Alfredo Di Stéfano career match reports

La Liga

Round 28

08/04/1956 Real Madrid 3-4 Sevilla

Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu

Di Stefano vs Helenio Herrera (the manager of Sevilla that sustained that Alfredo was the greatest he ever saw)

ABC Madrid headlined: “Just victory of Sevilla over an insecure Madrid side that was disconcerted in their defense”

“REFEREE, MR. RIVERO DIDN'T INDICATE TWO PENALTIES FOR FOULS TO DI STEFANO AND JOSEITO”

“It was expected that both Madrid and Sevilla would offer a good game, and on the occasion it lent itself to it. Neither team had any worries at the tournament anymore. And although Madrid awaited the match as a rehearsal for the double elimination tie with AC Milan, Sevilla wanted to give a clear example to the Madrid public that it is a team capable of being among the best in Spain. The development of the game, throughout the ninety minutes, came to clarify that Sevilla achieved its purpose, while Madrid left its followers worried because the team was excessively adrift and offered a poor impression from the tactical point of view, this aspect, in which there is no doubt, was largely surpassed by Sevilla (...)

“The frontmen of Madrid made some advances in which Di Stéfano distinguished himself as always (...)”

ABC Sevilla (Andalusia newspaper) headlined: Sevilla played a magnificent match defeating Madrid 4 to 3”

“Although the referee, Mr. Rivera, did not point out the penalty given to Di Stefano or Romero's trip to Joseíto within the area, it would be, an exaggeration to say 'that with this he deprived' Madrid of a better result, because Sevilla thanks to the play of the first half, garnered enough merits for the victory to accompany them, a victory that they also knew how to defend, distinguishing himself at that time the goalkeeper Busto.”

Mundo Deportivo
“For Madrid the best players were Alonso, Zarraga, the two wingers and Di Stefano, except for his theatrical part” (this in reference to Alfredo receiving criticism for diving, looking for the penalty kick)

Marca Madrid headlined: “A great first half from the Andaluces gave them victory, despite the dominance of Madrid in the second half”

“The ref Rivero failed to spot two penalties in favor of Madrid”

“Di Stefano, as always, tireless, not only did he reduce the frequent dangers in his own goal where Alonso looked insecure, but also initiated the attacks of the Madridistas (...)”

Helenio Herrera was later praised for his job as a fine ‘architect’ at the helm of Sevilla.

Madrid’s minds were already in the European Cup against AC Milan, but there was still a league match before.

Summary: 1 goal (header)

https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-sevilla-19560410-37.html
https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19560410-48.html
http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1956/04/09/pagina-5/638390/pdf.html

 

La Liga

Round 29

15/04/1956 Real Madrid 6-0 Las Palmas

Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu

Last time these two teams met Di Stefano had been sent off. Now he wanted revenge, he wanted to secure the top scoring title, and use this match as a good rehearsal for the upcoming AC Milan confrontation. He would score three goals and put on a virtuoso display.

ABC Madrid headlined: “Madrid obtained an easy win over Las Palmas”

“The match between Deportivo Las Palmas and Real Madrid, played on Sunday, did not have enough interest to draw the crowds. For this reason, and also because many were reserved for the exciting Madrid-Milan that will be played on Thursday, Chamartín registered one of the weakest entries of the tournament. The champion of the League was considered to be the sure winner and no greater feats were expected from the Canarian team, plagued by substitutes, and so it was. Madrid won easily, although it took too long to open the scoreboard. The tenacious and numerous defense that opposed them, the insulars, could delay the moment of defeat, but could not prevent it, fortunately for the public. Di Stéfano, the magnificent player and professional exemplar, had a personal account to settle with Mauro, Celta's surprising center forward: supremacy as a scorer in that curious table of goals made throughout the tournament, which usually does not work to prove nothing, even if it may satisfy the legitimate self-esteem of a great player. Di Stéfano had made the first two goals of the afternoon and with them reached Mauro, who had 22 goals in his bag.

That is why the white striker, displaying all his faculties, insistently sought one more goal. As luck would have it, before achieving it, he lost many opportunities after splendid plays: that the long-runner returned two prodigious shots; that the ball bounced off opposing players; that, by dint of carrying luck, he would find himself out of place from pure positioning, at decisive moments. That struggle of an extraordinary player against luck, the opposing team and the scant collaboration of the teammates, cheered the game, as the second half slipped through channels of total lack of quality. In the end, Di Stéfano triumphed by scoring a personal goal in the most willful, perfect and masterful play we have seen in a long time. With this, he closed, for the moment, his account with 23 goals in the season (...)”

