The Town Hall of Torrejón de Ardoz has decided that the new municipal football pitch, in the Joaquín Blume Sports City, will be named Vicente Otero 'Tito'. The young footballer, murdered in 1990 at the age of 19, will be remembered in a facility that will open in September.
The works of the new municipal football pitch in Torrejón de Ardoz, located in the Joaquín Blume Sports City, now have a name: Vicente Otero 'Tito'. This was announced on Tuesday by the mayor, Alejandro Navarro, after visiting the facilities alongside the honoree's siblings, Teresa and José Luis. The venue, which will be operational next September, will pay tribute to one of the greatest promises of Madrid football, whose murder shocked the national sport 36 years ago.
A modern facility with a capacity for 712 spectators
The pitch, which is nearing completion, will feature state-of-the-art artificial grass and two cross football 7 pitches. Additionally, it will have a covered grandstand with a capacity for 712 people, changing rooms, and storage rooms. According to municipal sources, the facility will be used by thousands of young players from the teams in Torrejón de Ardoz each season, both for training and for official competition matches.
The official inauguration is scheduled for Sunday, September 20, and a grand football festival will be organized with matches throughout the morning and afternoon, featuring teams from various categories. The mayor highlighted that the new pitch not only honours the memory of 'Tito', but also provides a quality sports space for the local youth.
The crime that paralysed Spanish football
Vicente Otero Verdugo, known as 'Tito', was 19 years old when he was fatally stabbed on April 7, 1990 while intervening in a football-related argument. At that time, he was playing as a centre-back for AD Torrejón CF in the Third Division and had already attracted the attention of top-tier clubs. A year earlier, as a youth player, he was already part of the first team and had been a champion of Spain with the Madrid National Team, an exceptional achievement considering that most of the selected players came from the youth academies of Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, and Rayo Vallecano.
The murder of 'Tito' caused enormous shock in Torrejón de Ardoz and throughout Spanish sport. A minute of silence was observed in all football pitches across the country, including those in the First Division, and the then president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, Ángel María Villar, attended the funeral, which was held at the old San Isidro football pitch and gathered thousands of residents of Torrejón. Mayor Alejandro Navarro recalled during the visit that 'Tito' was "a very good person and very much loved by all", and that the tribute comes 36 years after his death.
For the residents of Torrejón de Ardoz, the new football pitch is not only a sports infrastructure but also a symbol of memory and justice for a victim of violence. The facility, which adds to the sports offerings of the Joaquín Blume Sports City, will allow new generations to learn about 'Tito's' story while practising their favourite sport. Registrations for local clubs will begin in the coming weeks, and the Town Hall expects the pitch to be operational for the 2026-2027 season.
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