Álvaro Benito

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Benito and the second or maternal family name is Villar.

Álvaro Benito Villar (born 10 December 1976) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a left midfielder. He later worked as a Rock musician.

Álvaro Benito

Personal information
Full name	Álvaro Benito Villar
Date of birth	(1976-12-10) 10 December 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth	Salamanca, Spain
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
	Ávila
1991–1994	Real Madrid
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1994–1995	Real Madrid C	20	(1)
1995–1997	Real Madrid B	12	(2)
1995–2002	Real Madrid	21	(2)
1997–1998	→ Tenerife (loan)	2	(1)
2001–2002	Real Madrid B	11	(1)
2002–2003	Getafe	6	(0)
Total		72	(7)
International career
1992–1993	Spain U16	13	(0)
1993–1995	Spain U18	5	(1)
1996	Spain U21	1	(0)
Managerial career
2015–2019	Real Madrid (youth)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Álvaro Benito
Genres	Rock pop rock pop punk
Occupations	Singer-songwriter guitarist
Instruments	Vocals guitar

Club career

Born in Salamanca, Region of León, Benito emerged through Real Madrid's youth ranks, making his senior debut not yet aged 18 with the C team. He progressed to the reserves the following year.^[1][2]

Benito was relatively used by the main squad in the 1995–96 season,^[3] and contributed seven matches the following campaign as they were crowned La Liga champions.^[4] In November 1996, he suffered a severe knee injury from which he would never fully recover, undergoing three operations in only four months in 1998 in Pittsburgh, United States; he was involved in a car accident afterwards, which further curtailed his recovering process.^[5]

After one unassuming loan with CD Tenerife and another spell with Castilla, Benito was released by Real Madrid in summer 2002, joining city neighbours Getafe CF of Segunda División.^[6] He appeared rarely for his new club, again due to injury.^[7]

After retiring, Benito was in charge of several of Real's youth sides, starting with the Alevín B in 2015.^[8][9][10] He was dismissed in late February 2019, due to criticism of the first team following a 0–3 home defeat against FC Barcelona in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey on a radio show.^[11]

International career

Benito won his only cap for the Spain under-21 side on 12 November 1996, coming on as a late substitute for FC Barcelona's Roger García in a 1–1 home draw against Slovakia for the 1998 UEFA European Championship qualifiers, but being stretchered off shortly after with a serious injury that all but ended his career.^[12][5]

Musical career

During his rehabilitation period, Benito started playing guitar and writing songs, going on to put together a band, Pignoise. The group, which also featured another former footballer, Héctor Polo (Real Zaragoza, Rayo Vallecano), eventually used many of the songs he composed prior to its creation.^[13]

Honours

Real Madrid

• La Liga: 1996–97^[4]

Spain U16

• UEFA European Under-16 Championship runner-up: 1992