Di Stefano’s last goal of his three:
“Everyone was desperate that Di Stefano's admirable effort would be crowned with success, when the enormous player, coming down almost to the line of his defenses, snatched a ball from Manolete and escaped like a flash, completely alone towards the Canarian goal. Castellanos went almost to the edge of the area and then Di Stéfano, loosely deflected the ball and from there, more than thirty meters away, he placed it flat, slowly, next to the post on his left at the bottom of the net. An admirable goal because it had been the work of a single man full of will, physical ability and football talent. Still a minute later, Di Stéfano, in another great play, crossed at mid-height and Joseíto, who was on the left wing, arrived in time to finish off a difficult shot with the left, scoring the sixth and last goal of the afternoon.”

Could Pelé or Maradona have achieved that ?

This goal from Alfredo snatching away a dangerous chance from the opponent in his own defensive area and then running the complete length of the pitch and scoring from one end to another was simply astounding. And his will to go with it. It spoke volumes of his complete repertoire as the player that became known as the “total footballer”, as Helenio Herrera put it: “He was better than Pelé. He, in the same game, was the best defender, the best midfielder and the best attacker. And he scored goals. Pelé played in the middle of the pitch forward. Cruijff is similar to Alfredo but lacks his physical strength and will” or the opinion of Van Himst, Belgian’s Anderlecht manager, there was no logic in comparing Di Stefano to Pelé as the greatest ever, since “technically Alfredo was perfect, he had an overwhelming efficiency, to direct and score at the same time, which makes it inadmissible to compare him with the Brazilian”; or Alfredo Relaño echoing the words of Arrigo Sacchi: “A Player for all time, for the entire field and for all fields ".

@PuckVanHeel there is your number one player, box to box, end to end, defender turned scorer, with a powerful will to go with his full capacity. The ideal player of all-time.

For Marca Madrid Di Stefano was the star, “the best”, not only for his goals and spectacular plays, but for his hard working capacity for the team. But it must be said the visiting side had been very mediocre, as the report stated.

After the game the opinion of some protagonists:

Goalkeeper Castellanos (Las Palmas): “I feared Di Stefano more than anyone”

Di Stefano: “There is no doubt it was a good test for the match coming up against the Italians”

Next up was AC Milan in the semifinals of the European Cup.

Summary: 3 goals (1 header), 1 assist

https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19560417-51.html
https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19560417-52.html

 

That link with that Placar lists of different sources of the top 10 ranked players of all-time has many holes. I had already raised my objections in the past of how tainted it was. I’ll give you two examples that are clear.

1. As you are aware, El Gráfico had in 1979-80 and 1993 José Moreno as number 1 and then 2 amongst greatest Argentinians. In a difference of 6 years (1999) El Gráfico omitted him and placed Di Stefano ahead when that was never the case.

Example 2. As you are aware, Guerin Sportivo’s Adalberto Bortolotti in 1996 picked without outside pressures his top 10 of all-time, placing Di Stefano at 1, Pelé at 2 and Maradona at 3. This sparked an outrage from Brazil and the international press criticizing him, which prompted him having to defend his decision. Three years later the chief editor of GS wanted no controversy and had him change his desired list by placing Pelé at 1 and Di Stefano at 3. In addition his feelings were really inclined to have Maradona above Pelé but it would have been politically unacceptable and he capitulated under outside pressures.

Personally I had lost respect for Adalberto Bortolotti after he recanted folding under pressure, but it did give an idea of how corrupt those lists were and I couldn’t take them seriously anymore.

Every single list followed suit and the political number 1 choice was the same for every publication. The alarming part of all of this, is you speak about censorship and lack of free press with other sources, but you never raised your questions about this. No other player had so much power in the press to raise an objection that required a respected journalist to have to defend his original choices and later change his decision or face the consequences of being removed from his job. Every other publication of repute took note of the backlash of the 1996 GS list and avoided problems by conforming with what was in line with FIFA in 2000.

 

The preview of the semifinal of the European Cup between Real Madrid and AC Milan.

