20 FAMOUS BULLFIGHTERS IN HISTORY AND TODAY - ART - 2025

There are famous bullfighters who have marked the history of bullfighting for their unique style and the technique they have managed to develop. Among them Rafael Molina, Manolete, Pepe Luis Vázquez, Rafael Gómez Ortega, Juan Belmonte, José Tomás, among others that we list in this article.

The art that surrounds the world of bullfighting and bullfighting is called bullfighting. Demonstrating courage in the face of a strong and dangerous animal has been a rite of passage for adolescents who aspired to be men admired and respected by their community throughout the history of humanity, not only in front of a bull, but in front of lions in Africa. and in front of other beasts in other parts of the world.

But the bull is the animal that gives the most game for such demonstrations of bravery because it does not give up even if it is injured and returns again and again to the fight. That is why the bull has prevailed and not animals stronger or faster than him.

Modern bullfighting, the bullfighting of which we were talking, began in Spain in the 16th century thanks to the joint action of cattle drivers, slaughterhouse owners and the butchers themselves, who were bringing creativity to the most risky tasks of handling these beasts.

The bullfighter, throughout history, has perfected the technique of dodging the onslaught of the fighting bull with the least number of movements and making them as showy as possible.

Let's now see historical bullfighters and matadors who are still active.

Spanish bullfighters

1- Rafael Molina «Lagartijo»

Cordovan bullfighter from the 19th century (1841-1900). Its nickname is due to the vivacity and speed of movements. He started out being such a brave bullfighter that he made a show of lying down in front of the bull and other gestures that ended up getting the presidency to recriminate his attitude.

We could say that he was too brave. Later he was filing his bullfighting until it was so exquisite that it was called in Córdoba "Great Caliph". Her battle with the bull Bat, a huge Miura, is famous. Cheers were brought by both the bullfighter and the bull. Bat was pardoned and spent the rest of his life as a stallion.

2- Manuel Rodríguez «Manolete»

Image source: ganaderoslidia.com

He is possibly the best known bullfighter of all time. Islero was the famous bull that killed him with a goring, also a Miura. By dying so young, he became a myth. His death shocked that postwar Spain, in 1947.

For many experts, Manolete was the finest and most elegant bullfighter there was. He fought head-on but cited the bull in profile. On July 2, 1939 he took the alternative in the bullring of Seville, La Maestranza.

3- Pepe Luis Vázquez

Image source: cultura.elpais.com

1921-2013. This Sevillian bullfighter excited the public with a movement known as "cartridge de pescao". It consisted of waiting for the bull with the crutch folded to one side, as if it were a cartridge.

Then, when the bull arrived, he quickly deployed it, giving a natural crutch pass with his feet together. The gesture lifted the audience from their seats. In 1988, the Spanish government awarded her the Gold Medal of Merit in Fine Arts for all her work.

4- Rafael Gómez Ortega, The Rooster

1882-1960. Gypsy bullfighter, fine and of great art. He was known for his genius and his graceful and varied passes. But also, from time to time, he gave the famous scare when a bull was not to his liking.

He used to say that he preferred a fight to a cunt. This was the first bullfighter who let live bulls run when he did not feel like fighting them or it seemed to him that they were not suitable to be bullfighting. That is why he is known as a non-combative bullfighter.

For the Rooster to fight, he had to like the bull, how it moved, how it entered the crutch. But his art was so great that the public indulged him in everything and, although the bits were monumental, he forgot them just to see him fight an animal of his liking.

5- Juan Belmonte, The astonishment of Triana

For many it is not only the most popular but the founder of modern bullfighting. He was born in 1892 in Seville and died in Utrera in 1962. It was Belmonte who began the well-known three steps of the fight: stop, temper and command. The bullfight before Belmonte was simpler: "Either you take off or the bull will take away from you."

But the Pasmo de Triana understood and explained to the others that it was not necessary to remove one or for the bull to remove it if he knew how to fight for real.

He was very supported by the intellectuals of the time, especially by the Generation of '98, which was not at all favorable to bullfighting, considering it one more sign of backwardness of the Spanish people. They admired his bravery and his art. It should also be noted his great rivalry with the bullfighter Joselito.

6- José Gómez Ortega, «Joselito»

Also known as Gallito III, this matador was born in 1895 in Gelves (Seville). For many experts, he is the most complete bullfighter in history.

Son, brother and grandson of bullfighters carried the profession in his blood. Child prodigy of bullfighting. The bull "Dancer", a bull that did not see well, gore his belly. The fatal wound caused him death.

