Manuel Estiarte

Manuel Estiarte is usually considered, along with Hungarian Dezső Gyarmati, as one of the two greatest water poloists of all time. He competed in six Olympic Games, winning a silver medal in 1992 and a gold medal in 1996. He was the leading goal scorer in water polo at the 1980, 1984, 1988, and 1992 Olympics. Estiarte also led Spain to three medals at the World Championships – the 1998 gold and silvers in 1991 and 1994, as well as winning three bronze medals at the 1985, 1991, and 1999 World Cup, and a silver (1991) and bronze (1993) at the European Championships. For seven consecutive years (1986-92), he was voted World Player of the Year.

When his Olympic career ended, Estiarte entered sports administration and served as an Athletes’ Member of the IOC from 2000-04. He later headed external relations at FC Barcelona from 2008-12 under Pep Guardiola, and then went to Bayern München with Guardiola in 2013, working as his administrative assistant. In 1996 Estiarte received the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit, the highest distinction of Spanish sport, while in 2001 he received the Prince of Asturias Award for Sports in 2001.