Emilio Butragueño

Emilio Butragueño is undoubtedly one of the greatest talents in the history of Spanish football and one of the greatest legends in the history of Real Madrid, with whom he enjoyed a prosperous period in the 1980s and 1990s.

688

Games

263

Goals

117

Assists

Trophies

1981/83 Real Madrid Castilla (ESP) 65 matches, 37 goals

1983/95 Real Madrid (ESP) 463 matches, 171 goals

(Spanish League: 341 matches, 123 goals)

(Spanish Cup: 47 matches, 21 goals)

(European Champion Clubs' Cup: 29 matches, 17 goals)

(UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 4 matches, 2 goals)

(UEFA Cup: 42 matches, 8 goals)

1995/98 Atletico Celaya (MEX) 91 matches, 29 goals

With the National Team :

69 caps, 26 goals

(Friendly matches: 22 caps, 11 goals)

(World Cup Qualifiers: 13 caps, 4 goals)

(World Cup: 7 caps, 5 goals)

(Euro Qualifiers: 13 caps, 5 goals)

(Euro: 3 caps, 1 goal)

First cap: October 17, 1984 against Wales (3-0)

Last cap: November 18, 1992 against Ireland (0-0)

Amateur: 1 cap, 1 goal

U21: 5 caps, 2 goals

Emilio Butragueño Santos

Born July 22, 1963 in Madrid (ESP)

Spanish, Striker, Right-Winger, Left-Winger, Second Striker, 170 cm

Nicknames: El Buitre, El Caballero de la Cancha

The young phenomenon of the 80s

Emilio Butragueño was born on July 22, 1963, in Madrid, Spain. The son of a father passionate about Real Madrid, he watched his beloved club's matches from a very young age, and in 1981, at the age of 18, he joined Real Madrid's Castilla team. Finally, in 1984, under the command of another, if not the club's greatest, legend, Alfredo Di Stéfano, he made his debut with the Real Madrid first team. On his La Liga debut, he scored twice and instantly won the hearts of the fans.

During his time at his beloved club, he won six La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey titles, two Spanish Super Cups, one Spanish League Cup, and, most importantly, two legendary Europa League titles for the club. He was an incredible phenomenon, winning the European Youth Player of the Year award twice in 1985 and 1986.

An absolute legend of Real Madrid

Very fast and technical, he was also a very good defender in the box and an excellent passer. But his greatest, often overlooked strength was his remarkable ability to always position himself well. Along with Hugo Sánchez, he formed one of the best duos of all time. Playing everywhere up front in his early days, he reached his full potential as a second striker.

During the 1985/86 season, he finished third in the Ballon d'Or after a fine season in which he scored 14 goals and provided 10 assists in 49 matches. Far from being a player with incredible stats, he was more focused on the beautiful game. At the height of his powers, he achieved a second podium finish, finishing third in the 1987 Ballon d'Or after a season with 19 goals and 12 assists in 45 games.

Very consistent in his statistics, he continued to achieve seasons with more than 10 goals and 10 assists. During the 1988/89 season, he scored 22 goals and provided 17 assists in 49 games. He then had a string of excellent seasons and continued to inspire his club's fans until 1995, at the age of 32.

A football legend from the 80s

His international career with La Roja was somewhat disappointing, although he did reach the Euro final in 1984, but he did not play in the competition. Small but lively, he put in a historic performance against Denmark in the 1986 World Cup quarter-finals: 4 goals from 4 shots, 2 successful dribbles, 2 penalties won, 43 touches of the ball, 71% pass completion, 2 key passes, 2 fouls won and 4 interceptions. In total, he played 69 times for his country, scoring 26 goals.

In 1995, he left Real Madrid, making way for a new young player, Raúl. He then signed for the modest Mexican club Atlético Celaya, which he led to a runner-up finish in 1996. He retired in 1998, at the age of 35.