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| Real Madrid: County Antrim boy Mark Norris is given trial with Spanish soccer giants | Real Madrid: County Antrim boy Mark Norris is given trial with Spanish soccer giants |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo are just some of the superstars who have graced the shirt of Spanish soccer giants Real Madrid. | David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo are just some of the superstars who have graced the shirt of Spanish soccer giants Real Madrid. |
| Now an 11-year-old from Whitehead in County Antrim is hoping to follow in their footsteps after clinching a trial with the team known as Los Blancos. | Now an 11-year-old from Whitehead in County Antrim is hoping to follow in their footsteps after clinching a trial with the team known as Los Blancos. |
| Mark Norris, who is with the Linfield FC academy, is due to take part in the trial next year. | Mark Norris, who is with the Linfield FC academy, is due to take part in the trial next year. |
| His dad Keith said it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for his son. | His dad Keith said it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for his son. |
| "His mum is Japanese and he was at a Real Madrid summer camp in Japan a couple of years ago and that was the start of a few guys taking a wee note of him," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster. | "His mum is Japanese and he was at a Real Madrid summer camp in Japan a couple of years ago and that was the start of a few guys taking a wee note of him," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster. |
| "Recently, there is a guy Tommy Phillips from Larne who records local football and I was advised by the Madrid guys to have videos [taken] of him, so we paid for Tommy to do a video of Mark, along with the Linfield team we all chipped in together. | "Recently, there is a guy Tommy Phillips from Larne who records local football and I was advised by the Madrid guys to have videos [taken] of him, so we paid for Tommy to do a video of Mark, along with the Linfield team we all chipped in together. |
| "To cut a long story short there is a guy Raul Valbuena who passed it on to another guy Alvaro Benito who is an ex-Real Madrid player, who has invited Mark over in May for a week to have a look at him." | "To cut a long story short there is a guy Raul Valbuena who passed it on to another guy Alvaro Benito who is an ex-Real Madrid player, who has invited Mark over in May for a week to have a look at him." |
| Mr Norris said the trial was expected to take place at the Real Madrid training complex, surroundings which are familiar to Mark, who is also a participant in Club NI, the Irish Football Association's player development programme. | |
| Dream | Dream |
| "Mark has been over at Real Madrid before in a tournament with Greenisland Football Club a couple of years ago at the training ground, so he will not be in awe," Mr Norris added. | "Mark has been over at Real Madrid before in a tournament with Greenisland Football Club a couple of years ago at the training ground, so he will not be in awe," Mr Norris added. |
| "He will be used to the surroundings, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. | "He will be used to the surroundings, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. |
| "He is still only 11-years-old, he is only a kid, there are a lot of good footballers in Northern Ireland and he is so lucky. | "He is still only 11-years-old, he is only a kid, there are a lot of good footballers in Northern Ireland and he is so lucky. |
| "People can think one guy has potential and one guy hasn't, it is up to Mark, if he wants to make it, he has to make it himself. | "People can think one guy has potential and one guy hasn't, it is up to Mark, if he wants to make it, he has to make it himself. |
| "I will support him as a dad and help him to pursue his dream." | "I will support him as a dad and help him to pursue his dream." |
| Mark, a pupil at Carrick Grammar School, is a central midfielder who says his favourite player is Cristiano Ronaldo because "he always has good skills and scores the most goals". | Mark, a pupil at Carrick Grammar School, is a central midfielder who says his favourite player is Cristiano Ronaldo because "he always has good skills and scores the most goals". |
| The Portugese international and former Old Trafford icon would also have provided many magic moments for his dad, a Manchester United superfan, renowned for his huge flag "Big Lily" which he takes on global trips following the Red Devils. | The Portugese international and former Old Trafford icon would also have provided many magic moments for his dad, a Manchester United superfan, renowned for his huge flag "Big Lily" which he takes on global trips following the Red Devils. |
| Ironically, Mr Norris once gave "Irish lucky charms" to Real Madrid legends Fernando Hierro and Raul Gonzalez Blanco in 2000, the same year they knocked United out of the UEFA Champions League. | |
| Which begs the question, what would he do if United also expressed an interest in his son? | Which begs the question, what would he do if United also expressed an interest in his son? |
| "I'm a Manchester United fan so that answers that question," he replied. | "I'm a Manchester United fan so that answers that question," he replied. |