Julián López Escobar

Julián López Escobar (born October 3, 1982 in San Blas, Madrid, Spain) commonly known as "El Juli", is a Spanish bullfighter.

Biography

After he caped his first bull at the young age of nine, Julián's wealthy family enrolled him in the Madrid Academy of Tauromachy. After years of studying, he moved to Mexico to perform in bullfights, as Spain required "novilleros" (junior matador) to be of at least 16 years of age.

On March 16, 1997, at the age of 14, Julián made his bullfighting debut in Texcoco, Mexico. He finished with a standing ovation and received two ears. In bullfighting, the detached ears of the dead bull(s) are trophies, which are awarded for an above average bullfight.

Approximately one year later, on September 18, 1998, Julián received his "alternativa" in Nîmes, France. This marked the passage from being a "novillero" to a full-fledged "matador de toros" (senior bullfighter). At age 15, he was the youngest professional bullfighter in the history of the sport. Julián led a toast to his father, a former "novillero" forced into retirement after losing his right eye in a bullfight.

By the age of 17, Julián had grown to become the highest-paid bullfighter in history. Not only did his good looks and affluent background popularize him, but his skills in the ring were unmatched. Julián places his own "banderillas" (spiked banners), which is typically the job of the "banderillero". Only highly talented matadors can do this, as it is very difficult, and requires an equal amount of training as you need to become a matador. Additionally, in three out of his 134 performances in 1999, he was the lone matador. This meant killing all six bulls during the fight, rather than the usual two bulls a matador fights during a bullfight. Doing this feat requires great skill and stamina, which further enhances his sparkling reputation.

Lawsuit

Juilan filed a lawsuit against Coloumbian singer Shakira, because she used footage of some of his battles without his permission in her music video.

Persondata
NAME=Julián López Escobar
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=El Juli
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Spanish matador (bullfighter)
DATE OF BIRTH=3 October 1982
PLACE OF BIRTH=San Blas, Madrid, Spain