My dad’s a Real Madrid and Spain legend.. he never understood my dream but now I’m dancing with the National Ballet

9 months ago 80

THE DAUGHTER of Real Madrid and Spain legend who is now an international ballet star has revealed how her father “never understood” her dancing dream.

Natalia Butragueno grew up in a family that was dominated by football.

Natalia Butragueno is one of Europe’s finest ballerinas[/caption]

Her father Emilio Butragueno ‘never understood’ his daughter’s dancing dream[/caption]

The former striker achieved icon status at Real and in Mexico[/caption]

Now his daughter is becoming an icon in her own right[/caption]

Her dad Emilio Butragueno, who scored 26 in 62 caps for his country, led the line for one of the world’s biggest club’s for a decade.

The ex-striker’s 189 goals in LaLiga helped fire Real Madrid to six domestic titles, two Uefa Cups and a pair of Copa del Rey.

Having spent her early years in the Spanish capital, Emilio’s transfer move to Celaya in 1995 led to the whole family emigrating to Mexico for three years.

But even after he eventually returned to Madrid after retirement, the now 59-year-old still wanted his daughter to experience living abroad as she had her sights set on becoming a huge star in her own right.

Natalia’s love affair with dancing began at the Escuela de Africa Guzman in Madrid but she was sent to England.

However, she was able to continue her training at the Tring Park School for the Performing Arts and, in 2014, she performed in a number of English National Ballet productions.

Natalia would go on to join the Ballet de l’Opera de Bordeaux before moving to the prestigious Spanish national dance company Compania Nacional de Danza in 2020 where she has gone on to become one of finest ballerinas on the planet.

Speaking to the CN Danza website, she said: “I began dancing because I loved it but I never thought it was going to be my career. I think the vocation really comes from my mother’s side. My mother did ballet up to the age of 18 and my grandmother also danced and sang.

TRANSFER NEWS LIVE: All the latest news, rumours and confirmed switches from the world of football

“I was three when I started getting into ballet and we were then living in Mexico due to my father’s work. I remember that a girl at kindergarten—my best friend—signed up for ballet and I said to my mother, “mum, I want to do that too.”

“When we returned to Madrid, I started doing the classes they had at school but later joined the Africa Guzman dance school. I had a bunch of friends there who I shared incredible experiences with, entering ballet contests and dancing in the school’s Youth Ballet.”

Then came her switch to the UK, where she explained: “At 14, my father told me I had to go to England for a year to learn English; but I didn’t want to give up dance.

“We searched among the different schools and boarding schools and I was eventually offered a scholarship to study for a year at the Tring Park School for the Performing Arts.

“I really enjoyed that experience. I spent the whole day dancing with people of my age.

“There were not just dancers but also theatre and music students. So, I decided to stay there to finish my studies. Later, I had a series of auditions and I got to go to Bordeaux where they took me on.”

Discussing her iconic dad’s thoughts on her dance vocation, Natalia said: “It was initially really hard for my dad to understand how I was going to live from dancing.

“He would say I was a good student and capable of other studies and career direction; but I wanted to dance.

“He has shown me how to give my all and not to give up ever, regardless of any difficulty. He has always helped me keep a level head to reach my goals step my step.”

Emilio returned to Real Madrid in 2004 as he replaced former team-mate Jorge Valdano as the club’s director of football.

He later served as vice-president until 2008 and then acted as head of public relations for the organisation.