Rafa Marin, the boy who ascended to heaven

In the home of the Marin Zamora family, in the small Seville town of Guadajos, luxury was almost never available, but yet he never failed to satisfy any basic needs. Rafael and Marie have always envisioned a school of values ​​for their two children, Rafa Jr. and Yanira.. He worked in the fields, construction, and whatever else was necessary to ensure his children had the happiest childhood possible, while his wife took care of the home and acted as a life teacher, instilling in his children the inevitable ethic of effort. the husband symbolized better than anyone else.

Passionate about the ball almost from the cradle and a defender by vocation, at the age of 14 little Rafa posed a dilemma for his family. Real Madrid, impressed by the brilliance he had shown in the Sevilla youth team, came knocking on his door.. The family, the indestructible pineapple, didn’t want the child to fly out of the nest so soon, but it was the teenager with the overwhelming personality who decided to go on an adventure into the unknown. His powerful mind and leadership abilities began to beat violently within him. “This could be good for everyone and could change our lives, so I think I need to go,” said the young man, who was weighing his fears and dreams on the scales, in an emotional farewell.

This determination It was a risky bet that affected the entire family. Rafa, when fate met him, recorded this moment in his own skin.. On his right arm is a tattoo of a child carrying a backpack on his back and climbing the stairs on his way to heaven, a metaphor for a life decision that is rewarded better than expected.

A 14-year-old boy, who came from a modest Andalusian town, He was shocked to learn about the size of the great city and the splendor of Valdebebas. his new home, but he was never alone. Every weekend, his parents and sister traveled from Guadajoz to Madrid to cheer up their son and teach him that distance could not destroy such strong bonds of love.

His triumph is humility and effort. “There is no defeat in the heart that fights,” is tattooed on another corner of his body. His skin speaks for him. Saint Benedict the Abbot, the saint to whom he feels devotion,

It also closely accompanied him on his journey to infinity. On the card, on the necklace and on the shin guards, which he kisses ten times before every game, St. Benedict is an inseparable part of his life. The mirror of Sergio Ramos, a beacon of his ideology, also guided his path.

After successfully crossing the long desert of the white quarry and arriving at the oasis of Castilla, where he also showed outstanding results, Alaves presented an unrivaled opportunity to make the decisive breakthrough. This season was a great confirmation for him and he spent it on a high note. He established himself as a First Division player. have become a fundamental pillar of the under-21s, the Olympics seem ever closer on the exciting horizon and Real Madrid asked him to return home. Teddy, his faithful dog, experienced with him the entire cascade of emotions of an unforgettable season. Fatima, his girlfriend of six years, also memorized the Madrid-Vitoria route to accurately share the goals her partner had achieved.

Rafa has only been on the Bernabeu grass once. It was an unforgettable date: an epic comeback from 2-3 against Chelsea in the Champions League. He endured it and enjoyed it from the bench. Today he will be the protagonist under the spotlights of the majestic white Colosseum, the next station on his journey. The boy who left Guadajos with his backpack full of dreams has already reached football heaven. Just like he dreamed about it.

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