7- Miguel Báez, the Litri

As a bullfighter father, brother and stepbrother, the Litri was one of the best known bullfighters in the 1960s in Spain.

8- Morante de la Puebla (José Antonio Morante Camacho)

Image source: wikimedia.org

Born in 1979 in La Puebla del Río, Seville, he retired in 2004 due to mental problems, but reappeared in 2008.

He took the alternative in the local festivals of Burgos, on June 29, 1997. As an artist bullfighter, his career alternates triumphs and fights. He had a masterful performance at La Maestranza in 2009.

9- José Tomás

Image source: wikimedia.org

He was born in Galapagar (Madrid) in 1975. A bullfighter with exquisite movements and great courage and quietness before the bull.

The Puerta Grande de Las Ventas has been opened seven times for him. He conceives bullfighting as a profession in which "you have to risk the most." This means that wherever the bullfight fights the square is insured.

10- Julián López Escobar, the juli

Image source: wikimedia.org

This Madrid born in 1982 trained as a bullfighter in Mexico. He is one of the most popular current bullfighters among the public. He is good with the crutch and also with the rapier. Very complete in all luck. He took the alternative in France, in the city of Nimes, in 1998.

11- Manuel Benítez, the Cordoba

Andalusian bullfighter born in 1930. Bullfighting was very courageous and kept very still before the bull. The experts blame him, against him, for his lack of orthodoxy.

He reaped great successes and some other anger. He was proclaimed the fifth Califa del Toreo by the Córdoba City Council in 2002.

12- Enrique Ponce

Source: wikimedia.org

This Valencian matador, born in 1971, is considered one of the purest technically bullfighters of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Very fine with the crutch and elegant, according to bullfighting critics. La Puerta Grande de Las Ventas was opened for him three times: 1992, 1996 and 2002.

13- Juan José Padilla «the pirate»

Source: wikimedia.org

This Jerez-born bullfighter lost an eye in a bullfight in Zaragoza in 2011 and, since then, for wearing a patch, he has been known by this nickname.

Very brave bullfighter, specialized in dealing with very strong herds of bulls like the Miura. In 2001 he suffered a spectacular blow to the neck in the Plaza Monumental del Pamplona when he went in to kill.

14- Francisco Romero López, Curro Romero

Source: wikimedia.org

Great bullfighter with a long career, this Sevillian from Camas starred in some of the most glorious afternoons of Spanish bullfighting. In the spring of 1966, he cut 8 ears from 6 bulls, being the bullfighter who has cut the most ears in one afternoon in La Maestranza.

Critics considered his art sublime, perfect. She was the protagonist of some scared that ignited the public. It happened a bit like the Gallo, the gypsy bullfighter. To make an evening round, the bull had to be to your liking.

15- Francisco Rivera Pérez, paquirri

Image source: abc.es

Spectacular bullfighter from Cadiz, from Zahara de los Atunes. He died in the Plaza de Pozoblanco in 1984, caught by the bull Avispado.

According to the doctors, the injury was not so serious, but the bullfighter died due to problems in the transfers to the hospital. They took too long. His death shocked the Spain of that time.

16- Luis Miguel González Lucas, Dominguín

Source: geni.com

A very popular bullfighter in postwar Spain, in the 1940s and 1950s. He came to lead the ranks in the 1940s. His personal life also gave a lot to talk about. He had romances with beautiful Hollywood actresses such as: Lana Turner, Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth, Lauren Bacall and many more.

He himself recounted these adventures, since, for him, it was not worth conquering these flag women if his friends did not know it later.

Non-Spanish bullfighters

17- Sebastian Castella

French bullfighter with a Spanish father and a Polish mother. He is considered the best French bullfighter of all time. He has even gone out once through the Puerta Grande de Las Ventas, the Olympus of the gods in bullfighting. It stands out for its great value and its quietness before the pythons of bulls. Their fights draw a great mass of fans.

18- Cesar Rincon

Colombian bullfighter, he took the alternative in Mexico and in September 1984 in Las Ventas. He retired in 2007 in the Monumental square in Barcelona, ​​before an audience that packed the arena to give him a standing ovation. Now he is the owner of herds of fighting bulls.

19- Alejandro Amaya

Mexican matador born in Tijuana in 1977. He took the alternative in Jaén (Spain) in 2001, at the San Lucas Fair. That afternoon he received an 8-centimeter goring, but he continued the bullfight and even received an ear.

20- Carlos Arruza

This Mexican bullfighter, born in 1920, was considered one of the best American bullfighters of the 20th century. It was known by the name of "the Cyclone." He died young, in 1966, but not by bull horn, but in a car accident.