Saturday's Copa del Rey final between Real Betis and Valencia could be one of the biggest feel-good stories of the season.
The final of the Spanish league will be played in the home city of the team captain, with the chance for him to end his career by leading his team to their first trophy in 17 years.
This is the story of what makes him special.
Joaquin is the oldest player in the league. Since making his debut for Betis at the age of 19, he has provided more than two decades of entertainment on the pitch.
It was obvious that he was a special talent when he was a traditional winger with wonderful ball skills, a change of pace and wicked delivery into the box.
He stayed with his hometown club for six seasons, winning the cup in 2005 and becoming a regular in the Spain team.
A move to Valencia for 20 million dollars was the result of the winger's consistent brilliance. He became less important for Los Che and Malaga after they joined.
His time on the south coast was a success, with his team finishing fourth in the league and reaching the quarter-finals of the cup. After spending a couple of seasons with Fiorentina, he returned to his hometown club, Betis, in 2015.
He was 34 at the time and everyone assumed his second stint at Betis would be short and sweet. He is making 31 appearances this season under his former coach at Malaga, and he is still performing at a high level seven years later.
Despite spending two years in Italy, he has made more La Liga appearances than any other outfield player and is close to closing in on ex- Barcelona goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta.
If he finds the net between now and the end of the season, he will become the league's oldest goal scorer.
Dry statistics are not enough to do justice to this man.
Joaquin is a national treasure because of his personality and football ability.
His charisma and sense of fun have made him a popular figure in the nation.
Whether he is cracking jokes on social media in the small hours during a bout of insomnia, dressing up in all manner of costumes to perform bizarre dance routines, or making fun of everyone and everything, laughs are never far away when he is around.
He posed for a photo with the trophy completely nude when he won the Copa del Rey with Valencia. He claimed that he was wearing underpants and the image had been photoshopped.
Three years earlier, when he won the trophy with Betis, he took it to his wedding and proudly placed it on the altar and at the center of the ceremonial photos.
A multi-national shaving company was looking for the right person to appeal to the Spanish market when they hired him last year, and he is just enormously likeable.
Their choice was not one of the stars of Real Madrid or Barcelona.
When he retires, it has been suggested that he will present his own chat show on national TV, because he is a natural on television.
It was expected that time would arrive this summer. He said earlier in the campaign that he wanted to enjoy football, but also play.
Since the start of February, he has made 14 appearances, including four starts, and his wish to spend more time on the field has been granted. He reminded everyone that he is a dedicated professional.
The extra games that would bring for the club next season would make it difficult for the evergreen skipper to decide if he wants to continue playing football.
He concluded that there is no better way to end his career than with another triumph in the Copa del Rey.
The neutrals in Spain are hoping the final gives him the choice to make.
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