Manuel Jesús Bonilla, from El Viso del Alcor and residing in northern Germany, did not hesitate to drive two hours to get closer to the Real Betis training camp. There, he spent a few minutes with Isco and recalled his grandfather's Betis legacy.
Manuel Jesús Bonilla, a resident of El Viso del Alcor who lives and works in northern Germany, had an emotional reunion with Real Betis Balompié during the team's pre-season in German lands. Upon learning that the green-and-white concentration was taking place about two hours from his home, he did not hesitate: he got in the car and went to the training ground to feel the colours of his childhood once again.
“When I saw you were here, I said: I’m going headfirst,” he confessed excitedly during the meeting with the players, as shared by the club on their social media. Behind that decision was not just the pull of a top-flight team, but a family story that dates back decades.
The legacy of a Betis-loving grandfather who united 14 grandchildren
As soon as the conversation began, Manuel explained the origin of his passion. “My grandfather was very famous in the 2000s because he was a huge Betis fan, a Betis fanatic. He has travelled the whole planet following Betis,” he recounted. That love for the green-and-white shield did not stay with just one generation: “He left a very important legacy, especially in the family, because we are 14 grandchildren and all 14 of us are Betis fans.”
Manuel lives in northern Germany, where he works at a shipyard. The distance from his hometown, El Viso del Alcor, is over 2,000 kilometres, but football has served as a bridge. “I’m working here, in a shipyard, in northern Germany, about two hours from here,” he detailed, pointing out that the presence of Betis was the only reason for him to travel to the training ground.
A greeting with Isco and a connection to Arroyo de la Miel
During the visit, Manuel was also able to greet several members of the squad, including Isco Alarcón, one of the players most sought after by fans. Casually, he asked for a photograph and mentioned that part of his family lives in Arroyo de la Miel, the midfielder's hometown. “I have family there and I think you know them because they are from Calle de las Flores,” he told him, sparking a friendly conversation about the area.
Isco, curious, asked him how he was managing with German. “Complicated, complicated,” Manuel replied with laughter, before saying goodbye with a photo and a phrase that sums it all up: “I’ve had the greatest luck of my life.”
The story of Manuel Bonilla reflects the reality of many Andalusians who, for work reasons, have built their lives far from their homeland without losing touch with their roots. In his case, that connection goes through Betis, a feeling he inherited from his grandfather and that today is shared by the 14 grandchildren of the family. Thousands of kilometres from El Viso del Alcor, the green-and-white shield became a meeting point once again. This time, in a training ground in Germany, where a Sevillian found a part of his history.
For the residents of Los Alcores, this story is a reminder that the passion for football knows no borders. Who knows if next summer another resident of El Viso, or a fan from Carmona or Mairena del Alcor, will repeat a similar odyssey. For now, Manuel already has his photo and an unforgettable memory.
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