HOW WAS I AS A PLAYER? WELL, I WAS NOT A STAR!

HOW would Rafa Benitez the manager rate Rafa Benitez the player?

Benitez has achieved far more as a boss than on the pitch, where he was a budding star in the Real Madrid academy. Asked to describe himself as a player, the Newcastle manager said: “I could understand the game, but I was not a star. I was playing as a holding midfielder, but my best position was as a sweeper.

“I could see the game and I could talk. I could see the movements.

“I was not the quickest over short distances, but I had the vision and, technically, I was fine. I was fine in the air. But I did not have the level to be a Real Madrid player.”

Benitez (above) joined Real at 13, and went on to play for their ‘Aficionados’ team and Castilla in the second division. He played for Spain Under-19s at the World Student games, but was injured by a hard tackle, a moment that would ruin his chances of being a major player.

He explained: “When I was 11, we won the school competition in Madrid and, believe me, that is massive. There are many good teams. I was captain of the team. I was always in football. The best players from the school go to Real Madrid for a trial. I was taken on.

“I was then promoted to the Castilla Under-15 team, I was only 13. We played against Barcelona in the final of the youth cup and we won. After that, I went to the university national team in 1979.

“We were in Mexico City when Pietro Mennea set a new world record for the 200m. But I injured my knee while we were there and I had problems for six months. Real Madrid sent me out on loan. I had problems every year in my knee and had to retire, aged 26.

“I then started coaching the Under-16s at Real Madrid and we won the league. After that, I went to the Under-19s, and we won the double. Then I was assistant to Vicente del Bosque, with the first team.”

Who was his playing hero? “Beckenbauer. I liked to play in this way. I remember I was working for Eurosport, Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund, and I sat down before the game doing the make-up and Beckenbauer tapped me on the head.

“That was a good moment!”