Loren Zuniga joins Al Madina SC after leaving Real Madrid Castilla

Loren Zuniga has left Real Madrid Castilla to join Libyan club Al Madina SC on a three-year contract, completing an unusual move from Madrid to Tripoli.

The 23-year-old Equatorial Guinea international spent the past two seasons with Castilla, Real Madrid’s reserve side, but never made the final step into the first team. Al Madina SC have bought out his contract with Real Madrid to secure his transfer.

The move represents a significant change in direction for Zuniga, who was developed in Spain and had previously represented the country at youth level. He played for Spain Under-19s before opting to represent Equatorial Guinea at senior level.

Zuniga has made six appearances for the Equatorial Guinea national team, known as Nzalang Nacional. He was also part of the squad for the most recent Africa Cup of Nations, starting two of the side’s three group-stage matches.

A player moving directly from Castilla to the Libyan championship remains a rare occurrence, but the transfer reflects a wider shift in the country’s football ambitions. Libyan clubs have increased their investment in recent seasons as they seek to close the gap on more established leagues elsewhere in the Arab world and North Africa.

Al Madina SC finished fourth in their league group last season and are now looking to progress under experienced Spanish manager Javier Clemente. Zuniga’s arrival is part of that broader rebuild as the Tripoli-based club attempt to strengthen their squad and compete at a higher level.

For the forward, the decision may appear unexpected given his age and his time in the Real Madrid system. However, after two seasons without breaking into the senior side at the Spanish club, the move to Libya should offer him a more prominent role and greater responsibility.

Zuniga’s career has therefore taken him from one of the most recognised football academies in the world to a club operating in a league that is seeking to establish itself more firmly among the leading competitions in the region.

His transfer is an unexpected crossing of the Mediterranean, while also providing another indication of the growing ambitions of Libyan football.