“I have an obligation to share it.”

In addition to being humble, Jose Manuel is also grateful. During his interview with this newspaper, he did not stop showing off his style, bringing with him some jewels from his collection, especially T-shirts worn by Pedro Beruezo, Maradona, Reyes, Dassaev and Sker. Thank you to everyone who accompanied me on this trip It started just before the coronavirus lockdown when a copy fell into his hands that fulfilled his desire for a Tottenham Hotspurs shirt. “All I can say is thank you. It is a dream, a legacy, a personal satisfaction, a happiness.” Jose Manuel, whose book is signed by Pablo Blanco and Jesús Navas, recalls that the driving force behind him completing this project was: “People have asked me this over and over again. I hope I can realize that I am curious, investigate things I don’t know, and leave something behind.. When I met Carlos Romero, he was down to earth and told me that what I wanted to do was very complicated. If you can do that, it’s clear that it worked. I was writing and editing. At home, there were more intense stages and less intense stages. There’s a moment when you see it on paper and start laying it out. “Cool,” I said as I started putting everything together using the T-shirt photos I had made in my photo studio. That seems like what I want. It was taking shape and I spoke to the club earlier this year as they were excited to have The Shield on the cover. We managed to make it happen. I talked to Pablo Blanco and he said, “Go ahead.” When Jesus Navas says yes, the moment you receive his text, you get excited and say, “I have an obligation to share it.”. This was in March or April and I haven’t slept much since then. I get goosebumps when I open it and read it.».

over 30 years José Manuel collects Sevilla FC jerseys and is currently storing them. Total 826 pieces (“Counting Goalkeeper Editions and Rarities”) and reveal it Its repertoire is increasing at a pace of about 50 pieces per year.. However, he admitted with a smile: Do you have the space in your home to double your collection?. All used or prepared for soccer playersthere are no replicas. In addition, he owns about 40 pairs of boots, captain’s armbands, and balls used in Eindhoven. An object packed with symbolism. He declares that his focus is on preservation and that he has distanced himself from business.. In fact, he regrets how the world of collecting has become perverted in recent years, but he has no plans to stop now that the book that gave him so much anxiety has seen the light of day. But he confesses that There are two T-shirts in his field of vision. And that if I got it, I’d probably let him finish it. “I have two T-shirts from the 70s that I can’t find, one with a red stripe and blue pants from 1971 to 73 when Merkel was manager. It’s an obsession and I hope it shows up someday. There’s also a red one with white trim,” he reveals. Although he was a little reluctant, he publicly acknowledged that making himself famous had its advantages and disadvantages. When you’re interested in a T-shirt, you want it because it’s worth it, just like when Monchi went to the market.». Jose Manuel won’t wear any of the shirts he collects, despite how juicy and attractive it may look to the most passionate soccer fans. For example, consider Diego Armando Maradona’s shirt: “I don’t have the courage to wear a Maradona shirt. I don’t deserve to wear Maradona’s shirt.».

A network of connections and endless stories to tell

On the back of each shirt is an anecdote that Jose Manuel remembers. Access the shirt worn by Luis Fabiano in Eindhoven through Middlesbrough’s kitman Or how Andres Palop has shown generosity and trust. A guard shirt with high symbolic value, like the one worn by goalkeepers in Glasgow and Donetsk.. He also remembers the satisfaction he felt when he gained access. A “watery” T-shirt that I thought was impossible find or Provided by representatives of Pablo Sarabia When the Spanish national team learned of such an outline of Sevilla. It also reveals that Some soccer players want to wear the shirt again And other people are interested in purchasing some of his collection. In fact, if Sevilla and the wife of a Sevilla footballer wanted to give her husband a special T-shirt.: «I had two copies of this. She does not identify herself as his wife. I explained to her that I don’t sell t-shirts, but she was very polite and courteous. after that I was contacted by a club official and asked if I could reconsider, and told that it was for this football player, so I immediately said, “Yes, it’s free.”. He’s a lifelong Sevilla fan, just like the others did for me, and I’m sure he’s been looking forward to wearing that shirt since he was a kid. then you You feel that this story is yours just as much as it is his.».

Although the collection has been nurtured by players in uniform, footballers and a wide network of contacts, Jose Manuel recalls that he started collecting at a time when there were not yet many rigorous and exhaustive collectors. He said he started collecting Sevilla shirts he didn’t want to wear in matches he played with friends in the 90s after saving up a lot to save. “The first Broussard kit was a revolution, and it probably started it.”he admits, also remembering that “I used to get it sometimes by accident rather than looking for it.” «I left Seville during that period, but the T-shirt is a link that feeds each other.. I don’t like selling T-shirts, I hoard them. You won’t change either. I can say that as time passes. I haven’t sold one, but I have changed two, and every time I change I regret it. Not for those who arrived, but for those who left. You start holding yourself accountable because you have a unique T-shirt,” he added.

José Manuel is happy to share the legacy he has built over the years, with values ​​such as education as his starting point and principles such as empathy and tolerance, with anyone interested in learning more about Sevilla FC. The “color of blessing” that colors his heart is close to both troubles and joy.. As Jesús Navas pointed out in his farewell, Jose Manuel also said: “This shirt is sacred.”