Rafael Benítez
Football, Football team manager
1960 –
Who is Rafael Benítez?
Rafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a Spanish football manager, and former player. He is currently manager of Napoli.
Born in Madrid, Benítez played football throughout his youth and joined the Real Madrid academy. He mixed his university studies with his football career at lower division Spanish teams. He joined Real Madrid's coaching staff at the age of 26, going on to work as the under 19 and reserve team coach, and assistant manager for the senior team. Benítez moved away from Real Madrid, but management spells at Real Valladolid and Osasuna were short-lived and unsuccessful.
Benítez guided Segunda División side Extremadura back to the Primera División in his first season in 1997, but the team was relegated the following season. He left the club, taking a brief break from football before returning to coach Tenerife in 2000. Benítez was appointed coach of Valencia and he proved himself to be amongst the top Spanish managers by winning La Liga in the 2001–02 season—Don Balón and El País named him Manager of the Year. In 2004, another La Liga league title and a UEFA Cup victory were added. However, a disagreement between Benítez and the club director over team investment caused the Spaniard to switch to English Premier League club Liverpool.
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- Born
- Apr 16, 1960
Madrid - Also known as
- Rafael Benitez
- Parents
- Spouses
- Maria de Montserrat
(1998 - )
- Maria de Montserrat
- Children
- Religion
- Catholicism
- Ethnicity
- Spanish people
- Nationality
- Spain
- Profession
- Lived in
- Madrid
Submitted
on July 23, 2013
Citation
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"Rafael Benítez." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/rafael_benitez>.
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