Footballer Alfredo Di Stefano: biography and interesting facts. Footballer Alfredo Di Stefano: biography and interesting facts The son is not responsible for his father

According to many football experts and fans, Alfredo Di Stefano is the greatest player in the history of football. Of course, fans of the talent of Pele and Maradona strongly disagree with this, but even they recognize the fact that Alfredo was a striker of the highest class. This player literally dominated European football in the mid-20th century and made a huge contribution to the development of this sport.

Di Stefano became famous not only for leading Real Madrid to five victories in a row in the most prestigious Champions Cup tournament at that time, but also for his style of play. He could perfectly combine his individual skill with the ability to unite the entire team and force it to play according to a certain scenario.

Di Stefano's childhood and youth

The future football player was born in 1926 in the capital of Argentina, Buenos Aires. Since childhood, Alfredo was active; he spent all his free time on the street, playing football with his peers. Even then, he was almost always a striker and inspired his team to win.

He had a special originality that helped him stand out among his peers. Alfredo Di Stefano was a bright guy, and he was soon noticed by representatives of one of the football teams. Thus began the career of one of the greatest football players in the world.

First steps in football. Career before Real Madrid

His journey began in his native Argentina, at the River Plate club. Di Stefano made his debut at the beginning of 1950 as part of one of the most famous teams in the country. Alfredo loved football very much, and gave all his strength in training. He practiced constantly, and this helped improve the quality of his playing. It was thanks to Di Stefano that 1950 became one of the best for the Argentine club.

However, not everything went smoothly; at the end of the same year, relations between Argentine clubs and players deteriorated sharply, and Di Stefano took part in the first football strike. Then many football players left for Colombia in protest, and Alfredo, who had already received recognition by that time, was no exception. In Colombia, Alfredo Di Stefano played for three years in the richest club in Latin America at that time, Millonaris. The footballer’s biography before joining Real Madrid ends here.

Time spent at Real Madrid

In 1953, the future Madrid legend joined the team. At that time he was 27 years old, not the youngest age for a striker. However, his desire to win and his love for the game made him the greatest footballer in the club's history. He showed his dedication immediately after arriving in Madrid. The train arrived at 10:30, and by 15:30 Alfredo was on the football field in the uniform of the new team.

On September 23, 1953, he played his first match in a Real Madrid shirt and was able to score. Although he himself admitted his debut was unsuccessful, despite the goal scored. The boss of Madrid Bernabeu dreamed of creating an ideal team, and Di Stefano was given the role of leader. Before his arrival, Real Madrid had not won the championship for 21 years, and the Champions Cup did not yet exist. Before the 7th round of his first Spanish championship, Di Stefano Alfredo manages to score 4 goals, but still does not play to his maximum potential.

Crucial moment

Of course, Di Stefano received recognition from Madrid fans after the first match with Barcelona. In his first El Classico, the striker scored a hat-trick, and Real eventually won 5-0. After this match they began to talk about him all over the world, fans praised him. Alfredo Di Stefano marked the beginning of a new era for Real Madrid, which lasted for 50 years. In addition, this period is considered the best in the history of football; Real Madrid at that time was recognized as the strongest team in the world. This is largely due to Di Stefano.

For his enormous contribution to the history of Real Madrid, the stadium was named after Alfredo. In 2006, a new football field was built, which is the playing field for Castilla, Real Madrid's double. The Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium is also the training base for the first team.

Characteristics of a football player

Di Stefano was the collective image of the ideal forward. He combined the most important qualities: speed, technique, football intelligence, field vision, leadership. However, this football player cannot be called modest. Alfredo himself really enjoyed playing in Europe; he said that in Real Madrid he found what he had always dreamed of - the opportunity to play tactical football.

Madrid's game at that time was characterized by football intelligence, where every action was part of a plan. This became possible largely thanks to the Argentine forward. Di Stefano is one of those football players who played for two national teams. In addition to Argentina, for which he played six times at the World Cup, he played for Spain, but also did not achieve success.

The innovation of this football player was that he moved all over the field. Before him, not a single forward had returned back to help the defense. Di Stefano described himself modestly as “a controller with a wide range of actions.” Although the word “big” is not entirely appropriate here. His range was simply enormous, he could be present in all areas of the field, and often started the team's attacks.

Achievements

Alfredo Di Stefano played “total football” when such a term did not yet exist. His follower, the great footballer Johann Cruyff, called himself just a diligent student of Di Stefano.

Alfredo won the national championship 8 times with Real Madrid. In addition, he was able to achieve a unique achievement with Madrid - winning the European Cup 5 times in a row. In these tournaments, he became the top scorer more than once. Alfredo was a two-time Ballon d'Or winner (1957, 1959).

