MADRID: Luis Aragones, the former Spain coach who shaped the team’s rise from perennial underachiever to global powerhouse with a long-awaited title at the 2008 European Championship, has died. He was 75.
The Spanish football federation announced the death early on Saturday. He had been battling leukemia.
Aragones had a successful playing career as a sharpshooting international forward who earned 11 caps for Spain, and then spent the rest of his life as a much-travelled coach.
However, he will mostly be remembered for what happened on June 29, 2008, when his team beat Germany 1-0 to claim their first major title in 44 years.
“Luis Aragones changed the history of Spanish football,” Spain captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas said. “And for that we will always be thankful.”
Aragones’ time in charge wasn’t without controversy. He made a racist slur about France striker Thierry Henry in 2004, but denied being a racist, saying he made that comment to motivate one his players. (AP)
