Di Stéfano (right) with José Manuel Moreno during his first years in River Plate.
ALFREDO Di Stefano 4 July 1926 – 7 July 2014.
In August 1963, Di Stefano was kidnapped from the Real Madrid hotel in Caracas at gun-point by th outlawed Venezuelan pro-communist Armed Forces for National Liberation (FALN). He was held captive for three days before being released unscathed.
The FALN kidnapping was later written off as a publicity stunt designed to simply embarrass the Venezuelan government they were trying to overthrow.
Of course, as well as being capped by Argentina, Colombia and Spain, Di Stefano will forever be synonymous with the regal Real Madrid side of the 1950s and early 60s – playing 282 games for Los Blancos and scoring 216 goals on his way to eight Primera Division titles, five European Cups and two Ballon d’Ors.
01/04/1957
Soccer – European Cup Semi Final – 2nd Leg – Manchester United v Real Madrid – Old Trafford, Manchester.
Ray Wood (Manchester United goalkeeper) tips a shot from Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid) over the bar during the European semi-final, second leg match at Manchester. Result was a 2-2 draw giving Real Madrid a winning aggregate of 5-3 .
26/04/1957
Soccer – European Cup – Final – Real Madrid v Eintracht Frankfurt
Real Madrid’s Alfredo di Stefano (c) thrashes his team’s second goal past Eintracht Frankfurt goalkeeper Egon Loy (l)
Date: 18/05/1960
Soccer – Friendly – Spain v England.
Spain team group: (back row, l-r) Antoni Ramallets, Enrique Pachin, Garay, Gracia, Segarra, Verges; (front row, l-r) Pereda, Martinez, Alfredo Di Stefano, Joaquim Peiro, Francisco Gento
Soccer – European Cup – Final – Real Madrid v Eintracht Frankfurt.
Real Madrid’s Alfredo di Stefano (r) guides the ball into the corner of the net to give his team a 2-1 lead.
Date: 18/05/1960
Soccer – European Cup – Final – Real Madrid v Eintracht Frankfurt
Real Madrid celebrate with the European Cup after winning the trophy for the fifth successive year: (standing, l-r) Luis Del Sol, Canario, Dominguez, Jose Santamaria, Marquitos, Alfredo Di Stefano, Francisco Gento, Ferenc Puskas, Enriqe Pachin; (squatting, l-r) Vidal, Jose Zarraga
Date: 18/05/1960
Soccer – European Cup – Final – Real Madrid v Eintracht Frankfurt
Real Madrid’s Alfredo di Stefano (c) thrashes his team’s second goal past Eintracht Frankfurt goalkeeper Egon Loy (l)
Date: 18/05/1960
Alfredo Di Stefano, Real Madrid Soccer Star, shortly before his kidnapping by pro-communist to attract attention to their fight against President Romulo Betancourt, Caracas, Venezuela.
Date: 25/08/1963
Soccer – FA 100th Anniversary Match – England v Rest of the World
Rest of the World team group: (back row, l-r) Ferenc Puskas, Djalma Santos, Svatopluk Pluskal, Lev Yashin, Jan Popluhar, Karl Heinz Schnellinger, Milutin Soskic, Josef Masopust, Eyzaguire, Jim Baxter (front row, l-r) Raymond Kopa, Denis Law, Alfredo di Stefano, Eusebio, Francisco Gento
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Date: 23/10/1963
Soccer – FA 100th Anniversary Match – England v Rest of the World
Rest of the World captain Alfredo di Stefano (l) looks on as HRH The Duke of Edinburgh shakes hands with Rest of the World’s Denis Law (third r). To Law’s right stand his teammates Francisco Gento, Eusebio and Djalma Santos
Date: 23/10/1963
occer – Friendly – England v Spain – Spain Training
Spain’s Alfredo di Stefano (r) training with his teammates in preparation for the match against England
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Date: 24/10/1960
Soccer – Reception for Real Madrid Players at Park Lane Hotel
Crystal Palace manager Arthur Rowe (c), whose team are to play Real Madrid in a friendly, chats with Madrid stars Ferenc Puskas (l) and Alfredo di Stefano (r)
Date: 16/04/1962
Soccer – European Cup Final – Benfica v Real Madrid – Olympisch Stadion, Amsterdam
Benfica’s Fernando Cruz (l) and Germano (3rd left) thwart Real Madrid’s Alfredo Di Stefano (on floor) during an attack watched by Real Madrid’s Ferenc Puskas (4th left) and Benfica goalkeeper Alberto da Costa Pereira (r). The game finished 5-3 to Benfica.
Archive-PA96106-3
Date: 02/05/1962
Alfredo Di Stefano, Real Madrid
Date: 01/10/1962
Real Madrid star Alfredo di Stefano (r) with his family
Date: 31/03/1963
Soccer – England V Rest of the World (FIFA) – Wembley
Rest of the World team group: (back row, l-r) Ferenc Puskas, Djalma Santos, Svatopluk Pluskal, Lev Yashin, Jan Popluhar, Karl Heinz Schnellinger, Milutin Soskic, Josef Masopust, Eyzaguire, Jim Baxter (front row, l-r) Raymond Kopa, Denis Law, Alfredo di Stefano, Eusebio, Francisco Gento
516-23
Date: 23/10/1963
Soccer – FA 100th Anniversary Match – England v Rest of the World
Rest of the World’s Alfredo di Stefano (l) fires a shot at goal, watched by England’s Ray Wilson (r)
Date: 23/10/1963
Soccer – FA 100th Anniversary Match – England v Rest of the World
Rest of the World’s Alfredo di Stefano (l) chases a through ball as England goalkeeper Gordon Banks (r) comes out to meet him
Date: 23/10/1963
Soccer – FA 100th Anniversary Match – England v Rest of the World
Rest of the World’s Alfredo di Stefano (l) fires a shot at goal, watched by England’s Maurice Norman (r), Bobby Moore (second r) and Ray Wilson (second l)
Date: 23/10/1963
Alfredo di Stefano, Rest of the World
Anyway, here’s a couple of fantastic little scenes taken from the “La Saeta Rubia” (The Blonde Arrow) movie from 1956, showing Di Stefano training at Real Madrid as well as taking a coaching session with some local kids.
And he was a pretty useful player, too:
Spotter: WhoAteAllThePies
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