Why Lucas Vazquez Was Real Madrid's Most Surprising Player in 2015-16 Season

It's the sort of season-shaping run you associate with the heavy hitters, but this one didn't belong to one of them. Instead, it belonged to Lucas Vazquez. 

Assist for the tie-killing goal against AS Roma: Check. 

Crucial second goal against Villarreal: Check.

Soaring headed strike amid desperation against Rayo Vallecano: Check. 

Assist for late winner against Real Sociedad: Check. 

Though for Real Madrid, only one of those acts has ultimately proven decisive—Barcelona's capture of La Liga prevented three of them from shifting the balance domestically—such a run from Vazquez has been among the biggest surprises of the season. He's certainly surprised his club. He might have surprised himself. And he's even surprised Vicente del Bosque. 

Earlier this week, there was great piece of footage released by Real Madrid: Vazquez is walking out onto the pitch at Madrid's training base at Valdebebas, when Alvaro Arbeloa shouts to the winger that he's been included in Del Bosque's provisional 25-man squad for Spain's Euro 2016 campaign. 

"What?" replies Vazquez in disbelief. And then again: "What? Really?"

Then there's a smile, a laugh and a handshake, followed by a look across his face that says: "How the hell did that happen?"

For Vazquez, how that has happened is a result of intensity, discipline, persistence and reliability. 

When the 24-year-old returned to Real Madrid last summer following a stint at Espanyol, most were aware of those very qualities but few could see how they'd be used at the Santiago Bernabeu. Vazquez after all was joining a squad that contained Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, James Rodriguez, Isco and Jese as the attacking options; essentially, he was seventh in the pecking order.

Now, though? Fourth, probably. 

Indeed, ever since Madrid's defeat to Atletico in the derby in late February—a day that has become a before-and-after moment for Madrid in a lot of ways—Vazquez has embodied the shift witnessed in Zinedine Zidane's side. 

That afternoon at the Bernabeu, Madrid were fended off and then picked off by Atletico in the most familiar fashion. There was little grunt. There wasn't enough industry. A collective conscience wasn't really evident.

Zidane afterwards promised change, and ever since there has been, with Vazquez among the most notable adjustments. 

Four days later, the winger was given an opportunity against Levante and took it. On a low-key night in Valencia, he was the standout by a distance, his work rate grabbing attention.

"Zizou's dream?" said Marca. "A team full of 11 players like Lucas."

Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

Since, it's become evident that that performance struck a chord with Zidane. Valuing Vazquez's head-down-bum-up approach, the Frenchman has consistently turned to the academy product, and not just amid rotation or when the stakes have been low. 

No, Zidane has turned to him in the crunch moments. When it's mattered.  

When Madrid needed something against Roma, it was Vazquez who was brought on. When Bale was missing against Villarreal at the beginning of the five-game dash to the line in La Liga, it was Vazquez who stepped in. When Benzema limped off against Rayo, it was Vazquez who came on and helped turn the game. When stars were missing against Real Sociedad and Manchester City, it was Vazquez who was the first man called upon.

Not James, not Isco and not Jese; no, Vazquez.

"From yesterday's man to key cog," said AS recently. 

Zidane, though, isn't the first man to have recognised and valued the Spaniard's qualities. Before him, Rafa Benitez did too—when he was signed, the winger looked like the most "Benitez" player in the squad—but the now-departed boss lacked the authority to overlook stars. His whole tenure was a political mess, with Vazquez unable to be included consistently because of it. 

In contrast, Zidane has that authority thanks to the nature of his appointment and his iconic status. As such, the Frenchman, who's proven himself to be more pragmatic than most anticipated, has looked empowered and has shaped the side to his designs and not someone else's. 

That's seen Madrid become more structured and more industrious. The symbol of it: Vazquez, who's gone from €1 million fringe player to difference-maker to international. 

For Real Madrid, he's been a pleasant surprise.