Full Name: José María Gutiérrez Hernández
Alias: Guti
Place of Birth: Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain
Date of Birth: 31/10/1976
Position: Midfielder
Weight: 168 lbs / 76 kg
Height: 6’1” / 185 cm
Nationality: Spanish
‘Madridista’ is the perfect word to describe Guti. The player has spent most of his life with Real Madrid and is a great example of the kind of talent that emerges from the youth system. Guti has played for almost every youth team since his arrival at the age of nine and has been considered as a special player by every one of his coaches. His rise to stardom kicked into high gear when he averaged 30 goals per season with the Under-20 team, and he wasn’t even played as a striker!
He joined Real Madrid B (now Castilla) for the 1995/96 campaign, during which his one-of-a-kind passing and class A attitude caught the attention of Jorge Valdano, who gave him the chance of making his First Team debut on 2 December 1995 against Sevilla; a match the Whites won 4-1.
Guti got his first real break in top flight football from Vicente del Bosque, who stepped in for John Benjamin Toshack and managed to lead the club to its eighth European Cup in 1999/00. Hours on end in the gymnasium and drastic improvements to his physiognomy earned Guti, until then a tactical, but frail magician, consistent playing time as well as his first call-up from the Spanish national team.
The Madridista finally established himself as a member of the First Team one year later. After replacing injured Fernando Morientes, he paired up with Raúl and scored 14 goals, which played a decisive role in the team’s 28th League title.
Coaches have always taken special interest in Guti because he can adjust to any position on the pitch. He natural position is that of attacking midfielder, but he has also been lined up as a second striker, a left winger, and a defensive midfielder.
In November 2006 Guti signed a contract extension with Real Madrid through 30 June 2010.