In addition, the only player in the history of football who received an award that has no analogues was Alfredo Di Stefano. “Super Golden Ball” is a prize that was awarded to the best winner of the “Golden Ball” for the period from its foundation to 1989. For all the merits of Di Stefano, it was he who became the owner of this trophy.

People who watched him play live told their children and grandchildren that Di Stefano was the best football player. Huge numbers of people came to watch it, and the Santiago Bernabeu stadium was forced to expand its seating capacity to 100,000.

After his football career, he became a coach. Among Di Stefano's achievements as a coach, Valencia's victory in the Spanish Championship in 1971 can be highlighted.

Alfredo di Stefano Laulier - a unique person! He managed to become a citizen of three countries at once - Argentina, Spain and Colombia. Incredible! Even more incredible is the fact that Alfredo managed to play for the national teams of these three countries! This is absolutely incredible! Di Stefano was unique both on and off the field. Such is his fate, such is the fate of a great talent.

Alfredo won titles wherever he played. As a result, Di Stefano is the champion of South America, the champion of Argentina, four-time champion of Colombia, eight-time champion of Spain, five-time winner of the European Cup, winner of the Spanish Cup and twice winner of the Ballon d'Or. Alfredo's contemporaries compared him to Pele. And indeed Di Stefano was known as a great all-rounder - he was equally good in both attack and defense.

"...forwards should consider helping the defense part of their job. If your opponent attacks, you naturally find yourself out of the game. So what should you do? Stand in your position and watch how difficult it is for your defense? And if the defense fails to cope with its task, then your task becomes more difficult - because now you need to score more! Therefore, it is clearer than clear that you must go back and help the defenders. This makes your task easier throughout the game..."

Alfredo di Stefano cannot be called the first striker to operate from deep, but it was he who gave impetus to the development of the “hidden forward” tactics. " As a center forward- he said, - I'm always in motion: forward, backward, to the side. I try not to freeze in one position so as not to give the defender the opportunity to keep me in sight all the time. Or maybe I'm trying not to interfere with other attackers. Or maybe I predict what will happen next and rush to the aid of the next player who has the ball..."

Alfredo di Stefano was named after his father, who, by the way, was a good football player: he was a forward for the Argentine team for several seasons "River Plate" until a serious injury forced my father to give up football. And what Alfredo Sr. failed to achieve, Alfredo Jr. more than brought to life!

Di Stefano grew up in a poor family, so he did not have the luxury of a leather ball and a football field - they played with homemade rubber balls right on the street. Already at the age of ten, Alfredo, learning the basics of football from older comrades, almost perfectly mastered both his left and right legs. And in the period from 10 to 17 years old, he managed to combine football with his main, often hard, job. At the age of seventeen, Alfredo had the opportunity to undergo a football audition in his favorite "River Plate". Among the 32 applicants who tried to be in the white-red-black structure in 1944, only two were selected for River’s fourth team - Alfred and his close friend Salvucci. And the next season, Alfredo and his team won all the matches and were defeated only in the final by Platense.

However, the debut for the main team, which happened on June 7, 1944, turned out to be, if not a failure, then definitely unsuccessful for Di Stefano. The guy simply got nervous, because all his relatives came to watch him play, he played unsuccessfully, and in the second half, out of the blue, he got injured. Trainer "River Plate" Renato Cesarini sent Alfredo to the third team. It seemed that at that moment there was no sadder guy in the whole wide world! During the time spent in exile, Di Stefano managed to win the Argentine Championship among reserve teams, and at the same time managed to take part in a mass brawl with players "Boca Juniors", for which his team was deprived of a well-deserved trophy.

Despite these feats, making it to the main team "River Plate" It didn’t work out for Alfredo, and with the participation of his father, he went on loan to another equally popular club from Buenos Aires "Huracan". It was there that Di Stefano finally secured a place in the team, and besides, he scored 10 goals, becoming the top scorer in his club. Owners "Huracan" they fiercely wanted to buy out the young talent, but even then he was worth prohibitive money for the middle peasants of the Argentine Championship.

After returning to "River Plate" The situation regarding Alfredo has changed. Injuries to the club's leading forwards gave Di Stefano a chance. And now he took full advantage of it, and by the 8th round he had firmly taken his place at the heart of his favorite club! That season, Alfredo helped win the championship with his crazy performance (an average of almost 1 goal per game). It is worth noting the fact that at that time Alfredo was also in the service - he lived for 6 days in the barracks, after which he went to football, from where he again went to serve. He was not entitled to any privileges like current athletes. However, officials "River Plate" Still, they managed to transfer Di Stefano to a simpler service - to the office of the Ministry of Defense.

