Alfredo Di Stefano Celebrated His Birthday Number 86

Alfredo Di Stefano, honorary president of Real Madrid, which he led as a player to sport and maximum levels considered one of the most important players in history, today celebrates its 86th birthday with the satisfaction of the triumph of “The Red” in Euro 2012.

Nicknamed “La Saeta Rubia”, continues to show his love of football that always says “played” and “not working” returning to pay tribute to what has always considered the most important thing: the ball.

Football always paid him gratitude for all that has given him. Not in vain for many years in the garden of his home in Madrid pays his unique tribute to the presence of the sculpture of a ball and a very peculiar phrase: “Thanks, old.”

The dedication is between the ball and his mother. “In the old, I gave birth, and the ball, which made me grow,” as recognized by the magazine Di Stefano Argentina “Figure” in 2008, as quoted by news agency Efe.

Born in Argentina, on July 4, 1926, in the popular area of ​​Barrancas, Di Stefano was the turning of a Real Madrid until his arrival had only won two leagues and that, particularly through their contribution, was found by FIFA ‘Best Club XX Century “. And also the precursor of the “complete player”.

He had previously shone in Argentina’s River Plate (won two national championships, 1945, 47) and the Colombian Millionaires (three leagues, 1949, 51, 52, and a FIFA Colombia, 1953). He became the object of desire of the two largest in Spain: Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Thus, his move to Real Madrid, who was enthusiastic about him after seeing him in 1952, when he went to the Tournament Millionaires Club Golden Anniversary White, was preceded by a hard dispute with Barcelona.

The sports rights they are distributed Di Stefano and Millionaires River, where he had been playing for a general strike that paralyzed the Argentine soccer. Barcelona and Real Madrid traded his signing each with a different club.
He had to speak the Spanish Federation, which issued a ruling which provided for Di Stefano had to play, alternatively, two seasons at Real Madrid and two in Barcelona. It was under the Barcelona club president Enric Marti-su resigned in protest, and its management committee waived the rights to the player for the institution in Madrid.

The Madrid club, chaired by Santiago Bernabeu with Barcelona after paying the money he had already paid to River and take over the entire remaining amount of the transfer was made with the rights of a player who would change their destiny.

Di Stefano joined Real Madrid in 1953. He played his first competitive game as Real Madrid on 23 September of that year, losing to Nancy French (4-2).

Eight Spanish league championships (1953-54, 54-55, 56-57, 57-58, 60-61, 61-62, 62-63, 63-64), a Cup Spain (1961-62), five Cups Europe (1956, 57, 58, 59, 60), Intercontinental Cup (1960), two Latin Cups (1955, 57) and “Small World Cup,” are the titles made by Real Madrid with Di Stefano.

Enter individual titles, Di Stefano holds five times the top scorer of Spanish league championships (1953-54, 55-56, 56-57, 57-58, 58-59).

It was the forerunner of the “total footballer” technique, touch, physical strength, tactical sense and a lot of great genius.

Twice won the “Golden Ball” (1957, 59) and was once “Silver Ball” (1956). In 1989, to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the magazine “France Football” received the “Super Gold Ball,” which he credited as the best player of those three decades.

Spanish was nationalized in 1957 and made his international debut on 30 January (to the Netherlands, 5-1, with his three goals).

The significance and charisma as a player Di Stefano reflects the story that years ago another myth told EFE Argentine football, the late Omar Sivori. It happened in a clash Real Madrid-Juventus Turin, knockout of the seventh European Cup 1961-62, where “La Saeta Rubia” rival forced the change of uniform to rest.

It was the Real Madrid of Di Stefano and Sivori Juventus, the two big time. In the first leg, February 14, 1962, Real Madrid had won in the old stadium, “Comunale” of Turin, with a goal (m.79) “La Saeta Rubia”.

In turn, the February 21, 1962, in Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid was presented with the traditional white uniform, while Juventus dropped to his black and white vertical stripes, wearing a completely black color. A uniform that matched the then led the referees and linesmen.

This coincidence led by more than one occasion the Real Madrid players equivocal because at halftime (0-1 on the scoreboard on a goal by Juventus Omar Sivori, minute 38), Di Stefano went to the locker room of the arbitrator (French Guigue ) with the second uniform Madrid, violet, and told the college that if it placed Juventus, Real Madrid would not jump to the field in the second half.

The referee granted the request of Di Stefano and Juventus forced to jump to the purple uniform. An anecdote told by Sivori to highlight the importance of his friend-rival.

In step Madrid of Di Stefano also no place for sadness, fortunately resolved satisfactorily. On August 20, 1963, when he was in Caracas with Real Madrid for the dispute of the Little Club World Cup, was kidnapped by members of the National Liberation Front of Venezuela, who posed as policemen and took out the hotel concentration.

It was a protest against the government of Venezuela and, after three days, was released to Di Stefano.
“The Arrow” left Real Madrid in 1964, at 38, after defeating the Cup final loss of Europe, leaving behind 510 official matches (418 goals). RCD joined the Spanish, where he played until 1966, and retired. With the Spanish team played 31 games (23 goals).

He returned to Real Madrid as coach in 1982 after leading the Elche (1967), Boca Juniors (1968), Rayo Vallecano (1975), Castellon (1976), River Plate (1981) and Valencia (1970-74, 79-80, 86-88).

Achieved with Valencia in the league (1981) and the Cup Winners Cup (1980), with Real Madrid of Spain Supercup (1991), with the River Mouth and a national championship.

In 2000, the board of Real Madrid under the presidency of Florentino Perez, he was named honorary president of Real Madrid.
Currently serving 86 years, three days after “The Red” alzase Euro 2012. A team that does not hesitate in calling “pretty much the best” he has seen.