I wasn't quite sure what I should do about this video footage (SEE BELOW), which is of poor quality and therefore we must realise how lucky we are to be able to view our great players on film accurately. This film does not do Alfredo di Stefano much credit but it will have to do since today marks the 52nd anniversary of this giant of 1950-60s football being KIDAPPED.
Yes, snatched by the National Liberation Army Front in Caracas during Real Madrid's pre-season tour in South America. They wanted a propaganda operation to bring the World into listening to their demands. Revolutionary, Paul del Rio got his chaps to abduct "the greatest footballer in the world" at that time. August 1963? Pele? Puskas?
Stefano was an Argentinian by birth, played for his home nation 6 times, he was a veteran Colombian league player who represented that country 4 times and ended up with citizenship and playing in Spain 31 times scoring 23 goals.
After being "held captive" for three days, he was released unharmed and even sent his kidnappers a letter thanking them for their hospitality
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCAlqBamBjs
As a player he was best known for his time with Real Madrid in the 195s0 and 60s, known as Saeta Rubia, the blonde arrow. Real were the strongest side in Europe at that time. I watched him and his team in all white, on TV, thrash Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 in the European Cup Final at Hampden Park.
He turned out in over 500 club matches and scored over 400 goals.
In management, he worked in those three countries and made his mark in Spain at Real Madrid, twice in short spells when he led his team to 5 runners up medals in various competitions. In 1983 he was defeated in the European Cup Winners Cup by Aberdeen and manager Alex Ferguson!
Alfredo died on the 7th July 2014 aged 88 following a heart attack and illness.
No comments:
Post a Comment