SPANISH FOOTBALLING great Emilio Butragueno, who earned himself the nickname “The Vulture”, is expected to deliver the feature address at Saturday’s launch of the Atlantic Real Madrid Foundation Social Sports School.
The launch will be held at Jaffa at the Oval, Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain.
Sports Minister Anil Roberts is due to attend the function, as well as Spanish Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Joaquin Laborde and officials from Atlantic LNG Company of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Social Sports School, which will be based at St Dominic’s Home in Belmont, is part of Atlantic’s partnership with Real Madrid Foundation to establish a football training school for underprivileged children.
According to a media release, “this youth and football development initiative reflects Atlantic’s commitment to create opportunities for the present and future generations.
“The Foundation is the social responsibility arm of Real Madrid, and its main goal is to promote values inherent in sport, and to use sport as an educational tool, both in Spain and the rest of the world.”
The 48-year-old Butragueno played professionally for Real Madrid from 1984-1995 where he scored 123 goals in 341 appearances. He moved to Club Celaya in Mexico where he netted 29 times in 91 games.
During his international career from 1984-1992, he notched 26 goals in 69 games (the fifth highest in Spain’s list, behind Raul, David Villa, Fernando Hierro and Fernando Morientes). He also played in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups, in Mexico and Italy respectively.
He retired in April 1998, and was known as the Gentleman of the Pitch since he never received a single red card during his entire career.
Butragueno was instrumental in Madrid’s success at the UEFA Cup in 1985 and 1986, as well as Spanish League crowns from 1986-1990, and in 1995.
Source: www.newsday.co.tt