Photographer documents football star’s impact on Spanish city
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Joaquín “Kiki” Hernández, a photographer from Cádiz, Spain, began documenting Jorge “Mágico” González when the Salvadoran footballer arrived at Cádiz CF in 1982.
Hernández started his career as a graphic reporter for Diario de Cádiz in 1979, covering local news including politics, culture, and sports. He consistently photographed González during training, matches, and personal appearances, building a professional and personal relationship with the athlete.
Over time, Hernández captured González’s key moments with the club, including a famous move called “culebrita macheteada”, and also documented quieter aspects of his life. In 2018, Hernández published Mágico González retratado por Kiki, a book featuring over 200 photographs of the footballer. The pair reunited in Cádiz in 2022, and in 2024 Hernández traveled to El Salvador with his wife to photograph González receiving honors during “Una Noche Mágica.” Hernández’s work extends beyond football.
He has amassed a digital archive of over one million photographs documenting the changes in Cádiz over fifty years, culminating in publications like Memoria de un fotógrafo: 50 años de luces. Cádiz (1974-2024). He received awards from press associations and the Real Academia Provincial de Bellas Artes de Cádiz for his contributions to photography, and was named “Hijo Predilecto de Cádiz” (Favorite Son of Cádiz) in 2025.
