During his impressive football career, the Spanish ace Fernando Morientes moved across Europe, sporting the colours of famous clubs such as Liverpool, Monaco and Real Madrid, and also playing for his country.
Since hanging up his boots in 2010, the six-foot striker has scored a whole new profile for himself as a successful TV commentator.
So it's been quite a journey from his start, aged 16, at the provincial club Albacete. By his side throughout it all has been his teenage sweetheart Victoria López, now his wife and mother of their four children.
''I admire so many things about Victoria. But what I need most is her positivity,'' Fernando reveals. She's been there, he says, through every triumph and every trouble, and has ensured that, wherever in the world the couple found themselves, it always felt like home. But most importantly, she's helped form what is for him, the greatest team of all –their family.
Now settled in a leafy suburb of Madrid, the couple have spent four years creating just the right environment for that team to flourish.
Their stunning contemporary villa, decorated by sisters Beatriz and Patricia Fernández Castro of Indietro, is everything they dreamed of. As they welcome us in, they tell us: ''This house isn’t just bricks and mortar; it's a reflection of our roots and history.''
Fernando, what can you tell us about your childhood?
''It was peaceful, healthy and very happy. We lived in the town of Sonseca, in Castilla-La Mancha. My father was a civil guard and I grew up in the barracks with my older brother José Alberto and the sons and daughters of other civil guards.
''We kids played endless ball games in the courtyard, which meant lots of fun and a few tellings‐off for breaking windows.''
''Early on, I switched sports from handball to soccer, because I enjoyed it so much. But I thought that as a career, it was only for the lucky few, and I wasn’t one of them.
''Then, when I was 15, second division club Albacete noticed me and signed me up for their youth teams. That's when I began to realise that the dream could become a reality.''
You and Victoria have been together since your school days. What are the qualities you most admire in her?
Fernando and Victoria spent four years creating their ideal family home
''I fell in love with a teenager and now she is a woman in every sense of the word.
''I admire so many things about her, such as her adaptability and generosity. But what I need most is her positivity. She can find a solution to any problem. Then there's her sixth sense, which has got me out of a few tight spots!''
With Victoria and your four children – Lucía, Martina, Fernando and Gabriela – you seem like a very united family...
''Yes. Teamwork brought success in my football career and I think it works in family life, too. We six form a great team.
''There's nothing better than spending quality time together. Just enjoying a movie or a good meal is priceless when you're surrounded by the people you love.''
Victoria, was it love at first sight for you and Fernando?
''To begin with, we were classmates and great friends. Then, when we were 15, he convinced my best friend to get me to go out with him. What attracted me most to him was his sense of humour. He always made me laugh and still does.''
And what is it like being married to a footballer?
Another hobby of Victoria's is painting in her studio
''It's a mixture of pride, sacrifice, love and a lot of patience. You need to be there for the moments of glory, but even more so for the difficulties behind the scenes, the injuries and uncertainties. It isn't always an easy life, but I would choose it again, a thousand times over.''
How did you manage the moves from country to country, especially when you had young children?
Victoria wears Safiyaa and Gabriela dons Dior in the family’s fancy dining room
''That takes organisation and a lot of flexibility. You have to adapt to the new climate, the language and the schedules.
''Fernando would move, sometimes quite suddenly, and I would arrive later with the children and the suitcases to start again from scratch... but within a few weeks, we'd have a home.
The family love spending time in the spacious kitchen, where they gather in the evenings
''Well, I'm at the centre of everything, organising and offering support. I do it from the heart, because our family is my greatest commitment and my greatest joy.''
And now you've created this ''forever home'' for them...
The decor includes carefully restored classic furniture
''Yes. This house isn't just made of bricks and mortar; it's a reflection of our roots and history.
''So we're not doing this shoot to show off, but as a source of inspiration, because behind these walls there is work, enthusiasm, love and dedication.''
You and Fernando built it from scratch, didn't you?
The decor includes personal touches such as coral branches
''We did, with the help of the architects Menéndez-Moran and ABM and, for the interiors, Indietro.
''It took four years, and we moved in before it was completely finished, sleeping for the first night among boxes and without any curtains. But we were so happy.''
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