Padel, José, the “limpiacristales”: “This is how I keep my windows clean”

There are the best players in the world, making thousands stand up at every point. And then there’s him, who takes center stage when the champions rest between one set and another and becomes the absolute star of the dance floor. The Allianz idol Cloud not only holds a shovel in his hand, but also a squeegee. His name is José, he’s 41 years old, he comes from Madrid, he’s a fan of Atletico Madrid (“Soy cholista”), he works here as “limpiacristales” and is a fundamental part of the show. Because to guarantee perfect visibility of the game both to those in the stands and to the viewers, perfectly clean glass is needed, and then because a dirty glass or with a halo of sweat left by a player can affect the point, and therefore the match, and then the tournament.

JOSé AND THE PLAYLIST

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Between one set and another it’s José’s turn: Carletto DJ’s playlist lights it up, and he – the freestyler of the window cleaners – puts everything back to life in a minute, making window cleaning an art, in time with the music. “I’ve been working in padel for nine years, I started through a friend, and I really like this thing – he says -. As the discipline has evolved, the need to clean the windows faster and faster has grown and therefore I use this method which I am pleased to be appreciated by the public”. Who elected him as an idol: “But this thing has nothing to do with my character, it’s just people who see me like this”. José doesn’t travel the world with a spatula in hand, “but I have another job in Madrid, still in the cleaning sector. I understand that window cleaning can be considered a “small” job, but it’s a job like any other. What makes a job great is the approach and commitment with which it is carried out”. And there’s nothing better than having fun while working: “I do it with great pleasure, and there’s a relationship of great respect with the players. Among the most demanding ones is Garrido, who always wants the wall to always be perfectly clean”. Yes, he cleaned, but using only water and not soap: “Because the effect that soap can have on the glass and on the game is the same that can be caused by drops of sweat”. While José speaks, the first semifinal has just begun: the interview, then, ends here, it’s up to the padel champions, but also to José the limpiacristales.