Просмотр кода страницы Английская Википедия:Alfredo Di Stéfano

{{Английская Википедия/Панель перехода}}
{{Short description|Argentine footballer (1926–2014)}}
{{Other uses}}
{{family name hatnote|Di Stéfano|Laulhé|lang=Spanish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Alfredo Di Stéfano
| image = Di Stefano 1959.jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = Di Stefano with [[Real Madrid]] in 1959
| fullname = Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé<ref>{{cite web |url=http://es.eurosport.yahoo.com/fot/ftxt/alfredo_di_stefano.html |title=di Stéfano Profile |publisher=Yahoo! Deportes España |language=es |access-date=10 March 2011 |archive-date=22 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022150607/http://es.eurosport.yahoo.com/fot/ftxt/alfredo_di_stefano.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date|1926|7|4|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Buenos Aires]], Argentina
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2014|7|7|1926|7|4|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Madrid]], Spain
| height = 1.78 m
| position = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]], [[Midfielder#Attacking midfielder|attacking midfielder]]
| youthyears1 = 1940–1943
| youthclubs1 = [[Club Progresista|Unión Progresista]]
| youthyears2 = 1944–1945
| youthclubs2 = [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]
| years1 = 1945–1949
| clubs1 = [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]
| caps1 = 66
| goals1 = 49
| years2 = 1945–1946
| clubs2 = → [[Club Atlético Huracán|Huracán]] (loan)
| caps2 = 25
| goals2 = 10
| years3 = 1949–1953
| clubs3 = [[Club Deportivo Los Millonarios|Millonarios]]
| caps3 = 101
| goals3 = 90
| years4 = 1953–1964
| clubs4 = [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]]
| caps4 = 282
| goals4 = 216
| years5 = 1964–1966
| clubs5 = [[RCD Espanyol|Espanyol]]
| caps5 = 47
| goals5 = 11
| totalcaps = 521
| totalgoals = 376
| nationalyears1 = 1947
| nationalteam1 = [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]]
| nationalcaps1 = 6
| nationalgoals1 = [[List of international goals scored by Alfredo Di Stéfano|6]]
| nationalyears2 = 1957–1961
| nationalteam2 = [[Spain men's national football team|Spain]]
| nationalcaps2 = 31
| nationalgoals2 = [[List of international goals scored by Alfredo Di Stéfano|23]]
| manageryears1 = 1967–1968
| managerclubs1 = [[Elche CF|Elche]]
| manageryears2 = 1969–1970
| managerclubs2 = [[Boca Juniors]]
| manageryears3 = 1970–1974
| managerclubs3 = [[Valencia CF|Valencia]]
| manageryears4 = 1974
| managerclubs4 = [[Sporting Clube de Portugal|Sporting CP]]
| manageryears5 = 1975–1976
| managerclubs5 = [[Rayo Vallecano]]
| manageryears6 = 1976–1977
| managerclubs6 = [[CD Castellón|Castellón]]
| manageryears7 = 1979–1980
| managerclubs7 = [[Valencia CF|Valencia]]
| manageryears8 = 1981–1982
| managerclubs8 = [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]
| manageryears9 = 1982–1984
| managerclubs9 = [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]]
| manageryears10 = 1985
| managerclubs10 = [[Boca Juniors]]
| managerclubs11 = [[Valencia CF|Valencia]]
| manageryears11 = 1986–1988
| managerclubs12 = [[1990–91 Real Madrid CF season|Real Madrid]]
| manageryears12 = 1990–1991
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's [[Association football|football]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{fb|Argentina}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Copa América|South American Football Championship]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[1947 South American Championship|1947 Ecuador]]|}}
}}

'''Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé'''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.realmadrid.com/cs/Satellite/es/1193040475259/1202732249389/contenido/Entrenador/Alfredo_Stefano__Di_Stefano_Laulhe.htm |title=Di Stéfano Profile |publisher=Realmadrid.com |language=es |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715164849/http://www.realmadrid.com/cs/Satellite/es/1193040475259/1202732249389/contenido/Entrenador/Alfredo_Stefano__Di_Stefano_Laulhe.htm |archive-date=15 July 2011}}</ref> ({{IPA-es|alˈfɾeðo ðjesˈtefano}}; 4 July 1926 – 7 July 2014) was a professional [[association football|footballer]] and coach who played as a [[Forward (association football)|forward]], regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Greatest Argentine Soccer Players of All Time |url=https://soccermavericks.com/greatest-argentine-soccer-players-of-all-time/ |website=Soccer Mavericks |access-date=29 December 2023 |archive-date=25 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240125084440/https://soccermavericks.com/greatest-argentine-soccer-players-of-all-time/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Nicknamed "'''Saeta Rubia'''" ("Blond Arrow"),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clarin.com/diario/2005/07/16/deportes/d-07303.htm |title=The birth of the Saeta Rubia |publisher=Clarin |date=16 July 2005 |access-date= 1 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081213062020/http://www.clarin.com/diario/2005/07/16/deportes/d-07303.htm| archive-date= 13 December 2008 | url-status= live|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://icervantes.wordpress.com/1956/10/24/saeta-rubia/| title = Saeta Rubia (Movie)| access-date = 1 December 2008| archive-date = 30 September 2020| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200930222948/https://icervantes.wordpress.com/1956/10/24/saeta-rubia/| url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="Guardian obit" /> he is best known for his achievements with [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]], where he was instrumental in the club's domination of the [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]] and [[La Liga]] during the 1950s and 1960s. Along with [[Francisco Gento]] and [[José María Zárraga]], he was one of only three players to play a part in all five European Cup victories, scoring goals in each of the five finals. Di Stéfano played international football mostly for [[Spain men's national football team|Spain]] after moving to Madrid, but he also played for [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] and [[Colombia national football team|Colombia]].

