Legends: Jose Antonio Camacho

JOSE ANTONIO CAMACHO

Jose Antonio Camacho

Jose Antonio Camacho Alfaro was born in Cieza (Murcia), June 8, 1955. He is the youngest of five children born in the marriage of Mr. Antonio Camacho and Mrs. Gregoria Alfaro. When the young Jose Antonio was 6 years old he moved with his family to Albacete, where it begins to kick for the first time a football ball.

With sixteen years makes his debut with the youth team football Albacete, lining up as a left midfielder. Soon he was known for his football qualities and is called to the youth national team by then national coach Hector Rial. Three matches he played for the Spanish youth team which serve him to jump to the first team of Albacete, which, at that time, played in the First Regional (5th Division).

But little time he was to remain in this category. Real Madrid is interested in the young player. And, of course, comes at the same time FC Barcelona. However, Camacho decides to accept the call of the Real and a few days later travels to the capital of Spain for a test in which he has to defend a man who with the passing of the years would be, like Camacho, legend of Real Madrid: Carlos Alonso "Santillana".

The test could not be more satisfactory. A few months later, March 1973, Camacho signed for the Castilla, Real Madrid's reserve team. Camacho started the season 1973/74 with the reserves and becomes one of the pillars of the team. His great performance serves to make the leap to the first team when had not finished the season. He debuts in Malaga, in a match that Real Madrid lost 1-0. It was five games to complete the league and Camacho would not move from the first team.

The misfortune visited Camacho when he lived his best football. During a training with the team, January 5, 1978, suffered a serious injury with torn meniscus and cruciate ligaments in his left knee that kept him away from the pitch for almost two years. After a first surgery, which did not produce the desired results, Camacho went back through surgery in the city of Paris on March 2, 1979.

The bravery and effort of Jose Antonio Camacho, even in training, led him to suffer the worst injury can hit a player. For more than twenty months Camacho suffered the unspeakable to return to put on his football boots, but in the end, based on sacrifice and determination, he returned to the pitch where waited for him many days of glory. It was the revival of "Phoenix Bird".

As a player was noted for his iron defenses, anticipation and speed, but why he marked an era at Real Madrid and the Spanish national team was, without doubt, his spirit of sacrifice and dedication, their desire to win and charisma that helped teamwork especially .

During the 16 years he played for Real Madrid, he won 9 Spanish leagues, 4 Spanish cups (Copa del Rey) and 2 UEFA Europe cups as main titles. Camacho played his last official match for Real Madrid on June 30, 1989. After he stayed at Real Madrid as coach of the youth teams (Castilla). Then with the passing of the years, climbed the ladder rungs of the Spanish coaches to become national coach, in a successful career.