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Rafael Benítez, Spain football coach: Profile, Career, News & Videos

Rafael Benítez
Rafael Benítez
Spain
16 April 1960
multiplayer
Rafael Benítez is a Spanish professional football manager and former player. He is currently the head coach of Super League Greece club Panathinaikos.

Benítez joined Real Madrid's coaching staff at the age of 26, going on to work as the under-19 and reserve team coach, and assistant manager for the senior team. He moved away from Real Madrid in 1995, but management spells at Real Valladolid and Osasuna were short-lived and unsuccessful. He guided Segunda División club Extremadura back to La Liga in his first season in the 1997–98 season, but the team was relegated the following season. He left the club, and coached Tenerife in 2000, winning promotion in his only season.

Benítez was appointed coach of Valencia and won La Liga in the 2001–02 and 2003–04 seasons, with the UEFA Cup alongside the latter. After leaving Valencia, Benitez moved to English club Liverpool of the Premier League, guiding the club to victory in the UEFA Champions League in 2005. For the second consecutive season, he was named UEFA Manager of the Year. He also won the FA Cup in 2006 and reached the 2007 Champions League final, but was unable to win the Premier League, with Liverpool's best league performance under Benítez a second-place finish in 2008–09.

After leaving Liverpool in June 2010, Benítez was appointed manager of treble-winning side Inter Milan. Despite attaining silverware with the Supercoppa Italiana and Club World Cup, his reign at the club was short, and he was dismissed midway through the 2010–11 season. In November 2012, he was appointed interim manager of Chelsea for the remainder of the season, and he went on to win the 2013 Europa League. He returned to Italy in 2013 to coach Napoli, where he won the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana. He then left Napoli and became coach of Real Madrid in June 2015 on an initial three-year contract, lasting six months.

Benítez was appointed manager of Newcastle United in March 2016. He was unable to avoid relegation, but earned promotion back to the Premier League by winning the Championship. He left the club in June 2019, and joined Chinese Super League club Dalian Professional. He left the club by mutual consent in January 2021, before taking over as manager at Everton in June. He was dismissed in January 2022, and then managed Celta Vigo in 2023–24.

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📋 Profile & Career

: Benítez in 2015
⚽ Personal information:
Full name: Rafael Benítez Maudes
Date of birth: (1960-04-16) 16 April 1960 (age 65)
Place of birth: Madrid, Spain
Height: 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position: Defender
⚽ Team information:
Current team: Panathinaikos (head coach)
⚽ Youth career:
1973–1978: Real Madrid
⚽ Senior career*:
Years: Team Apps (Gls)
1978–1979: Real Madrid Aficionados
1979–1981: Real Madrid Castilla
1981: → Parla (loan)
1981–1985: Parla 124 (8)
1985–1986: Linares 34 (7)
Total: 158 (15)
⚽ International career:
1979–1981: Spain Universities XI 5 (0)
⚽ Managerial career:
1986–1993: Real Madrid U17
1993–1994: Real Madrid (assistant)
1993–1994: Real Madrid Castilla
1994–1995: Real Madrid Castilla
1995–1996: Valladolid
1996: Osasuna
1997–1999: Extremadura
2000–2001: Tenerife
2001–2004: Valencia
2004–2010: Liverpool
2010: Inter Milan
2012–2013: Chelsea (interim)
2013–2015: Napoli
2015–2016: Real Madrid
2016–2019: Newcastle United
2019–2021: Dalian Professional
2021–2022: Everton
2023–2024: Celta Vigo
2025–: Panathinaikos
: * Club domestic league appearances and goals

📼 Match Highlights Videos

XPn87-4ZTbo Video Image
1:11:53
Channel Image Rafa Benitez: The Liverpool Era & His Management Journey | Episode 45
1 years ago • 1.95M views
Estimated Revenue • $5,470

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mDaOAnLv538 Video Image
18:26
Channel Image Rafa Benítez • Tactics: Liverpool, Valencia and the 4-2-3-1 • Masterclass
3 years ago • 180.04K views
Estimated Revenue • $504

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-vbaRVkQVxY Video Image
8:47
Channel Image 라파 베니테스는 퍼거슨과 전쟁을 벌였고… 그로 인해 리버풀은 우승을 놓쳤다
2 months ago • 5.01K views
Estimated Revenue • $14

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9jkuAoGztOI Video Image
1:00
Channel Image Stephen Warnock SLAMS Rafael Benitez’s Man Management and Treatment of Squad In 2005 UCL Final
1 years ago • 3.2M views
Estimated Revenue • $8,954

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pf-9FQWCddY Video Image
8:42
Channel Image LO72 REWIND | Newcastle United 2016/17 | Rafa Benitez's title winners
4 years ago • 12.19K views
Estimated Revenue • $34

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8gZAqNBjhks Video Image
0:43
Channel Image Rafa Benitez on Language Barriers in Liverpool
3 months ago • 466.14K views
Estimated Revenue • $1,305

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ntOw3MJjBoU Video Image
3:28
Channel Image Exclusive | Rafael Benítez on Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez and Zinedine Zidane
9 years ago • 115.16K views
Estimated Revenue • $322

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MmWaRwpBc1U Video Image
4:29
Channel Image Víctor Valdepeñas ● Arsenal Transfer Target 2026 ⚪🔴🇪🇸 Best Tackles & Skills
2 days ago • 5.76K views
Estimated Revenue • $16

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RWeCnC3Lbzg Video Image
0:57
Channel Image Sir Alex Ferguson responds to Rafa Benitez’s facts rant
4 years ago • 189.1K views
Estimated Revenue • $529

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eWSVkB2FmfM Video Image
8:28
Channel Image 🚨 ALL MANCHESTER UNITED CONFIRMED TRANSFERS – JANUARY 2026 🤯 | Fermin • Neves • Mateta • Baleba ✅
10 hours ago • 7.38K views
Estimated Revenue • $21

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7p9Zrjeu0Co Video Image
58:23
Channel Image Steven Gerrard: I Would Not Have Left Like Trent Did | Our England Squad Were ‘Egotistical losers"
3 months ago • 1.81M views
Estimated Revenue • $5,076

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J_Q6OnIpV_w Video Image
7:39
Channel Image Chelsea Were MUCH BETTER Than You Think Vs Pafos! | Rosenior Ball Destroyed a Low Block.
TM
22 hours ago • 3.54K views
Estimated Revenue • $10

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