- Full nameManuel Sanchís Hontiyuelo
- Place of birthMadrid
- Date of birth23/05/1965
The saga continues
Games played: 710
Goals scored: 40
Spanish international: 48 caps
He stood out for his calmness, restraint in defence, placement and great agility. He was a centre back that set a new standard within the Whites due to his quality as a footballer and his excellent professionalism. He was part of a generation of players that marked an era in Spanish football.
Manolo Sanchís had Real Madrid very nearby ever since childhood. Seeing his father play with the white shirt he learned how to enjoy this sport. At the age of 12 he tried out for the youth teams, and soon after he formed part of ‘La Fábrica’, as the youth teams are known. After putting his brilliant skills on show with the Under-14s and Under-19s, he was promoted to Castilla, the first team’s reserve side. Under the coaching of Amancio they were promoted to the Second Division. It was the team of the ‘Quinta del Buitre’.
With Di Stefano as the coach Sanchís made his debut with the first team together with Martin Vazquez. In 1986 the Madrid-born centre back won his first La Liga title, the first of five consecutive titles. Five years during which the team astonished throughout the continent. That generation of players however left some unfinished work, they failed to win the European Cup.
The dream was eventually realised in 1998. Mijatovic’s goal broke the 32-year drought since the club’s last major European title. Two years later they would win again. Manolo retired from football lifting his second European Cup title and Real Madrid’s Eighth. Sanchís retired in the best way possible: entering into Real Madrid’s history books.
Honours
- 2 European Cup
- 1 Intercontinental Cup
- 2 UEFA Cup
- 8 La Liga
- 2 Copa del Rey
- 5 Spanish Super Cup
- 1 League Cup