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Alfredo Di Stéfano, Soccer Great, Dies at 88 Alfredo Di Stéfano, Soccer Great for Real Madrid, Dies at 88
(about 17 hours later)
Alfredo Di Stéfano, an Argentine soccer star who built a legendary career when he moved to Europe in the 1950s and led Real Madrid to five straight Continental club championships, died on Monday in Madrid. He was 88.Alfredo Di Stéfano, an Argentine soccer star who built a legendary career when he moved to Europe in the 1950s and led Real Madrid to five straight Continental club championships, died on Monday in Madrid. He was 88.
Real Madrid confirmed his death. He was widely reported to have had a heart attack on Friday, his birthday.Real Madrid confirmed his death. He was widely reported to have had a heart attack on Friday, his birthday.
Di Stéfano, an agile, tireless and versatile player nicknamed the Blond Arrow, personified total soccer — a style of play that encourages players with assigned positions to redefine them as the game demands — having embraced it years before the great Dutch teams of the early 1970s made it popular.Di Stéfano, an agile, tireless and versatile player nicknamed the Blond Arrow, personified total soccer — a style of play that encourages players with assigned positions to redefine them as the game demands — having embraced it years before the great Dutch teams of the early 1970s made it popular.
Playing with Paco Gento, and later with the Hungarian star Ferenc Puskas, Di Stéfano and Real Madrid won the European Cup the first five years of the competition’s existence, from 1956 to 1960. (It is now called the European Champions League.) He was voted European footballer of the year in 1957 and 1959.Playing with Paco Gento, and later with the Hungarian star Ferenc Puskas, Di Stéfano and Real Madrid won the European Cup the first five years of the competition’s existence, from 1956 to 1960. (It is now called the European Champions League.) He was voted European footballer of the year in 1957 and 1959.
In 1960, Di Stéfano scored three goals in a 7-3 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt of Germany in the European Cup final at Hampden Park in Glasgow, a game still considered among the greatest in soccer history. Di Stéfano scored a record 49 goals in 59 European Cup games.In 1960, Di Stéfano scored three goals in a 7-3 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt of Germany in the European Cup final at Hampden Park in Glasgow, a game still considered among the greatest in soccer history. Di Stéfano scored a record 49 goals in 59 European Cup games.
He finished his career at Real Madrid with 216 goals in 282 league games from 1953 to 1964 and remains one of Real’s leading career scorers. He helped the club to eight league titles.He finished his career at Real Madrid with 216 goals in 282 league games from 1953 to 1964 and remains one of Real’s leading career scorers. He helped the club to eight league titles.
Di Stéfano won the scoring title five times and is the No. 5 career goal scorer in the history of the Spanish league. He retired at 40 in 1966 after a 22-year career in South America and Europe.Di Stéfano won the scoring title five times and is the No. 5 career goal scorer in the history of the Spanish league. He retired at 40 in 1966 after a 22-year career in South America and Europe.
Speaking to the BBC, the English star Bobby Charlton, who played against Di Stéfano with Manchester United, called him “one of the best players I ever came across.”Speaking to the BBC, the English star Bobby Charlton, who played against Di Stéfano with Manchester United, called him “one of the best players I ever came across.”
Charlton once wrote about the first time he saw Di Stéfano play, in 1957.Charlton once wrote about the first time he saw Di Stéfano play, in 1957.
“Who is this man?” Charlton wrote, as quoted by The Guardian in its obituary on Monday. “He takes the ball from the goalkeeper, he tells the full backs what to do; wherever he is on the field he is in position to take the ball, you can see his influence on everything that is happening.”“Who is this man?” Charlton wrote, as quoted by The Guardian in its obituary on Monday. “He takes the ball from the goalkeeper, he tells the full backs what to do; wherever he is on the field he is in position to take the ball, you can see his influence on everything that is happening.”
He went on: “I had never seen such a complete footballer,” adding: “It was as though he had set up his own command center at the heart of the game. He was as strong as he was subtle. You just could not keep your eyes off him.”He went on: “I had never seen such a complete footballer,” adding: “It was as though he had set up his own command center at the heart of the game. He was as strong as he was subtle. You just could not keep your eyes off him.”
Di Stéfano was born on July 4, 1926, in Barracas, a poor neighborhood of Buenos Aires, and learned to play soccer on its streets. A grandfather had immigrated to Argentina from Capri, off the coast of Italy. His father played for a time for Barracas’s leading soccer club, River Plate.Di Stéfano was born on July 4, 1926, in Barracas, a poor neighborhood of Buenos Aires, and learned to play soccer on its streets. A grandfather had immigrated to Argentina from Capri, off the coast of Italy. His father played for a time for Barracas’s leading soccer club, River Plate.
