Manuel Esteban, known as 'Manolete,' dies at 68, a leading figure in sports journalism.

Manuel Esteban Fernández ' Manolete' , prestigious sports journalist and an institution at Diario As and Cadena Ser, died on Thursday at the age of 68 in Madrid after battling a long illness,

A seasoned journalist for over four decades with a very distinctive style, Manolete, who began his career at the Efe news agency and also worked for almost a decade at the Diario Marca, covered Atlético Madrid for years, of which he was a renowned supporter. Retired in 2020 when his health began to deteriorate, he was one of the first sports journalists specializing in the transfer market. "He's sighing for the signing of..." was a phrase he made legendary when announcing a club's interest in a player, although he wasn't always right.

Manolete was born in the heart of Madrid, in Plaza Dos de Mayo, a neighborhood where he always boasted, inheriting his passion for Atlético de Madrid from his father, a railway worker by profession, ever since he first took him to the old Metropolitano stadium to watch a match against Córdoba. After his time at Agencia Efe, he worked at 'Marca' for almost a decade until he signed for 'As' in 1996, where he was eventually appointed editor-in-chief of Atlético Madrid.

Not only in the written press, Manolete also contributed to numerous radio outlets such as Onda Madrid, Telemadrid, and Radio España, but his voice became most popular on Cadena SER, where he forged a special friendship with José Ramón de la Morena, the man who turned Manuel Esteban Fernández into the great "Manolete." A thoroughbred journalist, but above all a great colleague, as all the professionals who knew him when they were still interns and received his advice and help attest.

Manolete retired permanently from journalism in 2020 after battling Parkinson's for years. His public farewell was on Ser Deportivos, where he said goodbye through tears and thanks: "Because of the illness, I'm going to have to stop working. I've been with SER since 1992. I thank all of you who have been working with me."