ABC Sevilla
“They say that Madrid will win the European Cup final. The United Press today, in its European sports information service, launched the prognosis that Real Madrid Club de Fútbol will win the final of the European Cup. The aforementioned forecast was made by one of the most prominent Spanish sports critics, Acisclo Karag from Agencia Efe and from sports newspaper "Marca". 'The United Press quotes this forecast from Karag ;: "If Real Madrid eliminates AC Milan It will undoubtedly be the winner of the European Cup, because the other two semifinalist teams are inferior on paper and the Hibernian team is considered superior to Reims but the reality is that the Scottish team lost the first game 0-2. It is added that the Real Madrid center forward, Alfredo di Stéfano, has predicted that his team would need a five goal lead over Milan in the first game, which will be played in Madrid on Thursday, in order to be safe of an eventual victory.”

ABC Madrid
“It is going to be a shock, then, deeply emotional, and for those who were lucky enough to witness the Reims-Milan meeting of the Latin Cup, in "Paris, terribly level and difficult to resolve, the Italian eleven has a extraordinary goalkeeper and a middle line that supports well behind, effective, but unpassable. The fearsome challenge is its forwards in which the power of the axis and the capacity of the interiors is completed to give a tremendously incisive result, as evidenced by the fact that Milan is the highest goal scoring team in Serie A (...)”

Milan had Nordahl, Schiaffino, Liedholm, to name a few.

https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-sevilla-19560415-43.html
https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19560418-47.html
https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19560419-47.html

 

Mr. Tosatti was not publicly making official top 10 all-time lists that are used as credible references across this board and online sources. So that is not important in here.

In regards to Adalberto Bortolotti, it is common sense from anyone in the journalism fields, that if a respected journalist of years in the magazine had to defend himself and recant his stance on the subject, that he was under pressure from the director of the publication to do so or be demoted and removed. Likewise, there has been unfounded claims on your part that El Gráfico and other sources had reporters fired by the dictatorship in the 1970s and early 80s in Argentina when I never read of such situations. Care to direct me to that source?

But what I do find curious from a sceptical individual as yourself, is how you never questioned those 10 international magazines that have all reached the same conclusions without questioning it, and have used it as a credible reference when it is clearly tainted by the political interests that fell in line with FIFA and their agendas at that time.

 

Don’t you find it suspicious that all those 10 magazines reached the same conclusions, considering the change of decisions that were made with Bortolotti ? I ask this question without any passion and in good faith.

 

We know what happened with GS, but I couldn’t verify El Gráfico’s list, so who knows if it even existed or was fabricated.

And speaking of marketing and publicity, one Brazilian teammate of Pelé’s, Dino Sani, raised an observation in 1984. He was asked by El Gráfico, who was better: Di Stefano or Pelé?
“It would be an insolence to compare them. Both were phenoms, Di Stefano had more resonance in Europe while Pelé had more resonance in the world due to the World Cup. What was unfortunate is that the publicity machine wasn’t working in the same ways as when Pelé was playing. It would have permitted Alfredo to be exposed around the world.”

Pelé was magnified due to the publicity machine? “No, in that era the greatest businesses started: publicity and television. Pelé was great because everything that was said of him was true. That was his secret. Behind the publicity there was no lie. He was also astute. He never entered in polemical controversy with anyone. He created an image which he maintains to this day”

As for Di Stefano, he said: “He played everywhere on the field... Defending, setting up and at the goal. The extraordinary thing is he did it all well”

And with Maradona in comparison: “I don’t like to compare but he had the unfortunate issue of falling in a rough game in Spain.”

It was also rough in Di Stefano’s era... “Not quite. For 10 years now, football around the world has become more aggressive (...) In Italy they respect the skilled player that’s why Maradona will mature as a player. For me he’s a crack, he does things that others don’t do, that’s why he is a crack. Pelé, Di Stefano and Maradona... “

He also provided his all-time team with honorable mentions below that deserved to be in his list.

 

You have seen it already. His original 1996 list which he had to revise 3 years later after receiving backlash from outside pressures. No other player had the international press drive a campaign of criticism towards a journalist forcing him to come forward to justify his decision as was the case with Mr. Bortolotti.

In regards to Dino Sani’s list, why would I question it ? Am I going to question a late 1970s Di Stefano list that had no Cruijff or Pelé in his best players he ever saw too ? I have more an issue with institutional lists that may have political agendas hidden behind them, rather than personal lists of certain players that rarely receive international attention.

 

It was an award for the best European Ballon d’Or winner of all-time with Gazzetta dello Sport only asking managers that had coached in Europe.

 

It is because Don Balón was not more ‘neutral’ as other sources as you might think with Pelé and DB’s director dining out and their publication praising him in ways that was not occurring with other icons.

