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Alfredo Di Stefano: biography, interesting facts from life

Alfredo di Stefano, whose biography is described below, is rightfully considered to be the person most affected by the history of Madrid's Real Madrid. This football player has become a key figure, ensuring the dominance of the team in the European arena for five years. It should be noted that in all the final matches of that period he had to score a goal. Being able to play at any position on the field, this player has always remained the main striking force in the composition of his club. Not surprisingly, according to the version of "France Football" Argentine was on the fourth position in the list of the best players of the last century. One can not but mention another outstanding individual award Alfredo di Stefano - "Super Golden Ball", which was presented to him by the same edition in 1989. Despite everything, for the fans of "Real" he will forever remain the best player in history. All this will be discussed in more detail.

early years

The future legendary football player was born in one of the districts of the Argentine city of Buenos Aires on July 4, 1926. His grandfather became the first in the family who went to conquer Argentina from Italy in search of a better life. My father married a girl with Irish-French roots. Thus, we can safely say that the guy was of triple origin. Despite everything, he himself admitted more than once that he considered himself an Argentinean throughout his life. In total in the family, except Alfredo di Stefano, whose photo is below, there were two more children.

The area in which the guy grew up was a port area. It was from here that football was distributed in the city, brought to the country by British sailors. Childhood football player, he said, you can call happy. As his grandfather achieved success in trade, the family could boast of a good financial position. She lived in the area in which the football club Boca Juniors was stationed. Despite this, the hearts of the family belonged entirely to its main competitor, River Plate. Pope Alfredo even for a while acted as part of this team in the position of the striker, but the injury did not allow him to develop further in this direction. My son dreamed of doing everything possible to surpass his father's achievements.

First soccer moves

Children's games with the guys on the street were the first in Di Stefano's career. Alfredo then received from his grandfather the nickname "Stopita", which for a long time was fixed for a guy and friends. At that time, the boys used leather balls costing two centavos each. The first club of the future star was the team "Unidos and Veseremos". Later, the footballer recalled that at that time there were many guys who played much better than he did. Together with this, someone had to learn, someone to work, and some did not even have the opportunity to buy shoes.

First move

In 1940, the entire family moved to the suburbs of Buenos Aires and settled on a small farm Los Cardales. This was a difficult period in the life of di Stefano. Alfredo was forced to quit school and work hard. His father was engaged in the cultivation and sale of potatoes, as well as bee-keeping. The guy was instructed to look after 80 workers who worked on the plantation. This work can not be called difficult, but it took a lot of time. Despite this, there was no question of abandoning football. On every Sunday he certainly found time to play as part of the local village team along with his brother Tulio, and also attended games with the participation of his beloved club.

River Plate

As Alfredo di Stefano recalled more than once, his biography as a professional football player began at the age of seven. It was then that he became a member of the River Plate Club. The style of the game, which the young man demonstrated, did not leave anyone indifferent to it. As a result, his mother recommended his son to a friend, former player of River Plate. He was convinced that the guy possesses exceptional talent, in connection with which in 1944 Di Stefano was invited to the fourth team of the club. Alfredo repeatedly stated that if it were not for this act of his mother, he would remain an agronomist for life. Since the Second World War was raging at Eurpope at that time, the country's leading players remained playing in their native championship. This fact greatly contributed to the formation of the legendary and very strong "River Plate" team. In 1945, he debuted in his composition in a match against the "Huracan".

Ironically, it was to this team that he went on lease a year later. The fact that the eighteen-year-old lost in competition to his idol - Adolfo Pederner. The footballer received the desired game practice, as a result of which his star soon appeared on the horizon. The leaders of River Plate could not help but notice this, so the player was returned to the next season. Immediately after his return, together with his club, he won the championship of Argentina, and he himself became the best sniper, having scored 27 goals scored. In the same year, the footballer made his debut as a member of the national team of his country, with whom he became a triumphant at the South American Championship, which was held in Ecuador. Then he received a nickname, which was preserved throughout the professional career of Alfredo di Stefano - "Arrow". The player played for the club for three years. During this time he spent 72 matches, which scored 53 goals scored.

Strike

During the height of the Argentinean championship, June 3, 1949, a strike of professional players began. Their main demands were related to higher wages and the fulfillment of contractual obligations by clubs. One of the active participants and ideological inspirers of these protest actions was Di Stefano. Alfredo, whose quotes at that time were massively published in the Argentine press, sharply criticized the position of clubs, especially those representing the lower divisions, in relation to football players. The fact is that they were often not paid a salary. In addition, contracts were drafted in bad faith. Footballers of large clubs, according to Alfredo, just had to react to it. So they decided not to play. The only exception was the charity games, which were supposed to draw public attention to the current situation.

Leaving River Plate

As of the end of May 1949, most of the players had reached certain agreements. In this regard, the general strike gradually subsided. Whatever it was, there were players who continued to demand improved conditions for their professional activities. Among them were Alfredo di Stefano and several of his teammates. Guide River Plate agreed to make some concessions, namely, the players raised their salaries. Along with this, one of the main requirements - the right to free transfer to other clubs at the end of the season - was never guaranteed. A little later, during the charity performances in Italy, Alfredo received information that the club was negotiating and about his transfer to Liberty. Asking the president of the club for an explanation of why this was done without his knowledge, he received a rude reply that he could go anywhere. August 9, 1949 football player secretly went to Colombia, where he signed a contract with the capital club "Milionarios". Similarly, several more players came on the River Plate.

