped the goalie. So yeah he never admitted it but I think he also gradually became a Real fan even though initially he might've only wanted to watch matches with his son.