Real Madrid Femenino may have found a new superstar

Real Madrid Femenino started the 2023-24 season with devastating news. Caroline Weir, one of the best players on the planet and arguably the MVP of Liga F last season, went down with an ACL tear. The Scottish international is beyond irreplaceable to Las Blancas, looking at what she did in an unforgettable first season in the Spanish capital.

On the bright side for Madrid, it looks like they have found another attacking superstar so that when Weir is ready to return next season, she will have an elite goal-scorer to work with. Of course, Madrid's scouting department likely isn't surprised that the highly talented Signe Bruun has panned out, having been a bit of a buried gem on the beyond-loaded Lyon roster.

Through five Liga F matches, Signe Bruun has already found the back of the net four times, averaging over 1.3 goals per 90. That ranks her first in the league, ahead of her teammate Naomie Feller.

Athenea del Castillo, Caroline Møller, Caicedo, and Feller help round out a Real Madrid attack that is still high-octane even without playmaker extraordinaire Weir pulling the strings at the heart of it all. After Esther González left for Gotham FC, having been one of the most prolific goal-scorers in Spanish football, Real Madrid need someone to step up in the No. 9 role to put home all the chances being created from the midfield and wings.

Enter Signe Bruun. The 2021 Danish Footballer of the Year has always had the quality to be one of the best goal-scorers in world football; she just needed the right opportunity. At 25 years of age, she still hasn't entered her peak, but she is already looking like an absolute monster in front of goal now that she has the opportunity to be Madrid's latest Galáctica after the 2022 Weir signing. She is almost automatic when she gets a big chance, and she is so good off the ball at putting herself in a position to get those kinds of chances. That's the most important thing, even above the admittedly nebulous definition of "finishing".

Real Madrid have the ultimate goal of finally dethroning Barcelona in Liga F and becoming a perennial Champions League contender in their own right. That will take time, but with legitimate superstar additions like Weir and Signe Bruun, Las Blancas seem to be accelerating their squad development process. The pieces haven't quite all come together, but Madrid are close. Right now, they are only behind Barça at the top of the table by goal difference.

Players like Weir, Feller, and Caicedo will be on more highlight reels and have more skill, but players like Signe Bruun are just as vital to true title contenders. Real Madrid have been looking for a consistent, dynamic goal-scorer with the upside to keep improving over the next five seasons. In Signe Bruun, Madrid have seemingly found that woman, and she could very well follow in Weir's footsteps as a legitimate Ballon d'Or contender in her first season with Las Blancas if she keeps this scoring rate up. Her instincts and finishing are no fluke at all.