JOSÉ ANTONIO REYES: A YEAR WITHOUT THE PEARL

01/06/2020

It is 365 days since the footballer from Utrera became a legend, unfortunately too soon

The start of the month of June brings with it one of the most painful moments in Sevilla FC's history, the day that José Antonio Reyes passed away. The heart of 'The Pearl' stopped beating after a serious traffic accident aged just 35, having achieved so much and when he had his whole life ahead of him. The man from Utrera will always be considered one of the most valuable products of the Sevilla FC academy, and shone at the club in two different phases of his career, as he also did at other clubs in Europe.

Five UEFA Europa Leagues, one UEFA Super Cup, one Premier League, one LaLiga, one Portuguese League Cup, and one Community Shield were the trophy that the man from Utrera won after making his debut aged 16 at La Romareda, when Caparrós was manager, and was also able to make 22 appearances for the Spanish national team. After all this, and while he was still enjoying his football at Extremadura UD, he left to become an eternal Sevilla legend.

A painful farewell, but one that befitted this idol

It was the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán which was chosen to be the site of his final goodbye, with the surrounding areas filled with loyal fans just hours after finding out the news. Many fans, of all clubs and personalities, went to the doors of the Sánchez-Pizjuán to say goodbye to not only a person, but an idol. With Chairman José Castro rallying around the family from the first moments, many others who wanted to say their goodbye to Reyes came too, remembering him on SFC Radio with anecdotes.

So, it is a year without the talented footballer, who, with his sporting career, helped the entity both on and off the field from his breakthrough until his return, returning to win silverware with his boyhood club, who was left without his vitality and his eternal smile.