Alfredo began his own career with River Plate in August 1944 and made his international debut for Argentina in 1947 at the South American championship.Alfredo began his own career with River Plate in August 1944 and made his international debut for Argentina in 1947 at the South American championship.
After Argentina’s professional players went on strike and were locked out by the clubs’ owners in 1949, Di Stéfano joined a group of top players in leaving the country to play in an unsanctioned league in Colombia. There he scored 267 goals in 292 games while leading Millonarios of Bogotá to four league titles.After Argentina’s professional players went on strike and were locked out by the clubs’ owners in 1949, Di Stéfano joined a group of top players in leaving the country to play in an unsanctioned league in Colombia. There he scored 267 goals in 292 games while leading Millonarios of Bogotá to four league titles.
He was playing for Millonarios at a tournament in Spain celebrating Real Madrid’s 50th anniversary in 1953 when he caught the attention of Real officials.He was playing for Millonarios at a tournament in Spain celebrating Real Madrid’s 50th anniversary in 1953 when he caught the attention of Real officials.
The team agreed to pay a transfer fee to Millonarios to acquire Di Stéfano, but because the Colombian league was not recognized by FIFA, Barcelona, Real’s bitter rival, was able to make a deal with River Plate, which technically owned the rights to him.The team agreed to pay a transfer fee to Millonarios to acquire Di Stéfano, but because the Colombian league was not recognized by FIFA, Barcelona, Real’s bitter rival, was able to make a deal with River Plate, which technically owned the rights to him.
FIFA approved Di Stéfano’s transfer to Barcelona, but the Spanish soccer authorities rejected the deal. A Spanish court ruled that Di Stéfano would have to stay in Spain for four years, playing two years for Real and two for Barcelona. Perhaps realizing the folly of the situation, Barcelona renounced its claim.FIFA approved Di Stéfano’s transfer to Barcelona, but the Spanish soccer authorities rejected the deal. A Spanish court ruled that Di Stéfano would have to stay in Spain for four years, playing two years for Real and two for Barcelona. Perhaps realizing the folly of the situation, Barcelona renounced its claim.
At the urging of the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, who was a Real Madrid fan, Di Stéfano acquired Spanish citizenship and played internationally for his adopted country, although he never played in the World Cup finals. He played 31 times for Spain and scored 23 goals. (He also played seven times for Argentina and four for Colombia.)At the urging of the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, who was a Real Madrid fan, Di Stéfano acquired Spanish citizenship and played internationally for his adopted country, although he never played in the World Cup finals. He played 31 times for Spain and scored 23 goals. (He also played seven times for Argentina and four for Colombia.)
In August 1963, while playing with Real Madrid in Caracas, Venezuela, Di Stéfano was kidnapped from his hotel room by Communist revolutionaries, who said they wanted to dramatize their opposition to President Rómulo Betancourt’s government. He was released two days later. The next day, appearing on the soccer field, he was greeted with a sustained ovation.In August 1963, while playing with Real Madrid in Caracas, Venezuela, Di Stéfano was kidnapped from his hotel room by Communist revolutionaries, who said they wanted to dramatize their opposition to President Rómulo Betancourt’s government. He was released two days later. The next day, appearing on the soccer field, he was greeted with a sustained ovation.
Di Stéfano had several children with his wife, Sara Frietes Varela, who died in 2005. Complete information about his survivors was not immediately available.Di Stéfano had several children with his wife, Sara Frietes Varela, who died in 2005. Complete information about his survivors was not immediately available.
After he retired as a player, Di Stéfano coached in Argentina (Boca Juniors and River Plate) and in Spain (Valencia) before returning to Real Madrid as coach in 1982. He was named Real’s honorary president in 2000 when Fiorentino Pérez took over as the club’s top executive.After he retired as a player, Di Stéfano coached in Argentina (Boca Juniors and River Plate) and in Spain (Valencia) before returning to Real Madrid as coach in 1982. He was named Real’s honorary president in 2000 when Fiorentino Pérez took over as the club’s top executive.
In an interview with The International Herald Tribune, Pérez recalled that while he was restocking Real with some of the best players in the world, including the French star Zinedine Zidane, his father told him that Zidane “is good, maybe very good, but Di Stéfano? He was amor.”In an interview with The International Herald Tribune, Pérez recalled that while he was restocking Real with some of the best players in the world, including the French star Zinedine Zidane, his father told him that Zidane “is good, maybe very good, but Di Stéfano? He was amor.”