José Manuel Pinto: From Barcelona’s Goalkeeper to Grammy-Winning Music Producer

Most footballers struggle to find a new passion after hanging up their boots, but José Manuel Pinto made the transition look effortless.

You probably remember him as Barcelona’s backup goalkeeper, the man behind Víctor Valdés during Barça’s golden era.

But while he was winning trophies with the club, Pinto was also setting himself up for something even bigger—a career in music.

Fast forward a few years, and Pinto isn’t just making music. He’s thriving in the industry, producing hit songs, winning a Latin Grammy, and even getting his tracks featured in Hollywood blockbusters.

Pinto: The Heartbeat of Barça’s Dressing Room

Pinto joined Barcelona in 2007 and spent seven seasons at the club. Sure, he played just 90 matches, but his presence was massive. He won nine major trophies, including the famous 2009 treble under Pep Guardiola.

But Pinto wasn’t just a goalkeeper. He was the team’s DJ, the guy who controlled the music in the dressing room and kept everyone’s energy up. His bond with Lionel Messi was so strong that when his contract expired in 2014, Spanish newspaper Marca ran the headline: “Messi’s best mate is leaving.”

His final game came against Atlético Madrid in 2014. At 38 years, six months, and nine days old, he became Barcelona’s oldest La Liga player ever. That was the end of his football career—but just the beginning of his next adventure.

From Goalkeeper to Hitmaker

Pinto didn’t wait until retirement to chase his music dreams. He founded his record label, Wahin Makinaciones, in 2000, though he didn’t start releasing music until 2006.

After football, he went all in. He used his earnings to build a high-end music studio in his hometown, El Puerto de Santa María in southwest Spain. Under the stage name Wahin, Pinto’s music started making waves—literally.

Hollywood Came Calling

Pinto’s beats didn’t just stay in Spain. Two of his songs made it to Hollywood blockbusters:

“Papi Papi” was featured in Ride Along 2 (2016), starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart—a movie that raked in $125 million at the box office.

“La Habana” played in The Fate of the Furious (2017), starring Vin Diesel, The Rock, and Jason Statham. The movie? A $1 billion global hit!

His music exploded in popularity, even reaching the top 10 on the Billboard charts and selling across Latin America.

Pinto Wins a Latin Grammy

Pinto didn’t just dabble in music—he mastered it. In 2016, he won a Latin Grammy Award for his work as a sound engineer on Niña Pastori’s album, Ámame Como Soy.

He wasn’t new to the game, either. Pinto studied sound engineering and even earned a master’s degree in music production. His teammates always knew where he was headed.

"All the guys knew what I was going to do," Pinto told Billboard in 2016. "They saw me studying my sound engineering books on the plane when we traveled. A lot of people know me as a footballer, but I was composing songs when I was 14. I've always loved music just as much as football."

Pinto’s Legacy: More Than Just Football

José Manuel Pinto’s journey proves that retirement doesn’t mean the end of success. He went from stopping goals at the Camp Nou to producing hits for global audiences.

From Champions League medals to Hollywood soundtracks and a Grammy, Pinto has redefined what it means to transition from sports to entertainment.

His story? Proof that passion, dedication, and reinvention can take you anywhere.