Emilio Butragueño remains one of Spain's most celebrated forwards and a favourite among collectors and fans alike, a profile frequently featured on Walkouts for authenticated items. Born on 22 July 1963 in Madrid, he rose through Real Madrid's youth ranks before establishing himself as a leading striker in the 1980s and early 1990s. His elegance on the ball, intelligent movement and clinical finishing made him a defining figure in a golden era for the club, while his name now appears on sought after signed shirts and authentic autograph memorabilia.
Butragueño's early career followed a steady climb through the Real Madrid system. After joining the club's youth setup in 1981, he made a memorable senior debut under Alfredo Di Stéfano on 5 February 1984, scoring twice and assisting a third in a comeback win at Cádiz. Later the same year he announced himself on the European stage with a hat trick in a UEFA Cup third round tie on 12 December 1984 against Anderlecht, a performance that helped propel Real Madrid to the trophy.
Across a dozen seasons at the club he became a consistent goalscorer and a central figure of La Quinta del Buitre, a celebrated cohort that included Míchel, Manolo Sanchís, Rafael Martín Vázquez and Miguel Pardeza. For Real Madrid he scored 123 La Liga goals in 341 appearances, and collected multiple honours including five La Liga titles, two UEFA Cups and two Copa del Rey trophies. Individually he won the Bravo Award in 1985 and 1986, placed third in the Ballon d'Or voting in 1986 and 1987, and claimed the Pichichi Trophy in 1990-91.
Internationally Butragueño earned 69 caps for Spain, scoring 26 goals. He made his debut on 17 October 1984 and was an influential figure at the 1986 World Cup, finishing as the tournament's Silver Boot winner after netting four times in the memorable 5-1 victory over Denmark in the round of 16. He also featured for Spain at the 1990 World Cup and in European Championship campaigns, leaving a clear mark on the national side.
After losing a regular place at Real Madrid, mainly following the emergence of Raúl, Butragueño moved to Mexico in June 1995 to play for Atlético Celaya, where he completed three seasons before retiring in April 1998. Throughout his career he was noted for sportsmanship, famously never receiving a red card, a trait often highlighted in provenance notes that accompany signed items and match-worn merchandise.
For collectors, Butragueño pieces combine sporting significance with strong provenance. Signed shirts, authenticated autographs, match-used memorabilia and curated collectibles tied to his peak years at Real Madrid carry clear provenance markers such as match dates, competition details and photographic confirmation. These verification details are central to the collector market and to the acceptance of items as genuine memorabilia among clubs, historians and enthusiasts.
Emilio Butragueño's legacy endures both on the pitch and in collections; his achievements, from early debuts to European triumphs and World Cup performances, continue to attract interest and to validate authenticated pieces to new generations of fans. As collectors browse offerings, the provenance of each item helps tell the story of a beloved striker, and his name remains a prominent and trusted presence in football memorabilia circles on Walkouts.
