Home > Alfredo Di Stefano

Di Stéfano was a powerful forward, considered by many to be one of the greatest of all time.

His career stared with River Plate in Argentina, in 1943. He won 6 league titles in the first 12 years of his career in Argentina and Colombia before moving to join Real Madrid, who took him from under Barcelona's nose. Although the Spanish FA decided that the two clubs should share Di Stefano, Barca refused, and Di Stefano became part of one of the most succesful club sides of all time, winning 5 European Cups in a row with Real Madrid and scoring in each final.

Di Stéfano is undoubtably one of the greatest players never to grace a World Cup Finals tournament, missing out on his last chance through injury. After the disappointment of missing the World Cup, Di Stéfano moved to Espanyol from Barcelona and played there until his retirement at the age of 40.

After retirement, he moved into coaching. With Di Stéfano as coach, Valencia won the Spanish Cup in 1979, but he led Real Madrid to second place in five tournaments in 1983, losing the league title on the last day and being defeated in four cup finals!

Di Stéfano is currently the 3rd highest scorer in the history of Spain's top division, with 228 goals in 329 games, behind Hugo Sanchez (234 goals) and Telmo 'Zarra'Telmo Zarraonandia Montoya known as Zarra was a Spanish football player for Athletic Bilbao from 1940 to 1955. He was born in Asua in Vizcaya on January 30 1921. Signing after playing one season for Erandio, he became a prolific goalscorer for Athletic an (251). Di Stéfano is also Real Madrid's highest league goalscorer of all time, with 216 goals in 282 league matches between 1953 and 1964.

1 Trophies

• Argentinian Championship: 2 (1945, 1947)
• Colombian Championship: 4 (1949, 1951, 1952, 1953)
• Spanish Championship: 8 (1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964)
• Spanish Cup: 1 (1962)
• Latin Cup: 2 (1955, 1957)
• European Cup: 5 (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960)
• Intercontinental Cup: 1 (1960)
• Copa AméricaThe Copa America is the main national football competition of the CONMEBOL nations. It is normally held every two years, but the intervals may change. The participating nations are: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colo: 1 (1947)
• Argentinian League Top Scorer: 1 (1947)
• Colombian League Top Scorer: 1 (1951, 1952)
• Spanish League Top Scorer: 5 (1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959)
• European Footballer of the YearThe Ballon d'or (from French, English translation is Golden Ball is a football award, created in 1956 by the French football magazine France Football. It is usually known in English as the European Footballer of the Year award. The award is given annually: 2 (1957, 1959)

2 International record

• ArgentinaThe Argentina national football team is one of the most successful national football teams, having won two World Cups and one Olympic Title. Argentina and Uruguay hold the record for the most international matches played against two countries, there have: 7 caps, 7 goals
• ColombiaThe Colombia national football team is the national team of Colombia and is controlled by the Federacion Colombiana de Futbol. Colombia has made four World Cups, but only one before the 1990s: in 1962. They only advanced past the first round once. The tea: 4 caps
• SpainThe Spain national football team is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (Real Federacion Espanola de Futbol). They won the second European Championship ever held in 1964. Spain has greatly underachived in the World Cup, never advancing bey: 31 caps, 23 goals