1. Early life and youth career
Marvin Park's early life was characterized by his birth in Spain and his diverse family background, which influenced his national team eligibility. His formative years in football saw him develop through various youth clubs before he joined the prestigious Real Madrid academy.
1.1. Birth and personal background
Marvin Olawale Akinlabi Park was born on July 3, 2000, in Palma de Mallorca, located in the Balearic Islands of Spain. His father is Nigerian and his mother is South Korean, granting him a rich cultural background and eligibility to represent three different nations in international football. He stands at 70 in (177 cm) and weighs 139 lb (63 kg). In South Korea, he is also known by variations such as 마르빈 박Mareubin BakKorean, which emphasizes the Korean surname "Park."
1.2. Youth career
Park's football journey began in Spain with Sporting Ciutat de Palma, where he had two separate stints. During his youth development, his family's relocation to England led him to spend three years at the English club Tranmere Rovers FC. After returning to Spain, he played for SD La Salle and AD Penya Arrabal. His talents were recognized by Real Madrid, and he joined their renowned youth academy, La Fábrica, in 2016.
2. Club career
Marvin Park's professional career has seen him progress through the ranks of Real Madrid's academy before making his senior team debut and later moving to UD Las Palmas to establish himself in top-flight Spanish football.
2.1. Real Madrid
After joining Real Madrid's academy in 2016, Marvin Park advanced through the youth ranks. He made his senior debut for Real Madrid Castilla, the reserve team, on August 25, 2019. This appearance came as a second-half substitute for Miguel Baeza in a 1-1 Segunda División B away draw against Las Rozas CF. Park scored his first senior goal on October 26, 2019, netting the opener in a 1-2 home loss against Racing de Ferrol.
During the 2019-20 season, which was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Park made 26 appearances and scored three goals for Castilla. In addition to his contributions to the reserve team, he was also part of the Real Madrid under-20s squad that won the UEFA Youth League in the 2019-20 campaign. His performance led to his first team and La Liga debut on September 20, 2020, when he came on as a substitute for Rodrygo in a 0-0 away draw against Real Sociedad.
2.2. UD Las Palmas
In August 2022, Marvin Park was loaned to UD Las Palmas, who were competing in the Segunda División at the time. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first professional goal for the club on August 22, in a dominant 4-0 away victory against Málaga CF. Throughout the 2022-23 campaign, Park featured in 24 matches, playing a significant role in Las Palmas' successful promotion to the top tier, La Liga.
Following the promotion, Park returned to Las Palmas on a second loan deal on August 18, 2023, for the entire 2023-24 season. This agreement included an option for the club to make the move permanent. On June 20, 2024, UD Las Palmas exercised this buyout clause, and Marvin Park officially signed a permanent four-year contract with the club, solidifying his long-term future in the Canary Islands.
3. International career
Marvin Park's international eligibility is noteworthy due to his mixed heritage. Born in Spain to a Nigerian father and a South Korean mother, he holds the option to represent any of these three nations in international football. He ultimately chose to represent Spain at the youth level. He made a single appearance for the Spain U19s on January 16, 2019, in a friendly match against Italy U19s, which ended in a 0-3 loss for Spain.
4. Honours
Marvin Park has achieved the following significant team title in his career:
- UEFA Youth League: 2019-20 (with Real Madrid youth)
5. Career statistics
The following table details Marvin Park's professional club appearances and goals by season and competition.
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Real Madrid Castilla | 2019-20 | Segunda División B | 26 | 3 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 26 | 3 | ||
| 2020-21 | 11 | 1 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | ||||
| 2021-22 | Primera División RFEF | 22 | 0 | - | - | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | |||
| Total | 59 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 4 | ||
| Real Madrid | 2020-21 | La Liga | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Las Palmas (loan) | 2022-23 | Segunda División | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | |
| 2023-24 | La Liga | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
| Total | 38 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 101 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 102 | 5 | ||