After a not entirely successful season, in which "River Plate" ended up only second in the final table, missing out "Vasco da Gama", Alfredo Di Stefano is called up for the first time to the Argentina national team for the South American Cup. In this team, he was not a starting player, but the injury of the then shining Rene Pontoni made its own adjustments, opening the way for the 21-year-old Di Stefano. Alfredo, by the way, did not disappoint and already in his first match for the national team he scored a goal. As a result, the young forward scored 6 goals throughout the tournament, scoring a hat-trick in the match with Colombia. In addition, Argentina took the South American Cup! With such a result, the legendary forward simply could not help but get into the symbolic team of the tournament. Alfredo Di Stefano did not play in any more tournaments for the Albiceleste.

Well, then disputes began about increasing wages and strikes by football players, which did not bode well for the great Alfredo. After a conflict with the president "Reefer Plate" Liberty, Alfredo is forced to leave the club and move to Colombia. In the country of "drugs and bandits" Di Stefano signed a contract with a club from Bogota - "Millonarios". Adolfo Pedernera and Nestor Rossi emigrated to Colombia with him, and a little earlier Hector Rial moved there. In fact, the situation with their transfer was difficult - at that time they were still listed as football players "River Plate", and for this act of disobedience they faced disqualification.

IN "Millonarios" Di Stefano and his teammates spent several amazing seasons, giving the club from Bogota unprecedented glory! Fans and journalists called her the “blue ballet” because of her equipment and skillful playing style. As a result, Di Stefano spent 4 years in Culumbia, winning a bunch of trophies and even playing for the Colombian national team. True, Alfredo doesn’t even remember who those matches were against!

Homesickness forces Di Stefano to return to Argentina, although the contract with "Millionarios" was not finished yet. This was the origin of the confusion that occurred with the great goalscorer. The fact is that in 1953 the chapter " Barcelona" Enric Marti and her mentor Josep Samitier agreed with "River Plate" about the player’s transfer to the Blaugrana camp for 400 million pesetas. Almost simultaneously, the bosses of the Colombian "Millonarios" claim their rights to the attacker and demand compensation of 1 million 350 pesetas. Such conditions do not suit Enric Marti, but their main competitor, Madrid, likes "Real". Los Blancos send their delegates to Colombia and get Alfredo on mutually beneficial terms. Thus, paradoxically, Di Stefano found himself playing for two clubs at the same time. Only FIFA members, mainly the former president of the Spanish Football Federation, Armando Muñoz Calero, helped resolve this confusing situation. According to his “Solomon decision”, the Argentine was obliged to spend two seasons for each of the two European giants: 1953\1954 and 1955\1956 - for "Real", and 1954\1955 and 1956\1957 – for "Barcelona".

Due to this disaster, Di Stefano stayed out of football for more than 7 months, but did not lose his condition and distinguished himself in his first match for "Real". During the same period of time, Alfredo made his debut in the Spanish national team and, according to tradition, excelled in the first match! That season Alfredo helped "Real" win championship gold, and he himself was awarded a prize as the best forward of the competition. Next season "Real" again dominates the championship, also winning the Latin Cup (something similar to the Champions League, lasted until 1957).

In the next seasons, Alfredo will not be stopped! The goalscoring bars fall one after another and the Golden Ball miraculously escapes from the hands of the legendary football player. Alfredo loses by only three points to Briton Stanley Matthews. During the same period of time, Di Stefano and "Real" takes the European Champions Cup, and he consciously moves to a new position for himself, “under the striker”.

Alfredo Di Stefano won the Ballon d'Or for the second time, 53 points ahead of the equally legendary Billy Wright from Wolverhampton.

In season 57/58 "Real" led by Alfredo Di Stefano again wins gold in the Spanish Championship, as well as the European Champions Cup. Alfredo took part in all matches of these competitions without exception and confirmed his already familiar title of the best sniper of the Spanish Championship and the Champions Cup. By that time, Di Stefano, naturally, was already considered the main player of the Spanish national team, and besides, he managed to play more matches for the “red fury” than for his other two teams combined.

In 1958, the great Ferenc Puskás was called to help Di Stefano, but even such an explosive combination could not do anything with the magnificent "Barcelona", which takes the laurels of the best team in Spain from "Real". However, Los Blancos won the European Cup again for the 4th time in a row.

In the 59/60 season "Real" The best player of the 1958 World Cup, Didi, was called up. He immediately fell in love with everyone - from the club president to the fans. However, neither Di Stefano nor Puskas recognized him. They refused to interact with Didi and practically ignored the Brazilian on the field. He, having suffered through the season, departed back to his homeland. In the same 1960, at home in Buenos Aires, Di Stefano, as part of the Spanish national team, beats the Albiceleste. It is impossible to imagine how Alfredo felt at that moment...

