Tomás González

Tomás González, a bullfighter whose story is yet to be written

There are bullfighters who seem to enter the ring having chosen a path for themselves. And there are others who give the impression that the path chose them. Tomás González belongs, at least for now, to the latter category. Born in Alcorisa, in the province of Teruel, he grew up immersed in the world of bullfighting and realised very early on that he wanted to devote his life to the bull.

He does not speak of the profession as someone who has discovered a vocation partway through life. In his case, the passion dates back practically to his childhood. He himself has admitted that he cannot remember exactly when he first wanted to become a bullfighter because, quite simply, he has wanted to be one for as long as he can remember. There was a bullfighting tradition in his family, and his uncle Luis González, who was also a novillero, was part of that early world in which the cape and the muleta ceased to be strange objects and became a way of understanding life.

And perhaps that is one of the keys to understanding Tomás González. He does not seem to have been drawn to bullfighting by a teenage whim or the glamour of a fair afternoon. He was drawn to it because the bull was at home, in his surroundings and, little by little, within him too.

Who is Tomás González?

Tomás González Huertas was born on 15 March 2006 in Alcorisa (Teruel). At just 20 years of age, he has become one of the young names to watch in the ranks of novilleros with picadores and one of the most prominent representatives of the new generation of Aragonese bullfighters.

His connection with the bullring began at a very early age. In July 2021, aged 15, he made his debut in full bullfighter’s attire in his hometown during a practical training session organised in Alcorisa. That afternoon meant much more than just a teenager’s debut: it was the first time the young man from Alcorisa had donned the full bullfighter’s costume in front of his family and friends, accompanied by a supporters’ club that already numbered around 200 people.

His training was linked to the Mar de Nubes Bullfighting Centre in Aragón, a school where he competed as a student in various competitions during his early years. In 2022, for example, he was announced as a representative of Mar de Nubes in the ‘Cuenca Torea’ competition.

However, González’s story does not quite fit the mould of a bullfighter trained exclusively within a bullfighting school. The novillero himself has explained that, as he developed, he was supported by various professionals who were fundamental to his learning. Among them were Mar Guerra, Modesto Carrasquero and Roberto Ortega – names to whom González himself attributes a significant part of what he achieved during his early years.

The passion for bullfighting that began in Alcorisa

There is something particularly significant about the way Tomás González talks about his early days: he doesn’t need to spin a grand tale about his childhood.

His explanation is much simpler. His family had always been involved in the world of bullfighting, and he grew up with that passion. From a young age, he began spending time in the countryside, at the tentaderos and during training sessions. His dream took shape almost naturally.

In 2022, when he was barely 16, he was already saying that he had been living practically for bullfighting for years. That season, he had managed to be carried out on the shoulders of the crowd in his first five novilladas and was looking forward with great anticipation to his appearance at the Feria del Ángel in Teruel, an arena of particular importance to him because it was the place where his passion for the sport had first taken root.

And here we see another defining characteristic of the bullfighter: his connection to his homeland.

For González, Teruel is not just another bullring. It is part of his history. In 2026, he acknowledged that making his entrance there holds a special significance because it was precisely in that arena where he first began watching bullfights and where he grew up as a fan.

A self-made novillero

Tomás González’s career has followed something of a parallel path. Whilst other young bullfighters quickly find a clearly defined structure around them, he has patiently built his own.

During his time without picadors, he fought mainly in the province of Guadalajara, a region with which he has maintained a very close relationship. He trains there regularly and it was there that he gained much of the experience he needed before making the leap to novilladas with horses.

That experience eventually paved the way for the next step.

On 11 May 2024, in Horche (Guadalajara), Tomás González made his debut with picadors. He was 18 at the time and had spent two seasons on the circuit without horses, having fought in more than twenty novilladas, as well as festivals and tentaderos. His team felt the time had come for him to face the young bulls with the castoreño.

It was not a hasty move. It was the result of clocking up the kilometres, gaining experience in the countryside and many afternoons of learning.

Tomás González’s style: verticality, courage and personality

If there is one word that springs to mind when analysing Tomás González’s bullfighting, it is ‘personality’.

His style does not simply seek to conform to convention. There is a tendency towards vertical, powerful and close-range bullfighting, with a courage that some commentators have described as ‘dry’. There are also moments of greater grace and classicism, especially when he encounters a bull that allows him to express what lies within him.

He does not seem interested in emulating anyone.

In fact, in an interview published in 2025, he acknowledged that he was precisely in a phase of learning, trying to deepen his approach and gradually discover what sort of bullfighter he wanted to be. France, Vinaroz, Boujan-sur-Libron and Teruel emerged at that time as some of the key stops on that journey of growth.

This quest is fascinating because we are not yet dealing with a fully-formed bullfighter. And perhaps that is precisely where the appeal lies. Tomás González does not sell certainties: he sells evolution.

Vinaroz and the 2025 season: a chance to prove himself

The 2025 season marked a significant leap forward.