Years ago I already stated how we (American citizens) had grown up in the 1970s and 80s with Pelé’s opening goal in the finals of 1970 as the single most recognizable image for Americans that lasted a decade as the signature of ABC TV’s Wide World of Sports opening. With his clean image and endorsements, like Puma, Coca Cola and MasterCard, and in the era of the ascension of black athletes after the civil rights movements, it arrived as no surprise that he had a supreme world publicity advantage over other footballing stars like the less marketable Di Stefano or Cruijff. The only other star that almost matched Pelé’s propaganda was Diego Maradona, a product also enhanced with the revolution of the VCR era and his bad boy controversial image which contrasted with the ‘clean’ image of Pelé, producing a good source of revenue for the media to entertain.

 

ABC Madrid interviewed Gunnar Nordahl prior to the match.

Tomorrow, in Chamartín, one of the most important games of recent footballing times: Real Madrid and A. C. Milan for the European Cup. The Milan players trained yesterday afternoon on the field where the match will be held; A couple of hours of ball touch.

As Gunnar Nordahl, the Swedish "phenomenon”, who is the centre-forward, is dressing up, I say to him: —How did you find the pitch?
“Regular: It's pretty hard.
—Would you prefer it soft?
"Yes, because it works less physically."
What do you know about Madrid? -
I saw them in Paris last year in the Copa Latina and they were a good team.
- What’s the best aspect of Madrid in your opinion? “They collaborate well and are well put together.” And Milan, how are they doing right now? “Bad”
Are you saying it to give us hope? "It's true. Don't you see that we are second in the League?”
Which line is the most slacking? "The Spring. This means that the season is late. The only player who is in great shape is Schiaffino. — And Nordhal — assures Pedroni, who is acting as interpreter. —You say — replies the aforementioned — that's not true.” What did the coach tell you? “That we get a good result to wait for them at home. "For example?” Lose by one goal. But the good thing would be to tie to play the third game in Paris.
— Which Madrid player are you most afraid of? Di stefano, man. I played with Navarro in London four years ago, so he seemed like a good defender.” How do you find world football at the moment? “It seems to me that the best football is played by the Hungarians. "How old are you? Born in Nato (Sweden) on October 19, 1921. — Do you hold your ninety minutes well to your thirty-five years? —I get tired dancing more than playing. — How more do you plan to play ? “Until the final of the next season”. — What will you do then? — “I would like to come as a coach to Real Madrid or Atlético de Madrid.” — What does the player have to know to aspire to be a coach? —To clean up the atmosphere among the players; It must be with him a good father. — What is the most difficult moment for a coach? —When things go wrong; That's when he has in front of the critics, the public, the club, the players ... "How many times have you been an international? "Thirty-three." "Your best match?" "Against Hungary, in Budapest; We won 7-2. — How many goals have you scored in your career? More than 500. In the six years at Milan, how many? "Two hundred.” Your style as a scorer?" Shooting from the middle of the field strong on goal.” With which foot do you hit the ball better? “With both equally” — And with your head? —In the beginning I was very clumsy to head well, but when I got older I got better”.

https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19560418-47.html

 

European Cup (semifinals)

19/04/1956 Real Madrid 4-2 AC Milan (1st leg)

Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu

Official: Dean Harzic (France)

Spectators: 120000



Goles: 1-0 (5′) Rial. 1-1 (9′) Nordahl. 2-1 (25′) Joseíto. 2-2 (30′) Schiaffino. 3-2 (40′) Olsen. 4-2 (62′) Di Stéfano.

Real Madrid CF: Juanito Alonso; Joaquín Navarro, Marquitos Alonso, Rafael Lesmes; Miguel Muñoz, José María Zárraga; Joseíto Iglesias, Roque Olsen, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Héctor Rial, Francisco Gento <entrenador: José Villalonga>. Reservas: Javier Berasaluce, Ángel Atienza, Joaquín Oliva, Manolín Martínez y José Luis Pérez-Payá.

AC Milan: Lorenzo Buffon; Cesare Maldini, Francesco Zagatti; Nils Liedholm, Franco Pedroni, Gianfranco Ganzer; Eros Beraldo, Eduardo Ricagni, Gunnar Nordahl, Juan Alberto Schiaffino, Giorgio Dal Monte <entrenador: Héctor Puricelli>.

The two teams had lost their options in their respective championships. AC Milan had recently lost at Fiorentina, who were eleven points ahead. However, they were on paper the most dangerous opponent that Madrid had to face with stars such as the Swedes Liedholm and Nordahl, the Uruguayan Schiaffino and the Argentine Ricagni.