Milionios

The owner of the club, inviting South American stars, largely managed to solve the problem of popularizing football in his country. Moreover, it allowed him to earn substantially, because the fans began to go to the stadium massively. It should be noted that a similar policy was pursued by other Colombian teams. In that season, "Milionarios" won the championship title. An important role in this triumph was played by Alfredo di Stefano. Goals for the new club Argentine began to score immediately. Following the results of the championship, he spent 15 bouts, which scored 16 goals. The following year, the team took the final second place, and Alfredo himself scored 23 goals, which was the third indicator of the championship. The new season in "Milionarios" has become more successful. The team regained the title of champion, and the Argentine scored 32 goals for 34 games. In 1952 the club again won the championship of the country.

At the end of the year, "Milionarios" conducted a Chilean tour. Alfredo asked the leadership to spend some time with his family. When it was time to return to Colombia, he stayed at home. The president of the club flew to him with demands to fulfill obligations under the contract, but the football player at that time was already determined to part with the team. At the same time, he had offers on his hands from "Barcelona" and Madrid "Atletico". In total, in the "Milionarios" he played 292 games, in which he scored 267 goals.

"RealMadrid"

Initially in Spain, Alfredo di Stefano was to play for Barcelona. He even spent three friendly matches in this team. However, representatives of Madrid "Real" intervened in the situation, who managed to buy out the player's contract, including compensating part of the costs to the Catalan club. The proceedings on this transition lasted about seven months, during which the football player did not participate in official matches. He made his debut as a member of the new team only on September 23, 1953. It should be noted that then, "Real" lost 2-4 to the French "Nancy", and one of the goals scored by striking his head was Alfredo di Stefano. The stadium standing applauded his new star, despite the indistinct game of the whole team. In the future, from the match to the match, the player gradually gained shape. Throughout the season, he repeatedly pleased the fans of the club with goals scored, which helped Real Madrid become the champion of the country.

In the next season, the Argentine scored again more than all the goals (24), and his club finished third. Together with this, Madrid became triumphant in the debut of the European Champions Cup. At the same time, a prestigious individual award for football players was created - "Golden Ball". Being one of the main contenders for this title, Alfredo di Stefano took second place in the poll. To Stanley Matthews, he lost only three votes.

Season 1956/1957 again became a triumph for the "Real" in the Spanish championship. At that time, the Argentine was already the main star of his team. He again became the best sniper of the championship with 31 goals. Real Madrid won in the European Champions Cup, where Alfredo scored the most goals. When determining the owner of the "Golden Ball" in that season, he had no competitors. The following year the Madrid club repeated its achievements. According to the results of 1958, the Argentinian was recognized as the best football player of Europe for the second time. This is not surprising, because he remained the leading player of the strongest team in Europe at the time.

Since 1960, the game "Real" gradually began to decline. The team though became the champion of Spain, but failed to perform in the international arena. Even the status of the best goalscorer of the national championship did not help Alfredo get the "Golden Ball". A similar situation developed over the next two seasons. The last match of the Argentine in Madrid was the final match of the European Champions Cup in 1963 against the Italian "Inter", in which "Real" lost. In total, for the capital club, he spent 396 games, which scored 307 goals. Raul broke this record only in 2009.

"Espanyol" and the end of the gaming career

After the end of performances for Real Madrid, the President of the Royal Club invited Alfredo di Stefano to finish his career and enter the coaching staff of the team. The player refused to accept the offer and went to play for Espanyol. Having made such a decision, he dreamed of bringing the Spanish middle man to the leading positions in the championship. However, he did not succeed. The team first took the final eleventh place in the championship, and then it became the twelfth. For two years of performances for this club, he scored only 13 goals, after which he finished his career. June 7, 1967 the player held a farewell match in which "Real" played with the Scottish "Celtic".

Coach career and pension

Grand international success on the bridge was not achieved by the Argentinian. His work in "Boca Juniors", "River Plate", "Valencia" and "Real" with whom he became the champion of the country was quite successful. In addition, he directed "Sporting", "Elche", "Rayo Vallecano" and "Castellón". At the end of the 1990/1991 season, the specialist decided to finish his coaching career.

Since 2000 and until the day when Alfredo di Stefano died, he was in the post of honorary president of the royal club. At this time, the Argentine enjoyed the success of not only the "Real", but also the national team of Spain. He repeatedly stated that these teams play in the football, which he dreamed all his life.

Death

July 7, 2014 was a black day in the history of the Madrid club. It was then that as a result of a heart attack, brought two days earlier, Alfredo di Stefano died at the age of 89. The next day, the coffin with his body was exhibited for everyone's farewell at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Mourning ceremony was visited by many legends of world football, including Pele, Diego Maradona, Alex Ferguson and others.

Universal recognition

In his entire career, the footballer has won a large number of titles. One of the most interesting awards, which was awarded to Alfredo di Stefano - "Super Golden Ball". The Argentinian received it on December 24, 1989. Thus, the publication "France Football" marked the player's excellent career. In the survey, the Argentinian surpassed Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini. Until now, he remains the only person in history to be awarded this award.

On May 9, 2006, there was another outstanding event in the life of Alfredo di Stefano. The stadium, named after him, was opened in the suburbs of Madrid. In this field, football players of Madrid "Real" are usually trained now.

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