Entertainment
From football pitch to recording studio: Laliga players who embarked on music careers
- Many LaLiga players are famous not only for their footballing exploits but also for their musical talents!
Football and music go hand in hand. Listen closely and there’s music all around football, from the songs sung by fans in the stands to the motivational tunes blaring in dressing rooms before kick-off.
It shouldn’t really be a surprise, then, that many LaLiga footballers have tried their hand at music over the years, either during their playing careers or after… and with varying degrees of success! Let’s take look at just some of the players who have swapped their boots for beats over the years.
SERGIO RAMOS
As a keen fan of flamenco, the Real Madrid captain has long loved singing and playing the guitar. Ramos has regularly expressed his love for music and has revealed that he often unwinds by writing his own songs. He has also contributed to the official songs for the Spanish national team’s Euro 2016 and 2018 World Cup campaigns, collaborating with world-famous artists like Niña Pastori and Demarco.
JESÉ
The Real Madrid youth graduate has long been interested in music and, in 2014, formed a reggaeton band with close friend DJ Nuno. The group, Big Flow, released tracks through YouTube to some success and it wasn’t long before Jesé went solo and started to release his own music under the name Jey M, donating profits from his music to research into disease prevention.
JOSÉ MANUEL PINTO
A goalkeeper whose hands were made for music as well as catching footballs, José Manuel Pinto founded his own music label – Wahin Makinaciones, based on his stage name Pinto ‘Wahin’ – while he was still playing football for Celta Vigo before making the move to join Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
In 2015 he released a record,Eres Especial (‘You’re Special’), with Barça teammate Dani Alves and has since had great success as a producer. Having gained a university degree in sound engineering and a master’s in musical production, Pinto was among the engineers who worked on Niña Pastori’s Amame Como Soy, which won the 2016 Latin Grammy for Best Flamenco Album.
ROYSTON DRENTHE
Former Real Madrid winger Royston Drenthe launched a rap career under the name Roya2Faces as his playing days were coming to an end. For those who knew him best, this came as no surprise; Drenthe had a long-standing interest in rap music and has many friends in the industry, most notably U-Niq who, like Drenthe, hails from Rotterdam and who taught him how to write music. While Drenthe came back out of retirement to sign for Sparta Rotterdam this summer, he remains passionate about hip hop and expects to write more songs in the future.
JULIO IGLESIAS
Julio Iglesias is one of the most famous singers in Spain and across the Spanish-speaking world and in 2013 was recognised by the Guinness World Records as the best-selling male Latin artist in history. Impressively, the 75-year-old’s 1983 album Julio was the first foreign-language album to hit the 2 million sales mark in the USA. Before this music career, though, the Madrid native played football for Real Madrid Castilla, the capital city side’s B team. An injury cut his footballing career short, however, and opened up a new door into the music world. Every cloud…
Julio Iglesias
ÁLVARO BENITO
The story of Álvaro Benito shares many parallels to that of Julio Iglesias. Benito also came through Real Madrid’s youth ranks, in his case as a promising midfielder, making 21 LaLiga appearances for the first team across the 1995/96 and 1996/97 seasons and scoring a couple of goals. However, he too was plagued by injury and had to retire from football at the age of 27, at which point he founded a punk rock band called Pignoise, for which he is lead singer and guitarist. Influenced by Green Day and Blink-182, they’ve released eight albums to date.
GERMÁN BURGOS
The former Atlético Madrid goalkeeper and Diego Simeone’s current assistant is another big music fan, in his case of rock music. Lead singer of rock band GARB since the 1990s, the group released a couple of Spanish-language albums in the early noughties as his career was winding down. Fun fact: the name GARB comes from the initials of Burgos’s full name, Germán Adrián Ramón Burgos.
GAIZKA MENDIETA
Following his retirement from football, former Valencia, Barcelona and Spain midfielder Gaizka Mendieta turned to DJing in 2008 with great success. He regularly plays sets across London, and was even invited to DJ at the build-up to the Real Madrid vs Juventus Champions League final in Cardiff in 2017. Mendieta, today a LaLiga Ambassador, was regularly seen in record stores during his playing days and now dedicates a lot of time to his second passion in life.
Alvaro Benito
Spotify today announced the launch of its ‘Detty December’ hub with playlists for December, a celebration of the vibrant festive season in West Africa and South Africa. The hub is a one-stop shop for all things Detty December, with curated playlists featuring the biggest hits and emerging sounds of the season. Users can find everything from Afrobeats and Amapiano anthems to chilled-out vibes for those much-needed recovery days.
“Detty December is a special time for our users in West Africa and ke Dezemba symbolises South Africa’s spirit of celebration,” said Phiona Okumu, Head of Music at Spotify Sub-Saharan Africa. “We’re excited to be part of their celebrations with this dedicated hub and playlists, bringing them the best music to soundtrack their festive moments.”
This unapologetic season of street jams, back-to-back concerts, and endless summer fun has developed its own culture that draws diaspora and local fans alike. The curated sounds of Spotify’s Detty December hub will pay homage to the Lagos rooftop lounges, Accra’s beachside festivals, and South Africa’s township tunes that keep people grooving.
In addition to the hub, Spotify has also launched a new playlist called ‘Songs of Detty December’. This playlist is a curated list from Spotify Africa’s editors on the songs predicted to dominate this year’s Detty December. From DJ Skelm’s Afro Tech sounds to Flytime Fest’s tour of songs that tell Africa’s aspirational stories, the hub will be the home of takeover playlists that display Africa’s diverse talent. Barrier-breaking Amapiano talent Kamo_ww has taken over a South African Summer playlist too.
