From Hadú’s streets to Bernabéu

Photos: Courtesy Fundación Real Madrid, Real Madrid & Pirri

In Ceuta, the neighbourhood of San José Hadú buzzes with life. Among its network of streets, where cultures and generations coexist, a young man grew up who, without knowing it, would set the pace for Spanish football for more than two decades. José Martínez Sánchez, “Pirri”, was born there in 1945. The sea, the mix of accents and the intensity of a border city accompanied him in his formative years, forging a strong, disciplined and determined character. Those early years, in a Ceuta still lacking in major sports infrastructure but brimming with passion for the ball, marked the beginning of a career that is now recognised as one of the most complete and exemplary in Real Madrid’s history.

His first team was Atlético de Ceuta. At the age of 18, he already stood out for his vision, dedication and leadership on the pitch. Shortly afterwards, he signed for Granada CF, where a single season was enough for Real Madrid to take notice of him. There was no doubt about it. On November 8^th, 1964, at just 19 years of age, he made his debut with the first team in a Derby against FC Barcelona. The setting was no longer a square in Hadú, but the Santiago Bernabéu.

An unforgettable story

The white shirt fit him like a second skin, and his most representative number was 8, the number he wore most often on the pitch during his years as a midfielder. That number accompanied his seasons of splendour, his role as captain and his battles in Europe. It was not just any number. He also wore the number 4 at different stages of his career, especially when he was required to play as a sweeper or in more defensive roles. Both numbers on his back symbolised order, dedication and leadership. For 16 seasons, he was the guiding light of Madrid, the player who turned every match into a lesson in character.

Resilience and leadership

Pirri's physical toughness was part of his legend. He played in European finals with fractures, with fever, with his arm in a sling or a broken collarbone. It was not recklessness; it was an unshakeable conviction: duty to the badge. The club recognised this attitude with the Real Madrid Laureate, the highest distinction ever awarded in the history of the team. Only he and Goyo Benito have it. It was Santiago Bernabéu himself who personally awarded it to him, impressed by his courage in the 1971 European Cup Winners’ Cup final. A historic gesture that sealed not only the club’s respect, but also the admiration of the man who gave his name to the stadium and his soul to the team.

On 11 November 2023, he was unanimously elected honorary president of Real Madrid. Not as a nostalgic gesture, but as recognition of an impeccable career that had begun decades earlier on the humble pitches of Ceuta.

Ceuta as his origin, Madrid as his legacy 

Pirri never forgot his roots. The discipline he inherited from his hometown, his Ceuta spirit, and the coexistence of cultures he grew up with shaped him as a footballer, but also as a doctor, a leader and a symbol. From the southern shore of the Strait, that boy from Hadú reached the heights of European sport, with the number 8 sewn on his back and his heart given to every game.

His name is not only part of Madrid’s history. It is part of Ceuta’s history. A city that, like him, knows what it means to resist, move forward and shine.