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RAFAEL MARTÍN-VÁZQUEZ
Date of Birth: 25 September, 1965
Nationality: Spain (international)
Period at Deportivo: 1995 - 1997
Transfer: Free Transfer (1995, Real Madrid)
Clubs: Karlsruher SC (1997-1998), Atlético Celaya (1997-1998), Deportivo (1995-1997), Real Madrid (1992-1995), Olympique Marseille (1992-1993), AC Torino (1990-1992), Real Madrid (1983-1990), Castilla
Sold: Free Transfer (1997, to Atlético Celaya)
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 73 kg
Position: Midfielder (left/centre)
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 The summer of 1995 brought another big name of Spanish football to La Coruña as RAFAEL MARTÍN-VÁZQUEZ (29) signed a contract at Deportivo. The ex-Real Madrid star and Spanish international on thirty-eight occasions came together with another legendary player, Aitor Beguiristain (ex-Barcelona), and was supposed to become a success like experienced players López-Rekarte, Claudio, Voro, Donato and Julio Salinas had become before. But things turned out differently for Martín-Vázquez because he quickly suffered an injury which sidelined him for many months.
His professional career had started twelve years earlier when he made his debut, together with Sanchís, for Real Madrid during a 0-1 win at Real Murcia. Martín-Vázquez, eighteen at the time, was given a starting position by coach Alfredo Di Stéfano at the La Condomina stadium next to players like Chendo, Camacho, Gallego and Santillana. He played five matches in a row as a starter but was sacrificed after a shocking 4-1 defeat at Betis Sevilla. Nevertheless, he reached a total of nineteen matches that campaign in which he scored one goal.
But injuries and inexperience made him play only thirty Liga matches in the years between 1984 and 1986. Real Madrid celebrated a title win during that last season and would win five consecutive titles. It were the years of Buyo, Sanchís, Míchel, Butragueño, and Hugo Sánchez with Martín-Vázquez being an undisputed player of this team and Real Madrid conquering the UEFA Cup in 1985 and 1986. Between 1986 and 1990 he played 130 Liga matches for Real Madrid scoring thirty-one goals. During the season 1989/1990 he even scored fourteen goals of which ten came in pairs. And in 1989 he added another prize by winning the Copa del Rey.
As a logical consequence he was picked for the Spanish national team and aged twenty-one he made his debut against Luxembourg in September, 1987. He was present during the Euro 1988 tournament, the World Cup 1990 and played a total of thirty-eighth matches for Spain. His only goal for them he scored in September, 1991 in Oviedo against Uruguay.
By then he already had left Real Madrid, as he didn’t want to renew his contract, and tried his luck in Italy. Most of the Spanish players have never done well though in Italy and the same happened with Martín-Vázquez. He was received by their supporters as an idol and he did play reasonably well. But despite playing a UEFA Cup final with them in 1992 against Ajax Amsterdam he moved on to Olympique Marseille before he made a shocking move back to Real Madrid during the season 1992/1993.
 His return he celebrated on 18 October, 1992 during a 0-3 win at Logroñés and he scored the first goal after fifteen minutes. But things had changed at the club with Cruyff’s Barcelona dominating Spain. Real Madrid finished second in 1993, although they won the Copa del Rey, and even fourth in 1994. But he did celebrate another title win in 1995 when his contract ran out and he was persuaded by Lendoiro to sign at Deportivo.
Aged twenty-nine he was supposed to become one of the major figures that campaign and to give the team that extra experience needed to win the Liga. New coach John Toshack had recommended his signing but things didn’t went as planned. During the first minutes of the first friendly against Porto at Das Antas he suffered a serious injury and became sidelined until April, 1996. He was present during five of the matches that season and he started two of them, one at the Bernabéu (a 1-0 loss).
Because in 1996 Deportivo only finished ninth a big renovation took place that summer. The midfield was strengthened with Rivaldo and Martins, two players occupying similar roles as Martín-Vázquez. He played six Liga matches until the end of the year of which just one as a starter. Still he scored two goals, including the winner at Real Zaragoza (1-2). But injuries and the rivalry only caused his come-back on in April, 1997. He came on five times before Deportivo finished the season at a third place.
Then both parties decided that it was best to separate and Martín-Vázquez left the club. He moved to Mexico and played for Atlético Celaya. That same season he went to Germany and played at Karlsruher SC in the second division and quit professional football aged thirty-four. In 2003 he was appointed by Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia as the football ambassador for the Special Olympics Spain programme.
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