Real Madrid have paid tribute to “one of the greatest legends of our club and of world football” following the death of a four-time European Cup winner
Football icon Jose Emilio Santamaria who won four European Cups with Real Madrid has died aged 96.
The legendary centre-back was nicknamed ‘The Wall’ for his great defensive displays for the La Liga giants and the Uruguay and Spain national teams, having appeared for both during a glittering career, which also saw him manage Espanyol and Spanish at the World Cup in 1982 and Olympics in 1982 and 1986.
In a statement, Real Madrid said: “Real Madrid CF, its president and its board of directors deeply regret the passing of Jose Emilio Santamaria, one of the greatest legends of our club and of world football. Real Madrid wishes to express its condolences and affection to his wife Nora, his children Nelson, Nora, Beatriz, José, Silvia and Javier, his grandchildren, his great-grandchildren and all his relatives, colleagues and loved ones.”
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Born in Montevideo to Spanish parents, Santamaria won five league titles with Club Nacional de Football in his native Uruguay, before joining Real Madrid in 1957. He spent nine seasons with the Spanish titans, winning four European Cups, one Intercontinental Cup, six La Liga titles, and one Copa del Rey in 337 appearances.
The Madrid statement read: “Santamaria was part of that legendary team that won the first European Cups in history consecutively, and which launched the universal legend of Real Madrid.”
Club president Florentino Perez also paid tribute, saying: “Santamaria will always be remembered as one of the great symbols of our club. He was part of a team that will remain in the memory of all Madridistas and all football fans around the world.
“Alongside Di Stefano, Puskas, Gento, and Kopa, that team began to build the Real Madrid myth. Santamaria always exemplified the values of our club, and until his very last moment, Real Madrid was the great passion of his life.”
With Club Nacional de Football, he won the Uruguayan Championship four times. He earned 25 caps for Uruguay and 16 for Spain. He played in the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland with the Uruguayan national team, and in the 1962 World Cup in Chile with the Spanish national team.
As a coach, Santamaria began his career the year after retiring as a player, in Real Madrid’s youth academy. He managed the Spanish Olympic team at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and the 1980 Moscow Olympics. And in 1982, he was the Spanish national team coach at the World Cup in Spain.
From 1971, and for 7 seasons he managed RCD Espanyol in 252 matches, becoming the coach with the most official matches in the history of the club.
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