It was a game with a fast-paced first half. Real Madrid showed its best weapon, attack, and its main flaw, defense. Gento's ability to dislodge the large Milanese defense paid off, up to three goals in the first half. But the Italians knew how to take advantage of the spaces granted by the Madrid defense and kept the score level during most of the first half. In the second, both teams regulated their lines better.

ABC Madrid headlined: “The vanguard of Madrid defeated Milan by 4-2”

“The Italian team scored thanks to the disconcerting and repetitive defensive errors of the white team”

“Gento and Di Stefano decisive elements in the victory of Madrid”

“The men who shined with their game in the second half. Di Stéfano, once again striker, midfielder and defender, and Gento, faster and more intuitive than ever (...)”

“Madrid played unevenly. Bad, clearly bad, in defense. Effectively and swiftly in spades in the attack, whose most surprising and dangerous man was Gento on one of his supersonic speed afternoons. Di Stéfano was, as always, the soul and the brain of the team, based on the ordering of the attack by Muñoz, whom Zárraga acted as a magnificent squire after a few minutes of irresolution .. Rial threw a lot into the second part, but he was a slow man, like Olsen, who missed several very clear opportunities (...)”

“Milan played calmly, with that previous slowness that they know turns into speed in the decisive step of the play. They were free in the defensive task, without anything brilliant, since, after all, they allowed themselves to score four goals, and with quiet elasticity to support the attack of their four forwards, since Beraldo rarely joined his theoretical position of extreme right. Nordhal's ease of shooting and Ricagni's ordering ability shone alongside Schiaffino's indolence, who made only four remarkable plays. Liedholm and Pedroni closed the central zone well, while Maldini was unable to hold Gento by orthodox means. Milan were a tired team, excessively slow, which should have been defeated more forcefully. Buffón, on the one hand, with five memorable stops, and the serious failures of our defense, have allowed them to wait more calmly than we did for the second act of Milan.”

Mundo Deportivo headlined: “Madrid deservedly won thanks to the excellent game of Di Stefano [...]

“The first half has been played well by two teams of high quality (...) Di Stefano, who had to be the authentic conductor of this win, with his skilled moves, with his depth of game, was the star of the first half (...) for the opposing team, Schiaffino has been somewhat intermittent, but showing in spades his magnificent qualities.”

Nordahl was also praised but it read: “however, these three world stars have been outshined by the magnificent performance especially in the first half of Di Stefano. It has been the most complete game I have seen of him, although it must be said I have not been able to watch all of his games. Di Stefano has been the pívot which all has spinned around for the team. When there has at times been disconcerting issues in his own defense he has dropped back to recover balls to launch forward in attack in his classical skill and saving many times advances with magnificent interceptions. It was he who also provided decisive passes of goals to his forwards, and in group, his free liberty, magnificently, has provided a considerable weight in the result, and one can say that out of all the stars he has been the best”

Marca Madrid headlined: “Gento the best player of the team and of the game”

The Italians had been impressed with Madrid praising particularly Di Stefano as “magnificent”.

Opinions of the protagonists:

José Villalonga (Madrid manager): “Milan played with a six-man barrier defending their area."

Héctor Puricelli (Milan’s manager) “We lost because of our goal-keeper”

Buffon (Milan goalkeeper): “The player that impressed me the most in the frontline has been Di Stefano” — When asked besides Di Stefano who else ? His reply was: “Di Stefano always. Only Di Stefano”

Di Stefano: “The time of the match was played too early (...) we got suffocated and that’s why we were weak in the first half”

Liedholm: “Rial gave me lots of work, but the speed of Gento is really extraordinary”

Schiaffino: “We haven’t played well but neither have they. It is incomprehensible that we conceded 4 goals”

Nordahl: “It was very hot. I found Madrid weaker than in Paris. The forwards and especially Di Stefano are good at shooting on goal. The first and third goals are gifts from the official”

Summary: 1 goal

https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19560420-55.html
https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19560420-56.html
http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1956/04/20/pagina-3/638436/pdf.html


View attachment 184297

 

La Liga

Round 30 (last round)

22/04/1956 Valencia 2-1 Real Madrid

Stadium: Mestalla, Valencia

With nothing at stake this was the last match of the league season and Di Stefano wanted at all costs to score in order to finish as the top scorer in the campaign. He would beat his closest challenger to that award by one goal in what was an inconsequential match played with both sides fielding various reserves.