When the “red fury” achieves participation in the World Cup, Di Stefano is no longer enough for the entire match and more and more often he starts matches from the bench. The reason for this is a back injury that does not allow Alfredo to apply serious loads, and the national team coach Helenio Herrera did not like Di Stefano. As a result, the draw with the French was Alfredo’s last match for any national team.

In 1960-1961 "Real" again becomes the best team in Spain, but performs unsuccessfully in the Champions Cup, losing in the first round "Barcelona". The next season, the Galacticos reach the final of the main European club competition, but there they lose to the Portuguese "Benfica". By the way, Alfredo still became the best sniper of the entire tournament. Regularly scoring goals, he helped his team win the Spanish Cup for the first time. And first place in the regular championship also went to the Madrid club, despite the fact that due to injuries the footballer was unable to take part in all matches.

On top of everything else, Alfredo Di Stefano became an instrument of military manipulation and even spent 2 days in captivity, being kidnapped from his own home. But this has nothing to do with football, so let’s skip this sad episode, fortunately no one was hurt in that incident.

The following season was Di Stefano's last as a member of the Galacticos. He decided to leave the club. As a result, for "Real" Alfredo played 396 matches, scoring 304 goals. This record remained unconquered for a long time, but not so long ago it was broken by another no less legendary player - Raul, and will soon be broken, there is little doubt about it, by another football genius, Cristiano Ronaldo. Di Stefano did not want to quit football, although he was offered to join the structure "Real", and moved to the middle peasants of those years - Espanyol and Barcelona. However, the strength was not the same, and already in the next season Alfredo decided to hang up his boots.

Di Stefano played his farewell match, summing up his entire wonderful playing career, on June 7, 1967. In it they met the Madrid "Real" and Scottish "Celtic" from Glasgow. Alfredo was on the field for only 13 minutes, and then, handing over the captain's armband to Ramon Grosso, he left the green lawn to a thunderous ovation from the audience. By the way, Di Stefano was the first captain of the “world team”, this happened in a game against the England national team.

Coach Di Stefano turned out to be ambiguous. There were wonderful ups and victories, both with "Valencia" in the 70/71 season. But more often Alfredo failed to achieve results in clubs, which, by the way, he changed quite often. And if in "Boca Juniors" somehow managed to get to the championship, then coaching work in "Elche", "Sporting", "Rayo Vallecano", "Castellone" cannot be added to his asset. After a short respite, Alfredo returns to his native "River Plate" and again takes gold in the Argentine championship. And then follows coaching work in "Reale" in the 90/91 season, which resulted in the first place for “creamy”. At this point, Alfredo says “that’s it” to football and quits it forever.

Until the very last days of his life, Alfredo Di Stefano remained as honorary president "Real", rejoiced at the success of the Spanish national team and said that the “red fury” was playing the kind of football that Alfredo had dreamed of all his life.

On July 7, 2014, the legendary striker passed away. Di Stefano died of a heart attack at the age of 88.

Despite the fact that Alfredo Di Stefano was born in Argentina and played in South America until he was 27, he became a legend in Spain. His eleven-season voyage to Madrid brought Real Madrid many trophies, and its leader the love of the fans and the status of the greatest football player, which remains unshakable to this day.

Alfredo Di Stefano Laulier

04.07.1926 – 07.07.2014

Player career:

• River Plate Argentina (1944-1949; 76 matches, 55 goals).
• “Huracan” Argentina (1946; 25 matches, 11 goals).
• "Millonarios" Colombia (1949-1953; 112 matches, 100 goals).
• Real Madrid Spain (1953-1964; 396 matches, 307 goals).
• Espanyol Spain (1965-1966; 60 matches, 14 goals).
• Argentina national team (1947; 6 matches, 6 goals).
• Colombia national team (1951-1952; 4 matches).
• Spain national team (1957-1961; 31 matches, 23 goals).

Team Achievements:

• Winner of the 1947 South American Championship.
• Winner of the European Cup 1956-1960.
• Winner of the 1960 Intercontinental Cup.
• Champion of Argentina 1945, 1947.
• Champion of Colombia 1949, 1951, 1952.
• Champion of Spain 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1961-1964.
• Winner of the 1962 Spanish Cup.

Personal achievements:

• Winner of the Golden Ball for the best football player in Europe in 1957, 1959.
• Top scorer of the 1947 Argentine Championship.
• Top scorer in the 1951 and 1952 Colombian championships.
• Top scorer of the Spanish championships 1954, 1956-1959.
• Top scorer of the European Cup 1958, 1962.

Coaching career:

• "Elche" Spain (1967).
• Boca Juniors Argentina (1969-1970, 1985).
• Valencia Spain (1970-1974, 1979-1980, 1986-1988).
• Sporting Portugal (1974).
• "Rayo Vallecano" Spain (1975-1976).
• "Castellon" Spain (1976-1977).
• River Plate Argentina (1981-1982).
• Real Madrid Spain (1982-1984, 1990-1991).

