Honoring Don Stefano

The player that most put Real Madrid on the map as the best team in the world is now being honored for his exploits. As Real Madrid fans we should all pay him tribute in his achievements as an exceptional player, a fiery but shrewd coach and a trusted official within the club. To Don Stefano!

On Sunday, a world-wide tribute will be payed to Alfredo Di Stéfano by Real Madrid. In view of this, the best all-time football player gave an exclusive interview to RealmadridTV.

Don Alfredo, on Sunday 17 February, Real Madrid, UEFA and FIFA will join forces to pay a world-wide tribute to you. How do you feel about this?
I think this is too much. I have always claimed to be a team player and have always put the group before myself. I’ve been a friend to my teammates and am by no means a paladin in any way. I accept this tribute with the utmost affection and enthusiasm and will dedicate it to all my teammates.

It is the perfect excuse to talk about your career, starting with your first days as a player in Argentina. What memories do you have of those years?
I fondly remember my Grandmother used to call me Fito and that my Grandfather used to call me Stopita. I liked football because my Grandpa lived opposite Boca Juniors’ pitch, just about 30 meters away. I used to sneak in when I was 7 or 8 years old and watch them train, despite being a River Plate fan.

Your career started at River Plate. You received a telegram when you were 18 years old from them asking you to attend an audition… and you stayed there.
I received the telegram via an electrician who had been their goalkeeper in 1920. River was a top team. When I got there, they asked for my ID card and I was only too happy to give it to them. I didn’t know I would stay there; my signature was all they needed despite being a minor.

You got the ‘Blonde Arrow’ nickname at River Plate and you won your first League title with them… You also won your first Pichichi Trophy…
Those years were good. River had a great youth system and we won the title in 1947. The eleven players on the pitch were all bred at the Club. I’ve been a staunch defender of youth systems since then.

You signed for Real Madrid after your stay at Millonarios Bogota. What do you remember of the fight Real Madrid and Barcelona had over your signing?
Nothing because I didn’t argue with anybody. Barcelona said they had paid River Plate money for my services, but that couldn’t be because I belonged to Millonarios. What was intended to be a leisure trip to Barcelona with my wife and my two daughters became a complicated situation.

You made your Real Madrid debut on 23 September 1953 right after you arrived at Atocha train station.
That was a brave move on my part, I have to say, because it is quite amazing to get off the train at 10 am, pass the medical, have lunch and play a game in one day, especially after a three-month absence from a pitch… I had the guts to face French side Nancy in an international encounter that day… I gambled and even got lucky by scoring a goal.

How was the team you joined?
We had a new coach, Carniglia, and there was a nice squad with players like Molowny, Muñoz, Zárraga, Oliva… But it needed some personality. I didn’t start playing as a striker, but further back.

Did President Bernabéu ask you for advice?
He was a great person. I gave him my opinion on the signings of Rial and Gento. The latter was very fast and talented; he could win a championship practically on his own.

That team -which would end up having great individiual players like Puskas, Rial, Kopa and Santamaría- stood out for being a great group of players.
It was they who introduced the values we see today. We were the driving force behind the neverending fight: 70 minutes of making the opponent run and 20 minutes of controlling the ball when we were already ahead. People would say ‘Look at them play!’ That was our invention. Let’s hope no one copies it!”

You signed for Espanyol when you left Real Madrid. Your first game was against the Whites…
‘Oh my God!’ I said, ‘How can this be!?’ The press had a field day with it. The icing on the cake was that we played at noon. Puskas nutmegged me… It drove me nuts. ‘Did you have to do that to me and not someone else?’ I asked him. He just smiled back.

Why did you become a coach?
Because what I most knew about was football. I started coaching at Elche because they were half-way down the table and had great young players. They also had a quality youth system.

Valencia, Boca Juniors… You became Real Madrid’s coach 15 years after leaving the Club. You had faith in the youth system, becoming the driving force behind what came to be known as the La Quinta del Buitre (Butragueño’s Five) group of players.
I have never created anyhting. There was a seed there and it was up to us to help it grow into a plant. It’s natural. Older players get angry when youngsters thrive because everybody wants to play. It is very hard to coach a team. I will stand by the players all my life.

You are the Club’s Honourary President. You couldn’t possibly ask for more…
It’s too much. I am very proud. It seems I will also be UEFA’s Honourary President from now on. I am very garteful to the Club for this tribute, which I would again like to dedicate to all my teammates.

Congratulations Don, if only Santiago was still here to see this great day. May all those who played for our glorious team rejoice this Saturday as we celebrate our rich history and tradition. Here is a compilation video of the Don, definatley one of the greatest ever. Its long, 48 minutes, but its well worth it:

Category: Team News

Tags: Team News

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