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Alfredo Di Stefano Death
MADRID -- Alfredo Di Stefano, the forward Real Madrid has hailed as being the most important component in its mid-20th century ascent to becoming a global powerhouse, has died. He was 88.
The club said in a statement that Di Stefano, its honorary president, died on Monday afternoon at Gregorio Maranon hospital, two days after a heart attack.
Di Stefano turned 88 on Friday. The following day, he had a heart attack on a Madrid street near the club's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. On arrival paramedics found Di Stefano's heart had stopped beating and he wasn't breathing, but they managed to resuscitate him after 18 minutes. He spent the following two days in a coma.
Renowned for his speed, versatility and strategic grasp of the game, he helped Madrid attain five straight European Champions Cups and was voted European player of the year in 1957 and '59.
In a career spanning five clubs in three countries -- Argentina, Colombia and Spain -- from 1945-1966, Di Stefano scored 789 goals in 1,090 matches. In the process he claimed top-scorer status once in the Argentine league, twice in Colombia's league and five times in Spain.
However, as FIFA acknowledges on its official website, "statistics will show that Alfredo Di Stefano is one of the world's greatest ever goalscorers, but the bare facts only tell part of the story."
Those who knew him recall a straight-talking character who believed success on the field came through physical effort and dedication.
"I don't want to be idolized, I just want to play. And to do that you have to run and sweat," he said. His modesty in the face of overwhelming sporting success won him the admiration of many.
"I think he was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, football player ever," England great Bobby Charlton said.
