World of football in mourning following death of Real legend Di Stefano

World of football in mourning following death of Real legend Di Stefano
By Euronews
Share this articleComments
Share this articleClose Button
ADVERTISEMENT

Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano has died aged 88.

Di Stefano suffered a heart attack on Saturday and was kept in an induced coma in the Gregorio Maranon hospital in Madrid.

He had several health problems in recent years and was fitted with a pacemaker since having heart surgery in 2005.

Di Stefano had a glittering 11-year spell at Real Madrid where after joining in 1953 helped turn the Spanish outfit into one of the world’s top sides.

He helped the club win five straight European Cups and scored in each final between 1956 and 1960.

He also helped the Spanish giants to eight domestic League titles, a Spanish Cup and an intercontinental crown.

For his exploits on the pitch for Real Madrid the Argentina-born forward was voted European player of the year in 1957 and 1959.

Di Stefano played at international level for three different countries.

He won six caps for Argentina, four for Colombia and after gaining Spanish citizenship played for La Roja 31 times scoring 23 goals.

Unfortunately for his fans across the globe Di Stefano never featured at a World Cup.

After hanging up his boots he managed eight different clubs including two stints at the helm of Real Madrid.

In 2000 he was named Real’s honorary president.

Real Madrid President Florentino Perez lauded praise on his club’s former player, he said: ‘‘Di Stefano changed the game for the better, he said: “Alfredo Di Stefano changed the history of this club and also changed the history of football. He helped the transformation of Real Madrid into the world’s biggest sport institution. Alfredo Di Stefano is Real Madrid. His alliance with Real Madrid allowed to create the myth of football.’‘

Destination Maracana

Brazil are two wins away from World Cup glory on home soil.

But first they have to get passed European heavyweights Germany at the Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte.

Manager Luiz Felipe Scolari will have to do without the squad’s poster boy Neymar, who suffered a fractured vertebra in the quarters.

Skipper Thiago Silva will also be missing for the last four tie after he collected a second yellow card in the win over Colombia and is suspended.

ADVERTISEMENT

Dante is expected to deputize for the captain as Brazil continue their hunt for a record extending sixth title.

Germany meanwhile will look to continue their run towards a fourth crown.

It’s a record fourth consecutive semi-final appearance for Die Maanschaft and third for coach Joachim Loew who will be without the services of defender Shkodran Mustafi – who misses the rest of the tournament with a thigh problem.

Per Mertesacker; along with several team-mates, has been suffering with flu and will undergo a late fitness test as Germany look to gatecrash the Brazilian party and throw the hosts out.

We might be wrong

ADVERTISEMENT

(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));Post by euronews.

There’s just one match this evening. We can’t be wrong, surely not again.

Anyway we’ll give it a go anyway but don’t forget to send us your comments and your predictions for Brazil-Germany, via the social networks, using #TheCornerScores.

To quote former England striker Gary Lineker ‘Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.’‘

Spot on for us as we predict Germany to win 2-1.

ADVERTISEMENT

Bravo, Bravo!

Although Barcelona have recently acquired the services of German shot-stopper Marc-Andre ter Stegen that hasn’t stopped them from signing another one in Chile’s Claudio Bravo.

With the exit of Victor Valdes from the club at the end of last season – Barca were in need of a second keeper and apparently Bravo fits the bill.

The 31-year-old Chile captain spent eight years at Real Sociedad before putting pen to paper on a four-year deal worth 12 million euros.

Bravo started in all of his country’s matches at the World Cup in Brazil and impressed enough for the Catalan giants to bring him on board.

ADVERTISEMENT
Share this articleComments

You might also like

Real Madrid files complaint with prosecutor over Vinícius 'hate crime' abuse by Valencia fans

Croatia knock Brazil out of World Cup on penalties in another major shock

Brazil beats South Korea and will take on Croatia in quarter-finals