Coaching achievements:

• Winner of the 1980 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
• Winner of the 1980 UEFA Super Cup.
• Champion of Argentina 1969, 1981.
• Winner of the 1969 Argentine Cup.
• Champion of Spain 1971.
• Winner of the 1991 Spanish Super Cup.

Childhood

July 4, 1926. Buenos Aires, Argentina. There is an addition to the Di Stefano-Laulier family. A baby was born, whom his parents named Alfredo.

The legendary football player spent his childhood in the port area of ​​Barracas, from where English sailors began to “instill” football in the Argentines. The footballing hearts of Don Alfredo's loved ones belonged entirely to River Plate. Moreover, Alfredo Sr. played for the capital's club in his youth, but the injury he received put an end to his career. Like all boys, “Stopita” wanted to achieve success in football, so he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps.

Due to financial difficulties in 1940, the family moved to the outskirts of Buenos Aires. Our hero is forced to quit his studies to help his loved ones. However, even this did not stop the young man from playing football, although only on weekends.

From the second time

His parents noticed the 17-year-old boy’s football talent. So, Eulalia Laulier, the mother of the future star, recommended that the agent from River take a closer look at her son. And in 1944, Alfredo Di Stefano begins life with a new leaf called “White Arrow”.

At first, like many real heroes, Di Stefano’s career was not entirely successful. A year after his debut in the first team against Huracan, the management of River Plate decides to loan the blond young man to that same Huracan, due to the young footballer’s minimal playing time.

Having played 25 matches in the latter and scored 10 goals, Di Stefano, willy-nilly, attracted the attention of many clubs, including Rivera. The management of the “millionaires” immediately expressed a desire to return their pupil.

Thus Don Alfredo returned to his football home. And the confetti of victories began - having returned to the team, Di Stefano wins the Argentine championship, wins the title of top scorer (27 goals), makes his debut in the national team and becomes the Copa America champion.

A new era begins in River Plate. “La Maquina” (The Machine) instills fear and terror in all rivals, and among the main “knights” is Di Stefano. The audience was fascinated by the delights of improvisation, the high speed and precision of the actions of their favorites.

At the same time, Alfredo, despite his desire to be the conductor of attacks, unwittingly becomes their tip. By the time of his second coming to River, some forwards had left the team, and Di Stefano had to take on the role of scorer, which, to his credit, the footballer handled brilliantly.

Colombian voyage

In 1949, a strike began in Argentina, which also affected football. The current situation allowed the Colombian neighbors from Bogota to sign the Rivera leaders, including our hero. It is worth noting that in those years the Colombian Millonarios was considered the strongest team in Latin America.

The fame of the “blue ballet” spread throughout the world. After spending 4 years in Bogotá, Don Alfredo remained committed to his priorities. The Argentine scored 90 goals in 102 matches. He led his new team to victories in the Colombian championship three times and became its top scorer twice.

Moreover, during his stay on Colombian soil, Di Stefano played four friendly matches for the national team.

Real or Barcelona?

The story of the scandalous transfer of “White Arrow” (Alfredo’s nickname due to his fast speed and hair color) to Real Madrid deserves a separate topic.

As soon as information appeared in the press about Madrid’s interest in “Stopita,” the sworn enemy of “Creamy”, “Barcelona,” also laid claim to the player. Unlike their colleagues, the Catalans immediately went to Bogota to sign the famous football player.

Until October 1954, Di Stefano had a contract with the Colombians, and from January 1955, the rights to the player were again transferred to River Plate. Having resolved the issue with the Argentines, the Catalan scout managed to get the rights to Di Stefano. But having settled matters with the Argentine club, Enric Marti was unable to reach an agreement with the Colombians, who asked for 27 thousand dollars. Outraged by the assigned amount, Marti went to the Catalan capital with a disappointing result.

The legendary president of Real Madrid, Santiago Bernabeu, immediately decided to go all-in and pay Millonarios the requested amount. As a result, Don Alfredo found himself between two fires. Until 1954, the footballer began to belong to Madrid, and from 1955 to the Catalans. As expected, a loud scandal broke out in the sports press.

FIFA was not left without participation. Representatives of the organization considered it right to “divide” Di Stefano: the Argentine spends two seasons in Real Madrid, the remaining two in Barcelona.

But the Catalan club was not satisfied with such conditions, and the team’s main star, Ladislav Kubala, managed to recover from tuberculosis and return to duty. The Blaugrana, like Millonarios, decided to remain satisfied with the compensation from Santiago Bernabeu and his club.

Royal game

Before Alfredo arrived at Real Madrid, Los Blancos had not won the La Liga championship for twenty years. Santiago Bernabeu, of course, wanted to create a first-class team out of Madrid. And Di Stefano was a major part of that plan.

