El Cordobés facts for kids
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El Cordobés on 19 September 1966
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Manuel Benítez Pérez |
| Nickname(s) | El Cordobés (The Cordovan) |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Born | 4 May 1936 Palma del Río, Andalusia, Spain |
| Position | Matador, actor, bullfighter |
Manuel Benítez Pérez (born May 4, 1936) is a famous Spanish bullfighter. He is better known by his nickname, El Cordobés, which means "The Cordovan." He became very popular in the 1960s.
El Cordobés was known for his exciting and unusual style in the bullring. He brought a new, acrobatic way of performing that made him a big star. He was also an actor.
Becoming a Bullfighting Star
El Cordobés showed his unique style early in his career. He would perform daring moves that surprised everyone. For example, he had a special way of using his banderillas. These are colorful sticks with sharp points that bullfighters place on the bull's back.
He would sometimes stand with his back to the bull as it charged. Then, at the last moment, he would move his leg. This made the bull swerve, allowing him to place the banderillas very close to the bull's horn. He even did more dangerous versions of this move. Sometimes he would stand with his back to the wall of the bullring.
On May 20, 1964, El Cordobés made his first appearance in Madrid at a famous bullring called Las Ventas. During this fight, he was badly hurt by the bull. But just 22 days later, he was back in the bullring, ready to fight again! This showed how brave and determined he was.
Retirement and Return
By 1971, El Cordobés decided to retire from bullfighting for the first time. At this point, he had become the highest-paid matador in history. A matador is the main bullfighter who performs the final part of the bullfight.
After eight years away from the bullring, he returned to bullfighting in 1979. He continued to make occasional appearances as a matador until the year 2000. That's when he retired permanently.
El Cordobés also appeared in several movies. Today, he lives a quiet life near Córdoba. In 2016, he even appeared with other bullfighters, Conchi Ríos and Antonio Puerta, in a bullfight in Cehegín.
El Cordobés in Books and Music
El Cordobés's life story has inspired many artists.
- A book about his early life was written by journalists Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre. It was called Or I'll Dress You in Mourning and came out in 1968.
- In 1966, a French-Italian singer named Dalida released an album called "El Cordobes." The first song on the album was also named "Manuel Benitez 'El Cordobes'." You can find this song in both Spanish and French.
- His story was also used for a musical called Matador in 1987.
- A poet named Mike O'Connor wrote a poem about him called "Canción del Cordobés." It was about his amazing performances in Mexico City in 1964. This poem was part of his book When the Tiger Weeps (2005).
- A Norwegian rap artist named Diaz also performed a song titled "El Cordobés."
See also
- List of bullfighters
In Spanish: Manuel Benítez, el Cordobés para niños
