Miguel Ángel Martín Duque from Lanzarote dreamed as a child of becoming a professional handball player. Now, having just turned 16, he lives and studies in La Masía, the FC Barcelona sports city, and is starting a new season with the club's Youth category.
He enjoyed handball and sailing with his family. Meanwhile, at school he shared recess time with his classmates playing soccer. The passion for handball came to him inherited from his father, his brother and his uncle. They were all already players of this sport at CB San José Obrero. "Since he was a baby we would go with the stroller and put him to watch the games, so it comes from a young age," reveals his mother Doris Duque in an interview with La Voz.
From the beginning and until his departure to Barça, Miguel Ángel enjoyed his time at the Arrecife club. It was from there that he captivated those who saw him play, which made his name sound to wear the national colors with the Royal Spanish Handball Federation. The native of Lanzarote began to leave the island with the Canary Islands Handball Team in the Children's category.
"Miguel Ángel has good qualities, he is left-handed, big for his age. He was always big and kept growing, he was good at handball and everyone started talking about him and the word spread," explains his father Juan Carlos Martín during the interview. "Everyone, people out there, not only from Lanzarote but from other islands were talking about him, and they are the ones who tell the Spanish Federation that there is a boy here, who is so tall and is standing out," says his father.
That was the first step, the beginning of the ladder that led him to receive an offer from the base categories of the National Team to play some games with only 13 years old.
"I didn't expect it, but I felt a lot of joy when I received the news that I was called up," begins the player from Lanzarote. "It was in quarantine and we had some moves and, suddenly, the news arrives that he is called up for the national team and of course, that was the moment of his life, yes or yes he had to go," adds his father Juan Carlos Martín.
The good rumors about the game of the player from Lanzarote led other clubs to be interested and to present offers to have the minor among their ranks. "People started telling me from third parties that they were interested, both Barça and other clubs," he points out. The call that changed Miguel Ángel's future was made by the former FC Barcelona handball player Raúl Entrerríos. Despite his parents' doubts, the Canary Islander was clear that he wanted to wear the blue and garnet jersey.
At that moment, despite the fact that Miguel Ángel was already clear that he wanted to accept the offer, his parents faced doubts. "He was 14 years old, you are not prepared for that, although you want him to leave, because he is going to a place where he is going to be well. From there, we arranged an appointment in Barcelona," his parents narrate. At that moment, the family was able to see the facilities that the club offered him to prepare as an athlete but also as a student. At that moment he still had to pass one last test.
In a week in La Masía they were able to see the facilities, attend training sessions and discover what the near future of the player from Lanzarote could be like. Now, the window of the room in which Miguel Ángel lives during the season overlooks the pavilion of the Johan Cruyff soccer field, where the Barcelona soccer players play. "Being in there is like a dream," confesses his mother Doris Duque. In one of his visits they were able to see Alexia Putellas, a part of this dream from which he does not want to wake up.
"This boy never watches TV except for sports. When he was little he would get to the corner of the door and move his butt if there was music and he would go out throwing. Now if there were sports he would stay there and say with five years old I'm going to be there on TV. He has been clear about it all his life and has always told us to enjoy that soon I'm leaving", says Doris Duque
In his new stage, the coordination between the club and his family is constant. From there they offer him a place to reside, where to train and prioritize that he maintains a good level in his studies. In this time, Miguel Ángel has had to learn Catalan in order to study fourth grade of ESO. Subjects such as Physics and Chemistry or Biology are also taught in Catalan.
But the language has not been his great challenge, changing scenery and taking a great leap of demand, yes. "The truth is that at the beginning it was a little more difficult for me because you are going to be playing here in Lanzarote that after all there is not so much level and you arrive in Barcelona that with those who are there are the best in Spain and it shows, but now quite well adapted", has confessed the player from Teguise. 
"I'm going there because here in Lanzarote I was not going to be able to reach what I want to reach and, after all, I have to make sacrifices to be where I want to be in a few years", says Miguel Ángel Martín in an interview from Teguise, a few days before leaving for Barcelona to start the pre-season with the Catalans for the second year. This time he expects an even greater demand, as he will start his first year with the Youth category of the team. From there he will be one step closer to the first team.
Training starts at 7.30 in the morning, before starting classes. Also in summer he has had to train to not lose the work of this last year. The demand in La Masía, to stay in the club is high, they must show a good performance, but also face new additions to the team that can shake their position.
Also, his family is focused on that, whatever happens in the world of handball, his son has guaranteed a future, with a good education. "They told us that there he would not have time to get bored or think, because he will be focused on studies and sports. In addition, they have a school support service to finish homework," explains his mother.
In a few years, this young promise of handball dreams of "living from handball, which is quite difficult and then winning competitions with the Spanish Absolute National Team and with Barça as well", he confesses to this newspaper. Since last August 21 he has been working on the pre-season. He has also been called to the Technification days of the Spanish National Team between September 12 and 19.
Last season the player from Lanzarote was crowned champion of the EHF Europa Open with the Spanish Handball National Team Hispano Promesas. However, it has not been the only title in his record in just one season. He also became champion of Catalonia, champion of the Mini Copa del Rey, champion of Spain in Cadet, runner-up of Spain in the category of autonomous selections, champion of the Four Nations trophy with the National Team and the award for the most valuable player.
To tackle these changes and face his new life where he must maintain a high performance, La Masía has a team of psychologists, the psychologist of FC Barcelona and the chief psychologist of La Masía, who work with minors and elite athletes.
Despite the demand, this young man from Lanzarote, with 16 years old this Saturday, September 2, dreams from La Masía of living from handball.