The long-awaited debut of the 27-year-old Argentine took place at the Chamartin in a friendly match with the French Nancy on September 23, 1953. Madrid lost, but Di Stefano scored a goal.

To be fair, it is worth noting that Di Stefano’s scoring records have gone uphill since the Clasico. Hosting fierce rivals, the Blancos performed “miracles of hospitality”, defeating the Catalans 5:0. Who was the first to conduct an orchestra? That's right - Alfredo Di Stefano, who scored the first goal in the tenth minute and completed the extravaganza with a converted penalty. Well, well, Don Alfredo took spectacular revenge on his “offenders.”

The Argentine newcomer immediately became a favorite of Madrid fans. In him they saw someone who could make Real the leader of Spanish football. And Di Stefano succeeded - in eleven seasons as a member of the royal club, he became the champion of Spain eight times and finished first in the La Liga scoring race five times.

But first of all, Alfredo became a legend thanks to the fact that he was able to lead Real Madrid to five consecutive triumphs in the European Cup, scoring 49 goals in 58 matches in this tournament. This result remained a record for almost half a century, which indicates its exclusivity.

For a long time, Di Stefano was the holder of the “eternal record” of 216 goals scored for Real, which was broken only in the next - 21st - century by a worthy successor to the traditions of his idol, Raul.

“I’ll tell you about the essence of my game. My function can be defined as follows: a dispatcher with a wide range of actions,” said Di Stefano. Many were amazed by the Argentinean’s dedication. A virtuoso technician, a born scorer and the “artery” of attacks. The amount of work performed by a football player in games for Real was very large, two to three times more than what was required in the Latin American championships.

“In Europe, I finally achieved what, perhaps, I had been unconsciously striving for for a long time: the opportunity to play so-called intellectual football... Such a game is the direct antipode to the “hit-run” principle. This is a game where every goal and aimed shot at goal is prepared by a number of combinations and maneuvers. They are carried out in different areas of the field by individual performers or pairs. Their actions are not calculated on blind luck or superiority in physics, but are based on subtle calculations, anticipation of the logical development of game episodes - in other words, they require high gaming intelligence from football players.”

Successful trainer

As for coaching, Di Stefano managed to work with eight teams at once. Don Alfredo was able to achieve high awards in the coaching field with four different clubs at once.

Particularly successful for him were the periods of work at Valencia, with which he was able to win the Spanish championship in his first coming, and in his second, lead the Valencians to European triumphs - first they won the Cup Winners' Cup, and a few months later the UEFA Super Cup.

Di Stefano was also the helmsman of Real Madrid, however, the Argentinean, who glorified Madrid as a player, did not lead Los Blancos to great victories. However, as a sign of gratitude for his services to the Madrid club, the second most important stadium, where Real Madrid matches are held, is named in honor of Alfredo Di Stefano. Also, the plane of the first team “La Saeta Rubia” (“White Arrow”) was named in honor of the eminent Argentinean.

Great

His play drove millions of fans crazy; they were proud and admired of him. With the arrival of Di Stefano, Real Madrid found a second wind - five victories in the Champions Cup, dominance in the national championship.

With his hard work and conscientiousness, Alfredo Di Stefano was twice awarded the Ballon d'Or - no one in Europe showed himself better than him in those years. And if his career had developed in a similar way at the national team level, it is not a fact that the unofficial title “King of Football” would have belonged to.

“Often, even with a high temperature, I managed to convince the coaches that I should go on the field. Football is a great game, and when you are in a great club, every match is a privilege. And it’s exactly the same privilege to give everything you have to the game. It’s very difficult to sacrifice such a privilege,” Don Alfredo shared with reporters.

This is how a real football player should be, who, as Nikolai Petrovich Starostin bequeathed, should love football in himself, and not himself in football.

In the 50s of the last century, the Spanish Real Madrid was one of the best teams of the “old world”; 5 Champions League cups won confirm these words. One of the most outstanding players of the old Real Madrid is Alfredo Di Stefano.

In the recent history of football, no club has been able to repeat this. And it’s unlikely that he can. The level of clubs is getting higher and sometimes even the most “record” middle peasants or even outsiders can beat the grandees of European football.

One has only to look at the winners of the latest tournaments of the main European club tournaments and we will see that almost every new season was won by different clubs. In that great team, besides Di Stefano, there were other stars of that time: Kopa, Didi and F. Puskas. But it was Alfredo who made the greatest contribution to the victory. Kopa got to Real Madrid when he was halfway to achieving, the “golden Magyar” was able to play once. Another great player, Didi, sat on the bench altogether. We can conclude that the success of Real Madrid in those years was almost entirely due to Di Stefano.

