A Day with a Professional Footballer: Orel Mangala
Welcome to the FIRST EPISODE of LALIGA ROOKIES! In this new series, we follow the players making their debut this season in LALIGA EA SPORTS 2026/27 up close and in a 100 per cent natural way. We kick off with Orel Mangala, the 28-year-old Belgian midfielder who, after playing in major European leagues, joined Getafe CF this summer. We tag along for a full day’s training: he shows us around the facilities, tells us why he decided to sign for the Azulones, and we get an up-close look at what day-to-day training is like under José Bordalás. 💬 Which other new signing or debutant would you like to see in the next episode of LALIGA ROOKIES? Let us know in the comments! LALIGARookies LALIGAEASPORTS OrelMangala GetafeCF Subscribe to the LALIGA EA SPORTS channel: http://goo.gl/Cp0tC
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Hi, I'm Orurel Johnson Mangala. I'm 28 years old from Belgium. uh playing as a central midfield infe [music] [music] [music] how have been your first days here the training sessions >> it's good so Oh, it's >> it's hot. >> But yeah, it's good. It's good. I enjoy it. >> What do you prefer? Training in the morning or in the afternoon? >> I don't like in the afternoon to be honest. I prefer in the morning. Even though we train very early, it's better because after you have the whole day to to do whatever you want. [music] But yeah, I'm I'm getting to know the the city also. So, it's great. I never been in Madrid before. >> Really? >> Only once because I played the in the youth league against Real Madrid. >> Mhm. >> But that's that was the only time. >> And how are you? How is how is your Spanish? >> My Spanish. [laughter] >> My Spanish is not bad. >> Not bad. >> No, it's not bad. I understand a lot. >> Ah, okay. >> I understand a lot because uh when I was in Germany, I used to do a Spanish class and uh also I speak uh a little bit Portuguese. Uh, do you listen to anything coming to training that pumps you up >> music? Music wise >> or podcast? >> No, I don't listen to podcast right now. Uh, yeah, a lot of music. I like uh hip-hop, American hip-hop, French music, sometimes Spanish also. It depends. I can I can adapt. [music] >> Like today with the French, it's uh for me it's the first time I will meet them. So, it's to kind of have a connection with them. And um yeah, get ready for the game on Thursday is the most important. >> Do you think it's important the connection with fans? >> Yeah, very important. I think it's very important for a player to feel uh the love and the affection from the fans and yeah looking forward for [music] when you come it's important to to feel directly involved and that's what happened. >> Did you already know anyone? Did you have uh did you speak with anyone before coming in? >> Yeah, I knew Martin Satiano because I played with him in Leon. >> So before coming uh I was in touch with him. So we we exchanged. >> What did he say? >> He said that I should come. [music] [laughter] [music] >> Hola. Let me show you a bit about the training facilities. Let's go. [music] So, here is the gym. It's an essential part of our routine before and after training. So yeah, we pay attention to to go there and uh to work hard >> influence the this routine in your in your training and your daily life. >> It's very important because I think uh the training are intense. So you need to be ready to you need to make your body ready to for the training. Yeah. >> This season you're playing in in Europe. Uh you've already played these types of competitions. Um do you see the team excited? How's the how's the atmosphere here? >> Oh, the atmosphere is beautiful. We know that uh it's something special for the club. So now we we have a a tour to qualify and uh everybody is focused on this. >> Was the fact that is competing uh in Europe a major factor when deciding to come here? I don't think it was a major factor, but when you have European competition, it's always good because you have more games. And yeah, luckily GAF had this opportunity, so it was even better. [music] Breakfast at the breakfast over there. >> Mhm. Yeah, that's where we spend the the most of the time in the morning because after we go to training and then you have your routine with massage and stuff so you don't you're not always together. >> Mhm. >> But that's where we are really all together in the breakfast. Hola. Hola. Gracias. >> Is there any player that you'd like to trade jerseys with? >> Oh, in La Liga. Maybe Rodri. >> Rodri. >> Um, is there a specific stadium that you're most excited to see this season? >> Yes, plenty. There there is a lot. Uh I think Bilbao I want to see uh soad Benabu I never played inside. Uh new camp Valencia I like beautiful stadium uh quite a lot. There's a a lot of nice stadium. Let's go. >> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> And um whether it's here or in the locker room and at the stadium Do you have anything specific? Any family photos? Anything that's symbolic to you? >> Yeah, my my phone screen is always my daughter and me. Uh I have also some uh Polaroids pictures of me and my daughter, me and my niece and me and my brothers that I put always in the dressing room. So yeah, it's always with me. somebody else. [music] [music] >> Is the coach um emphasizing or asking something specific of you? uh the coach asked me to to be dominant in both aspect of the game. So offensively and defensively to win draws uh to play forward there. I think that's that's the mentality that uh the coach wants. >> How are you finding your position here? Um how does that differ from other places? How are you finding your your place in in the team? >> Um I think here I'm more of a holding midfield. That's a position I've been playing for the last 3 years I think. Uh it's a position that I know but I've been playing also higher and so I think in my position [music] my way of playing I'm should be able to play in the three position in midfield and I have no problem against it. [music] What do you have to bring to La Liga in this aspect? Uh I think movement uh on the ball uh without the ball uh wind draws play forward. I think La Liga is uh Spain is a football they they play forward and attractive football and that's what uh I want to to bring to the to the league also because it's a it's a league I always dreamed to play for. So very happy. [music] [music] It was beautiful to to wear the the shirt for the first time in a in an official game, but uh yeah, we didn't have the win. So happy about the debut, but not happy about the loss. >> You have your own mentality. How does that come into play in this in this scenario? >> Yeah, I think uh it's part of me to to be someone that never gives up uh no matter what happened. I've been also injured uh almost 2 years ago. So uh it was good also to remind me that uh even with tough time you can come back and and [music] be the player you always been. So yeah, very important. What were your thoughts [music] when you were about to get on the pitch? >> I was excited. I was thinking that I was [music] dreaming about La Liga. So now I'm finally there. Uh I was talking a lot [music] with my family and friends before the game and they say, "Yeah, you always dreamed about this. Now you are there. So show you quality. Enjoy the game." And I think that's what I did. >> [music] [applause] >> How did the fans receive you? What was that reception like? How are you feeling that energy from from the fans, the stadium, the atmosphere? >> It was special because uh the moment uh I came to the stairs, they start uh screaming my name. >> [music] >> So yeah, it was special feeling because you always want to [music] to have a good reception and that's what I had. So I'm very thankful for that. [music] >> [screaming] >> Bye-bye. [music] Heat. [music] Heat. [music]