González completed 22 novilladas with picadors, in which he secured 29 ears and one tail. Furthermore, he faced a wide variety of bloodlines and breeding farms: he fought bulls from 23 different brands belonging to ten distinct bloodlines, a fact that speaks to the range of situations he had to navigate during the season.

One of the highlights of that campaign took place in Vinaroz, where he secured one of the triumphs that defined his season. This was followed by standout performances in bullrings such as Mejorada del Campo, Ayllón, Mojados, Azuqueca de Henares and El Burgo de Osma.

The season also saw him take to the ring in Zaragoza and take a lap of honour at the Feria del Pilar following a performance that once again showcased his personal style. Furthermore, he made the leap onto the international stage with his debut as a novillero in the Americas, at the Viriato bullring in Peru.

But perhaps there is one afternoon in 2024 that explains better than any other what sort of novillero he is.

Peralta: an afternoon of skill and power

In September 2024, Tomás González faced a novillada from Raso de Portillo in Peralta – a bullfight with a combative character, featuring strong and sharp-horned bulls.

The afternoon proved challenging from the outset, and one of his fellow matadors, Miguel Serrano, was injured. González had to face a demanding batch of bulls and ended up being the only matador capable of cutting off both ears from one of his novillos.

His performance with the last bull of the afternoon had a particularly interesting aspect: first he managed to show off the animal’s qualities with the horse, and then, with skill and ability, he gradually drew it in with the muleta. There were series of passes on both horns, and the final thrust earned him both ears. The young bull was also considered the best of the series.

It is an afternoon that may not have the resonance of a major first-class bullring, but which speaks volumes about the bullfighter.

Because there are afternoons when the young bull makes everything easy for you. And there are others when you have to craft the performance yourself.

The bullfight in Teruel that went unrewarded

If there is one thorn in Tomás González’s side in his recent career, it has a name: Teruel.

In 2024, during one of his afternoons in the Teruel bullring, he delivered what he himself considers one of the best performances of his season. However, the final blow with the descabello after the thrust deprived him of turning that performance into a greater triumph.

It is one of those quintessentially bullfighting stories that almost seem to have been written by someone determined to remind the bullfighter that nothing is guaranteed here.

You can fight well. You can master the young bull. You can thrill the crowd.

And then there’s the sword.

Perhaps that is why that performance continues to linger in his memory as unfinished business. Not so much because of the trophy that eluded him, but because it left the feeling that there was something there that still needed to be completed.

A new dimension in 2026

The start of 2026 has seen this upward trend continue.

In Fuentes de León, on 6 June, González was carried out on the shoulders of the crowd after cutting one ear from each of his Torrealta-bred young bulls. The reviews particularly highlighted his classical style and his ability to handle both animals with ease.

And beyond the trophies, the season has a clear objective: to make the leap to bullrings of greater responsibility.

González himself has expressed his desire to make his entrance in Madrid. It does not seem like a statement made lightly. After the experience gained in 2024 and 2025, the next logical step is to see what happens when that style, still a work in progress, is put to the test in arenas where every pass with the muleta carries twice the weight.

Interesting facts about Tomás González

Beyond statistics and trophies, there are a few details that help us understand the novillero better:

• He is originally from Alcorisa, a town in Teruel where he was born on 15 March 2006.
• His full name is Tomás González Huertas.
• His family has a tradition of bullfighting, and his uncle Luis González was a novillero.
• His first competitive appearance in the bullfighter’s costume took place in Alcorisa in July 2021.
• In his early years, he was associated with the Mar de Nubes Bullfighting School.
• Guadalajara became one of his main training grounds during his time without picadors.
• In 2024, he made his debut with picadors in Horche.
• By 2025, he had taken part in 22 novilladas with horses and won 30 trophies, including the ‘rabo’.
• He has fought bulls in France and, in 2025, also made his debut in the Americas, in Peru.
• One of his defining characteristics is his quest to develop his own style of bullfighting, with a marked emphasis on verticality, courage and purity.

Where can I buy tickets to see Tomás González?

For those who want to follow Tomás González’s progress live when he is announced at the bullrings, Servitoro is the best way to buy tickets securely and easily.

You can check the programme and buy your tickets for upcoming bullfights via Servitoro, a particularly convenient option for fans who want to secure their seats before the day of the paseíllo arrives.

A future built in the present

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Tomás González is not what he has already achieved, but everything that remains to be seen.

He is young. He is ambitious. He has a personality that is beginning to be recognised by the spectators, and, above all, he has something essential in this profession: he wants to discover which bullfighter lies within him.

In bullfighting, that is worth a great deal.

Because victories are merely recorded in statistics, the ears are kept in a display case and being carried out on the shoulders of the crowd eventually become part of the archives. But a concept, when it truly takes hold, can stay with a bullfighter throughout his entire career.

Tomás González is still at that stage where, every afternoon, he adds another piece to the jigsaw. Sometimes he’ll get it right. Other times he’ll miss with his sword. Some afternoons he’ll encounter the ideal young bull, whilst on others he’ll have to improvise his performance against an animal that gives nothing away.

But that is precisely the point.

The bullfighter he aspires to be is still being forged. And we’ll have to keep watching the ring to find out how the story ends.