Alfredo's roots are, of course, Italian, although tireless journalists asked him about this. According to the stories of his father, the football player’s grandfather, Michele, was a fisherman. He spent his entire life at sea. And when I got tired, I decided to settle (by coincidence) in Buenos Aires in the small quarter of Boca. From which the football club Boca Juniors takes its name.

The son is not responsible for his father

Very soon the Di Stefano family moves to another quarter. At the same time, Peucelle, a striker famous in the 30s, selects players for the River Plate team. The forward noted Alfredo as a "capable" player. When he ran home to tell the news, his father showed no emotion. Di Stefano played in the first team in August 1944. Then River Plate played a match with Independente. The game didn't go well. Alfredo was injured in that game and had to be substituted.

For the next 1.5 years, the player polished the bench. And the player’s status was not completely clear: he was not paid a salary, but was given bonuses. Quite by accident, the Argentine learns that other players receive higher fees. Di Stefano slammed the door and left. A place for the player was found almost immediately. The leadership of Huracan has long wanted to see him on its team. Proposals from their side were made repeatedly, but River Plate prevented this transition.

After the player’s prank, they did not hold him and released him for 5 thousand pesos. Huracan did not regret that deal. In the remaining games, Alfredo scores 11 goals.

Scored a goal - in the jaw!

After the main star, Pedernera, left the team, Di Stefano took his place. The forward did not like direct and frontal attacks in the center, as befits a forward. More graceful in his style of play, he preferred to stay in the shadows and carry out his lightning-fast attacks by quickly leaving the flank in defense of the opposing team. And this position gradually transforms the team’s tactics specifically for this striker. A memorable incident occurred in the last game.

Then Di Stefano scored a goal, but a fan of the opposing team did not let him rejoice and knocked down the forward with a clear blow. The immediate assistance provided by the medical staff allowed Alfredo to come to his senses and celebrate the victory with the team.

Flight to Colombia

After this, a crisis began in Argentina. Football players went on strike demanding payment of wages. In the summer of 1948, the federation had to suspend the championship. A proposal was received from the federation to remove all professionals (players who need to be paid money) from the clubs and replace them with amateurs.

This struggle continued for almost a year. Fans supported their idols and stopped going to matches. Many players did not wait to see how the situation would end and moved to Colombian clubs. Di Stefano's former partner, Pedernera, who had left a little earlier, called him more than once.

Alfredo doubted and probably would not have gone to Colombia, but the press intervened again, publishing an article with the headline: “Di Stefano has sold out.” After this, Alfredo had no choice but to accept the offer. He flies to Colombia. President J. Rimet took charge of resolving the issue of the escaped players. Everyone who managed to leave was allowed to return, but the new clubs had to pay compensation.

To Europe - for intellectual football

Alfredo doubted whether it was worth returning? And he decides to go to Spain. Two great giants of the time: Real Madrid and Barcelona wanted to get this forward. After long negotiations, an unusual decision was made according to which the striker was to play one year in Barcelona, ​​the next in Real Madrid, and so on until the end of his career.

Di Stefano once admitted that Spain had found what he was looking for - not to play as usual, but to try some new tactical moves and tricks. For that time it was a breakthrough. The breakthrough into new football is intellectual. More subtle and graceful than he was before this time. The change in tactics bears fruit and in the first year of Di Stefano's arrival, Real begins to churn out victories in various tournaments like a machine.

But not only positive reviews can be heard about this unique and extraordinary player. He devoted his entire life to football, completely devoting himself to this sport. It would seem that this is glory, such a number of titles have been taken that other players have only dreamed of, and you can leave. But he remained...

Decline of a career

Football experts agree that the player should have hung up his boots in 1962 after a superb but lost final against Benfica. The player was 36 years old at that time. What could be better for a player - to leave at the zenith of his glory. To leave, be remembered and remain so in the memory of the fans forever.

But the Argentine remains. After Real Madrid, his career began to decline sharply. Alfredo has been playing in Espanola for two years. But this was not the same player. The final point was set in 1964 when the player was bombarded with complaints from the club's management that he was not able to play at the previous level.

But what can a player who is 38 years old, who has gone through fire, water and copper pipes in his long football career, do? Di Stefano clung to his career as best he could until the end, although he understood that his time had already passed. Maybe he wanted to play until he was 50 like the great S. Matthews. But unfortunately this is not given to everyone.