ABC Madrid headlined: “Good game and defeat for Madrid in Mestalla”

“Once again, the Mestaíla field has been the scene of a good match between Valencia and Madrid. And once again Valencia won the fight against Real Madrid because of their greater courage and enthusiasm, Madrid initially dominated and forced several corner kicks, but, in the middle of the first half, a spirited reaction from Valencia originated an interesting and laborious fight in the opponents end [...]”

“The midfielders stood out for Madrid, out of all Zárraga, and the central triplet of the attack [...]

Mundo Deportivo headlined: “Clear victory of Valencia that were able to stop Madrid’s aces [...]”

The text said it wasn’t Di Stefano’s best afternoon, despite scoring a consolation goal.

Marca Madrid highlighted that the manager of Valencia decided to not have the defender Mangriñan shadow Di Stefano, a job that the defender had specialized in previous encounters. This enabled Alfredo, according to the report to shine. It read: “Di Stefano triumphed yesterday in Mestalla. Without being marked by Magriñan, he showcased his skills, his wonderful football, his indefatigable tenacity and his imminent and practical football”

Summary: 1 goal (header)

With the league season over, now the semifinal second leg remained. A trip to Milan was next.

https://www.abc.es/archivo/periodicos/abc-madrid-19560424-45.html
http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/preview/1956/04/23/pagina-4/640362/pdf.html

 

When time permits, I’ll get to that one soon.

In the meantime, in 1975 Helenio Herrera was already voicing his views on the so-called greatest player. Previously in 1977 and 1983 he made his observations about Di Stefano.

Don Balón magazine (November 1975)

Helenio Herrera
“It would be very difficult to say which would be my perfect team (...) If I had a team the first player I would choose would be Cruijff. He’s exceptional. The greatest of all-time ? Di Stefano. I haven’t seen a more complete player than him. Pelé ? A great player, but not in the category of Alfredo. Kubala ? A phenomenon, but somewhat slow. Those already know that I’m a lover of quick football. With this I mean that Di Stefano has been the best. At the moment no one has surpassed him”

 

Di Stefano and the joy of the goal

Alfredo once said, “A day without a goal is like a day without sunshine ”. Now we delve into the mindset of this phrase.

The blonde arrow:
That is why once I couldn’t score like before I decided to hang up my boots. I wasn’t useful without the goal, preparing plays for others without participating in the unique joy, incomparable, to reach the last shot and see how the net moved from a ball that I kicked or headed. When I decided to retire I was 36 years old. I still had some game left in me to play as a midfielder, static, distributing play, directing my younger teammates. My football was and is filled with the goal. I remember when I played in the youth divisions at River Plate, we won a game by 8 goals and I did not score any. After the match the manager came to me and said: “Very good Alfredo, today you did not score but you played as an authentic leader in the attack...”. That was the worst praise I received in my life... I could never accept the function of not having on the field that ingredient which was the goal. At the age of 20, at Huracán and River, I was a player of one/third of the pitch forward. It was what was called a punta de lanza. I’d take advantage of what others prepared for me to “sprint” forward, to shoot or to place it into the corner while celebrating the goal. After the age of 25, at Millonarios of Colombia, I’d fall back to initiate plays and participated more in the build up of the team. But with the idea of the goal always in sight. Close to the age of 30, at Real Madrid, I became a player of the entire field. I could intercept balls inside my own penalty area, chasing the creator of the opponents, safeguarding my own goalkeeper, clearing plays to the corner, but always ready to shoot between the posts and score. Playing that game I was 5 times top scorer in La Liga. No one scored more goals than me in the European Cup of champions. My childhood idol was the maximum scorer in Argentinian football: Arsenio Erico. I was from River where there was always great center forwards but I admired the Independiente player. Because he was an artist of the goal, an acrobatic ballet player inside the box, a genius in the aerial game or with his heels, and especially, because he scored goals. In my era as a player I admired those that knew how to score. Especially Puskas, who had a glove in his left foot. I remember giving the ball to Puskas, as he prepared to shoot, and I’d turn around already to celebrate the goal... (...) In the scorer there’s always a piece of selfishness, and it’s ok. That’s how it should be. Inside the box there’s no time or space to doubt. For those that think twice are dead. And goalscorers should be very astute.

El Gráfico 1979

 

Haha, you have questioned the integrity of the man. I’d like to think it’s his honest assessment and perhaps there were other hints and clues already when he was a manager of Sevilla and Barcelona. Maybe the match reports over time reveal his impressions coaching against Alfredo. But who knows...