Inside Mariano's home: The secrets of the player's childhood and family

Not much has changed beneath the surface of Mariano Diaz's life, despite the player now being a first-team squad member at Real Madrid.

The forward has always known that hard work pays off and the values his family gave him have stuck with him and have been rewarded.

Now back in Premia de Mar on holiday, Mariano invited MARCA to his home where we were shown around and met some of his family.

"Mariano was a very good boy as a child," the player's mother Mariana happily remembered when MARCA visited the player's home.

"He always played with his brother at home.

"The walls were stained with ball marks, the sofas were used as goal...

"I always said that I wouldn't buy a new sofa until they grew up because if I bought a new one they'd tear it to pieces."

Mariano hasn't changed much since those days, whether it's his Dominican diet or circle of friends being considered.

"His friends are the same as when he was five years old," his mother said.

Football and sport have long been important to the Diaz family, and Mariano's determination and perseverance is something that has come from his heritage.

"The characteristic of not giving up comes from my grandfather," he said himself.

"He was a footballer too and he instilled it in me.

"He said that spirit can take you further."

Mariano's father, meanwhile, chose weightlifting as his sport of choice and he was a Spanish national champion before opening a gym in Premia de Mar, which remains open.

"Sometimes I went with him to the gym," the No.7 explained.

"While he was working I learnt to do stretches and preventive exercises, which have all been good for my career."