And Fredo Di Stefano Laulier is a striker. He played 31 matches for the Spanish national team and scored 23 goals. This footballer has a lifetime monument erected in front of the Santiago Bernabeu, and in terms of the importance of the trophies he won during his career, no other player can compare with him. Di Stefano was destined to become a farmer or the owner of a shipping company. The fact is that his grandfather, who at an early age left Capri for Argentina, by the end of his life became rich and owned a whole fleet of longboats. My father bought a ranch where he grew potatoes for sale. Di Stefano also began to get involved in work from an early age. But more often the boy could be found on the football field. According to Alfredo himself, as a child he was not the main goal scorer and almost everyone played better than him. But circumstances forced many to quit football, and he continued to hone his skills. Moreover, my father was not against it either. He himself played two seasons for River Plate in his youth and was even once among the club’s shareholders. But those days are long gone. Due to problems with the mafia, the potato business was bursting at the seams, and Stefano Jr. had already resigned himself to the fate of being an agronomist, if not for one circumstance.

Eulalia, Alfredo's mother, saw the makings of a football player in her son and wanted to help him realize his dream. Fortunately, her longtime friend was a River Plate scout, through whom the boy was given a tryout. It was successful, and Di Stefano was enrolled in the youth team. In two years, the player made his way from the fourth team to the first, but could not compete with the Argentine stars: he sat on the bench for the season. Although sometimes he even managed to fly on foreign tours. During one of these, a plane with football players on board almost crashed during landing due to fire wiring. Since then, Di Stefano has preferred trains. But the easy life did not suit the young man, because he wanted to play. Then it was decided to go on loan to Huracan, where Alfredo received playing practice and finally felt like the main player of a professional club. “River” appreciated the forward’s action and upon his return gave him a place in the starting lineup. Di Stefano will spend three fun years with the Argentine superclub, one day win the championship and find himself the frontman of a football strike. By demanding higher salaries, the players will paralyze the championship for six months. Club owners will not find a better solution than recruiting less experienced players into their teams. Alfredo and a number of other Argentines will go to Colombia, where local mafiosi have organized their own underground league. There, the striker won the scoring race twice in four years and helped the team win the championship title three times. He soon became bored with Colombia, and there was still a year left on his contract. Then Alfredo left for Argentina. The club's management threatened with a penalty, but Stefano, who had already achieved his goal once, was adamant. Having officially become part of FIFA, the Colombian league obliged clubs to transfer half of the rights to Argentine football players to their former teams. Di Stefano had a hard time, because while still playing for Millonarios in the Real Cup, he attracted the attention of the Spanish giants. After Alfredo's Colombian demarche, they all offered him a contract. He chose Barcelona and even signed a preliminary agreement with them, when Real came to the fore and bought half of the rights to the player from the Colombians. The second from River Plate went to Barca. But, not wanting to compete with Madrid, the latter began negotiations on their resale to Juventus. Having learned about this, Di Stefano became furious and signed a full-fledged contract with Los Blancos. By that time, they had not won the championship for more than twenty years. With the arrival of the Argentine, everything changed. Due to legal delays, the forward was able to play his first match for the new club only seven months after the official transfer. He had not trained for a long time, he weighed much more than he should, but he was more hungry than ever for football. Real football, not Colombian football. Alfredo started scoring without hesitation. “Racing”, “Barcelona”, “Atlético” the names of the clubs did not matter to the blond player. In twelve seasons in Madrid, he became the championship's top scorer five times. But what made Di Stefano truly great was his irrepressible energy, which allowed him not to linger in one position, but to constantly keep his opponents on their toes. He was effective in every area of ​​the field and in doing so became a pioneer of total football. Although Di Stefano played for three national teams, and won the America's Cup with Argentina, he truly came into his own in the Spanish national team. He got the opportunity to play for her after receiving Spanish citizenship in 1956. The performance, however, turned out to be short, but quite bright. Alfredo almost single-handedly dragged his second homeland to the 1958 World Cup, and then secured the quarter-finals of Euro 1960. It was not his fault that, for political reasons, Spain refused to play with the Soviet Union. In addition, relations with coaches were not the best. Di Stefano reasoned that the national team could lose without him, and focused on Real. If there was a dynasty team in football, it was Real Madrid with Di Stefano in the lineup. Together they won a scattering of all kinds of trophies. The pinnacle of success was five consecutive Champions Cups and two Golden Balls. However, everything ends sooner or later. The victorious march of the Madrid team also ended. True, this did not particularly affect Alfredo’s statistics. But over time, injuries began to plague him. But he didn’t want to finish. Having refused a position in the club structure, at the age of 38 he decided to move to Espanyol. Two years as a member of the Parrots will not bring him joy. Alfredo's coaching career will begin almost immediately, which will turn out to be unsuccessful in comparison with his playing career, but which will be the envy of many mentors.

“Football has a lot in common with ballet. Our entire game is based on skill, coordination and imagination. Each player must combine technique with speed and work for the team. A great master cannot be selfish. And let them say that there is no place for creativity in this sport, since the player does not create anything with his own hands - and he simply cannot use them. Be that as it may, it is an art form that is akin to poetry. And those who think that football players just kick the ball don’t really understand anything about football.”