Rafael Padilla Chris Isaak

"This tournament made me real angry" - Rafael Padilla, Head Coach

Is Rafael Padilla the unluckiest man in the world? The man who failed on so many fronts he’s even entitled to an award?

Let’s take a look at the man and his ugly circumstances and what he’s accomplished to this point in his life since his promotion to Head Coach of Spain’s national team.

Rafael Padilla is a 30-year-old former sports doctor who played hockey during a time that saw men in pain everywhere. Fast forward to today and he has become a life coach. With a team whose glory was frequently broken by the very thing they were attempting to overcome. A country in turmoil with uncertainty. Rafael Padilla had to reinvent himself. But what he has done since has been truly remarkable.

Rafael Padilla’s childhood got off to a rocky start as he was kicked out of his high school as a result of a school suspension, his father sent him back to Spain and began their journey away from their homeland. Rafael Padilla ended up attending a Catholic boarding school in the Philippines where he began to seek his way to the top.

It was there where he began his coaching career, the team that was rising in the world of sport. The basketball team had a difficult road to the finals in those early years, though he had the distinction of being the first-ever coach to ever take a team into the finals.

When it went to Brazil, Rafa was coaching there and used his personal coaching ability to make a difference. Teams then followed the example of that first team in Brazil and the tournament was completed in 30 days.

Back in his home country he formed a football club that became some of the highest ranked side in the country and he had the opportunity to make many fans proud with his achievements, some even dying to come over to a Spanish team to support them. The way the fans around him were raving to the team to support them was not only a reminder that football is a great art, but also a reminder that it is always the underdog fighting to take the stage.

Rafael Padilla’s side struggled to get the winning home team in his first season in Spain.