Spotify is also supporting Jerk x Jollof, a popular event making its way to Africa for the first time, through its Frequency program. Held at The Ostrich event space, the Jerk x Jollof Cape Town takeover will feature DJs and artists such as TxC, DBN Gogo, Spinall, Sarz and Odeal, merging the spirit of Detty December and ke Dezemba experiences and bringing South and West African cultures and artists together.
“We’re committed to supporting African music and culture,” said Okumu. “We believe that music is a powerful way to bring people together, and we’re excited to be part of the Detty December celebrations.”
You can keep the good vibes going as you make your way to the hotel, beach or next Detty December party with Spotify’s curated and immersive sound selection. Discover something new or run the year’s best party anthems back on your app today.
The ‘Detty December’ hub is available now on Spotify.
Forty years after the release of the original JESUS film, Jesus Film Project is releasing an updated edition of founder Paul Eshleman’s book, I Just Saw Jesus.
The new edition features a heartfelt foreword written by Eshleman’s daughter, Jenn Huff, as well as refreshed cover art. The book was officially released in October 2024.
Originally published in 1985, I Just Saw Jesus chronicles Eshleman’s journey to create the JESUS film, the most translated and viewed film in history. Translated into more than 2,100 languages and counting, the film has been a significant resource in spreading the gospel to millions across the globe.
The release of this updated edition comes at a critical juncture as Jesus Film Project reimagines the 1979 film for today’s generation.
In her foreword to the new edition of I Just Saw Jesus, Huff reflects on her father’s vision and passion for the project. She writes, ”The JESUS film, meticulously crafted to depict the life of Jesus with unprecedented accuracy, stood as a beacon of attention to detail. Behind the scenes, my father’s equally meticulous storytelling mirrored the attention that was paid to every aspect of the film’s creation.” She added, “I Just Saw Jesus is not just a book; it is a testament to the miraculous change Jesus makes in people’s lives.”
Paul Eshleman’s work on the JESUS film was inspired by the mission to share the gospel message in every corner of the world.I Just Saw Jesus tells the stories of the faithful volunteer film teams, missionaries and pastors who ventured into remote tribes to show the JESUS film. They carried generators and projectors across jungles, stood before influential leaders, and overcame threats, curses and deadly diseases – all to share the story of Jesus in the heart language of those who might not otherwise hear the gospel.
This new edition of I Just Saw Jesus is a tribute to Paul Eshleman’s legacy. It marks a new chapter in the ongoing mission to innovate and reach people with today’s tools, ensuring that the gospel remains accessible to new generations.
Purchase I Just Saw Jesus on Amazon or the Cru store, and join the ongoing conversation about how media can inspire the next generation.
Gather25, a trailblazing global gathering of Christians founded by Jennie Allen, has unveiled the first of its contributors for the upcoming event in 2025.
Featuring a multi-denominational, international line up of Christian teachers, storytellers and prayer guides from six continents, Gather25 aims to showcase powerful stories of how God is transforming communities and hearts around the world.
The event, with a schedule that will circumnavigate the globe over 25 hours, celebrates a line-up of individuals who bring a unique perspective of how God is moving in their context.
Together, they are partnering with Gather25’s mission to mobilize Christians everywhere to reach the 5.5 billion people on earth who have yet to encounter Jesus.
Through live-streaming technology and AI, Gather25 will connect with Christians in homes, in churches, in stadiums, or on their phones, across six continents, with each continent hosting a portion of the 25 hours.
The teachers, storytellers, and prayer guides include:
● Jennie Allen – Founder & Visionary of Gather25, Bible teacher, author, the visionary behind IF:Gathering.
● Pastor Charles Mugisha – Founder and President of Africa New Life Ministries.
● Matt Maher – Gospel artist and songwriter, known for favorites like “Lord, I Need You.”
● Mark Varughese – Founder and Senior Leader of Kingdomcity.
● Matt Redman – Double GRAMMY®-Award winning worship leader and songwriter.
● Priscilla Shirer – A New York Times Best-Selling author and actress featuring in movies like War Room.
● Sinach – Gospel artist and songwriter, known for favorites like “Way Maker.”
● Tasha Cobbs Leonard – GRAMMY® Award-winning singer/songwriter.
● Rorisang Thandekiso – A multi-talented media personality and musician, and the founder of “Jesus This Jesus That.”
● Rick Warren – Author of The Purpose Driven Life, his books have been translated into 200 languages.
Gather25 is a global collaboration of Christians who are instrumental in connecting the global church from the ground up. Pastor Charles Mugisha said, “Gather25 gives, for the first time in history, Africa a voice to share the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ more than ever before.”
“I have a feeling in my heart that (Gather25) is a God thing. The Bible commissions us to go and take the Gospel to all nations and for the first time, I see that we can actually take the Gospel to all the nations in 25 hours. That’s exciting for me!”
The event will kick off in the United States at 01:00 UTC on Saturday, 1st March 2025, and will journey around the globe, concluding in Peru at 02:00 UTC on Sunday, 2nd March 2025. This continuous broadcast is designed to empower Christians worldwide through inspiring stories and testimonies of God’s work across nations. Each session will be hosted from a different country, featuring teaching, worship, stories and prayers from various locations within each session. The event will also unveil never-before-heard accounts from the underground church.
Join us for this global event to connect with believers from every corner of the world. Find out about Gather25, and sign up for more resources at: gather25.com
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