Emilio Butragueño Facts for Kids

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Butragueño and the second or maternal family name is Santos.

Quick facts for kids
Emilio Butragueño

Butragueño in 2024

Personal information

Full name

Emilio Butragueño Santos

Date of birth

22 July 1963 (age 62)

Place of birth

Madrid, Spain

Height

1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)

Position(s)

Striker

Youth career

Casariche

1981–1982

Real Madrid

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps

(Gls)

1982–1984

Real Madrid B

(37)

1984–1995

Real Madrid

341

(123)

1995–1998

Celaya

(29)

Total

497

(189)

International career

1983–1984

Spain U21

(2)

1984

Spain amateur

(1)

1984–1992

Spain

(26)

Medal record

UEFA European Championship

Representing Spain
Runner-up	1984 France

*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Emilio Butragueño Santos, born on July 22, 1963, is a famous Spanish former professional footballer. He played as a striker, which means he was mainly responsible for scoring goals.

He is best known for his time playing for Real Madrid, one of the biggest football clubs in the world. People nicknamed him El Buitre, which means "The Vulture". He was part of a famous group of players called La Quinta del Buitre (The Vulture's Cohort). This group included his teammates Manolo Sanchís, Rafael Martín Vázquez, Míchel, and Miguel Pardeza.

Butragueño scored 123 goals in 341 games for Real Madrid in the La Liga (Spain's top football league) over 12 seasons. He also played for the Spanish national team in two World Cups and two European Championships. He scored 26 goals for his country, a record that stood for many years.

His Club Football Journey
Representing His Country
After Football: A New Role
Awards and Trophies
See also

His Club Football Journey

In 1981, Emilio Butragueño joined the youth system of Real Madrid. He first played for their reserve team, Real Madrid B. His big moment came on February 5, 1984, when he made his first team debut. The legendary coach Alfredo Di Stéfano gave him the chance to play against Cádiz CF.

Butragueño made an amazing start. Real Madrid was losing 2-0, but he scored two goals and helped set up another. This helped his team win the game 3-2! Later that year, on December 12, he played his first game in a European competition. He scored three goals in a 6-1 win against R.S.C. Anderlecht in the UEFA Cup. Real Madrid went on to win this competition that season.

During the 1980s, Butragueño was a key player for Real Madrid. He helped the team win many trophies. He won the European Bronze award for best footballer two years in a row. In 1991, he won the Pichichi Trophy for being the top scorer in La Liga. He also helped Real Madrid win five La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey cups, and two UEFA Cups in a row.

In June 1995, Butragueño left Real Madrid. He had played fewer games that season, partly because a young player named Raúl was becoming very good. Butragueño then joined Atlético Celaya in Mexico. In his first year there, his team reached the final of the Liga MX. He played for three seasons in Mexico and was known as the "Gentleman of the Pitch." This was because he never received a single red card in his entire career! He retired from playing football in April 1998.

Representing His Country

Emilio Butragueño played 69 games for the Spanish national team and scored 26 goals. His first game for Spain was on October 17, 1984, against Wales. Spain won that game 3-0, and he scored the final goal. He was also part of the Spanish team that finished second in the UEFA Euro 1984 tournament.

Butragueño played a big role in the 1986 FIFA World Cup. He scored four goals in one game as Spain beat Denmark 5-1 in the round of 16. He also played in the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

After Football: A New Role

Butragueño in 2022

After he stopped playing, Butragueño continued to be involved in football. On October 19, 2004, he became the director of football for Real Madrid. He also served as the club's vice-president until the end of the 2005–06 season. Since then, he has been the head of public relations for Real Madrid. This means he helps manage the club's image and relationships with the public.

Even when he was still a player, a computer game was released in 1988 that was named after him. It was available on popular computer systems like the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and MSX.