Arenas de San Pedro: A Very Special Comeback

It has taken until the very end of the season to witness one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent years. This is not a regular return to the circuit, but rather a one-off appearance — a way to “scratch the itch” after nearly a decade without donning the traje de luces.

The spotlight is on César Jiménez, a key name in the early 21st century. As a leading novillero, his triumphs included a memorable Puerta Grande at Las Ventas after fighting six Fuente Ymbro bulls single-handedly, and the coveted Zapato de Oro in Arnedo. These successes paved the way for a prestigious alternativa in Nîmes and rapid entry into the major ferias as a matador, where he built a brilliant early career.

As a matador de toros, Jiménez achieved three more Puertas Grandes in Madrid, significant triumphs in Seville — such as the two ears he cut from a Torrestrella bull — along with victories across Spain, France, and Latin America. For several seasons, he was an essential figure at the top of the ranking, headlining every major feria and subscription.

With his versatile, varied style with the cape and his resolute technique with the muleta — especially his celebrated kneeling starts in the centre of the ring — the torero from Fuenlabrada carved out a place among the greats. He shared the stage with a generation of figures such as Castella, Manzanares, Perera, later Talavante, as well as contemporaries like Salvador Vega, Fernando Cruz, and Salvador Cortés, all of whom left their mark on the opening decades of this century.