MADRID: Frequently bracketed with Pele and Diego Maradona among the greatest exponents of the game, Alfredo di Stefano, who died on Monday, aged 88, was one of the most complete footballers of all time.
An accomplished defender, a midfield workhorse, a playmaker and a prolific striker, he could be seen covering back in defence, charging through the midfield, laying on goals for the forwards and smashing shots into the net all in the same game.
Di Stefano’s achievements as a player helped turn Real Madrid, the Spanish club he joined in 1953, into one of the world’s leading sides.
He transformed them from insignificant underachievers into the kings of the continent when he guided them to five successive European Cups between 1956 and 1960, scoring in each of the finals.
“People argue between Pele or Maradona,” Pele was quoted as saying in Spanish media in late 2009. “For me, di Stefano is the best. He was much more complete.”
Twice European Footballer of the Year in 1957 and 1959, di Stefano scored 418 goals in 510 official games for Real Madrid.
He joined the exodus of talented Argentines attracted by the high wages paid in the Colombian league when he was lured to Millonarios of Bogota in 1949 and also made a handful of appearances for Colombia.
He caught the eye in Spain when he played in an exhibition match as part of Real’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 1952.
Di Stefano transformed Real from a club that had only won two league titles in the previous 50 years, the last in 1936, into the dominant force in Spain and Europe.
They went on to win five consecutive European Cups, eight league titles and the first Club World Cup in 1960, with di Stefano leading the way alongside other greats Ferenc Puskas, Raymond Kopa, Paco Gento and Hector Rial.
He eventually left Real after 11 seasons having fallen out with President Santiago Bernabeu and returned to Barcelona to play for Espanyol, retiring two seasons later at the age of 40, 22 years after making his debut for River Plate.
He also managed Argentina’s two biggest teams, Boca Juniors and River Plate, leading each club to a league title and also guided Valencia to only their fourth Spanish championship in 1971 and to victory in the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1980.
He returned to Real Madrid to take over as coach between 1982 and 1984, with the side finishing as runners-up in the title race in consecutive seasons.
His international career was less dazzling.
He scored 23 goals in 31 games for Spain, the third country he represented, but for a variety of reasons never graced a World Cup, missing the 1962 tournament due to injury. (Reuters)