Di Stéfano began his career at Argentina's [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]] aged 17, in 1943. For the 1946 season he was loaned to [[Club Atlético Huracán]], but he returned to River in 1947. Due to a footballers' strike in Argentina in 1949, Di Stéfano went to play for [[Millonarios Fútbol Club|Millonarios]] of [[Bogotá]] in the [[Categoría Primera A|Colombian league]].<ref name="NY Times obit" /> He won six league titles during the first 12 years of his career in Argentina and Colombia.<ref name=BBC /><ref name="Washington Post">{{cite news|title=Alfredo Di Stefano, celebrated soccer player, dies at 88|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/alfredo-di-stefano-celebrated-soccer-player-dies-at-88/2014/07/07/bfe7d894-05fa-11e4-bbf1-cc51275e7f8f_story.html|access-date=8 July 2014|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=7 July 2014|archive-date=5 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205171428/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/alfredo-di-stefano-celebrated-soccer-player-dies-at-88/2014/07/07/bfe7d894-05fa-11e4-bbf1-cc51275e7f8f_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Following his signing by [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]] he was an integral part of one of the most successful teams of all time. He scored 216 league goals in 282 games for Real (then a club record, since surpassed by [[Raúl (footballer)|Raúl]], [[Cristiano Ronaldo]] and [[Karim Benzema]]), striking up a successful partnership with [[Ferenc Puskás]]. Di Stéfano's 49 goals in 58 matches was the all-time highest tally in the [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]]. The record has since been surpassed by several players, including the aforementioned Real Madrid trio. Di Stéfano scored in five consecutive European Cup finals for Real Madrid between [[1956 European Cup Final|1956]] and [[1960 European Cup Final|1960]], including a [[List of UEFA Champions League hat-tricks|hat-trick]] in the last. Perhaps, the highlight of his time with the club was their 7–3 victory over [[Eintracht Frankfurt]] in the 1960 final at [[Hampden Park]], a game many consider to be the finest exhibition of club football ever witnessed in Europe.<ref name="NY Times obit" /> He moved to [[RCD Espanyol|Espanyol]] in 1964 and played there until retiring at the age of 40.<ref name="Washington Post" />

Di Stéfano was awarded the [[Ballon d'Or]] for the [[European Footballer of the Year]] in 1957 and 1959.<ref name=BBC /> He is currently the [[List of La Liga top scorers#All-time top scorers|seventh highest scorer]] in the history of [[La Liga|Spain's top division]], and Real Madrid's fourth [[List of Real Madrid CF records and statistics#Goalscorers|highest league goalscorer of all time]]. He is Madrid's leading goalscorer in the history of ''[[El Clásico]]'', alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ronaldo matches Di Stefano record with Clasico goal at Camp Nou |url=http://www.goal.com/en/news/ronaldo-matches-di-stefano-record-with-clasico-goal-at-camp/g2uklx90q5l11hfkwlqobx4e6 |work=[[Goal (website)|Goal]] |access-date=27 May 2018 |date=20 November 2016 |last=Burton |first=Chris |archive-date=26 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226062728/https://www.goal.com/en/news/ronaldo-matches-di-stefano-record-with-clasico-goal-at-camp/g2uklx90q5l11hfkwlqobx4e6 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ronaldo equals Di Stefano's Real Madrid Clasico goalscoring record |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/ronaldo-equals-di-stefano-s-real-madrid-clasico-goalscoring-record |access-date=27 May 2018 |work=[[Sportskeeda]] |date=6 May 2018 |quote=Alfredo Di Stefano's record of 18 Real Madrid goals in Clasico matches against Barcelona has been matched by Cristiano Ronaldo. |archive-date=12 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612211122/https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/ronaldo-equals-di-stefano-s-real-madrid-clasico-goalscoring-record |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2003, to celebrate [[UEFA]]'s Jubilee, he was selected as the [[UEFA Jubilee Awards|Golden Player]] of Spain by the [[Royal Spanish Football Federation]] as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/uefa/news/Kind=256/newsId=130150.html |title=Golden Players take centre stage |access-date=4 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070312053707/http://www.uefa.com/uefa/news/Kind%3D256/newsId%3D130150.html |archive-date=12 March 2007 }}. UEFA.com (29 November 2003).</ref> He was voted fourth, behind [[Pelé]], [[Diego Maradona]], and [[Johan Cruyff]], in a vote organized by ''[[France Football]]'' magazine which consulted their former [[Ballon d'Or]] winners to elect the Football Player of the Century.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/best-x-players-of-y.html |title=rsssf.org – Various Lists of 'Players of the Century/All-Time' |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151231035356/https://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/best-x-players-of-y.html |archive-date=31 December 2015}}</ref> In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the [[FIFA 100]] list of the world's greatest living players (in September 2009, he said Di Stéfano was the best player "ever").<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spanish-football/2009/09/17/1506871/di-stefano-was-the-best-maradona-could-not-score-with-his | work=[[Goal (website)|Goal]] | title=Di Stefano Was The Best, Maradona Could Not Score With His Head - Pele | first=Lucas | last=Brown | access-date=27 August 2020 | archive-date=7 February 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207013358/https://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spanish-football/2009/09/17/1506871/di-stefano-was-the-best-maradona-could-not-score-with-his | url-status=live }}</ref> In 2008 Di Stéfano was honoured by both UEFA and Real Madrid with a special Presidents' award issued by FIFA at a ceremony in Madrid, where a statue was also unveiled. Then UEFA President [[Michel Platini]] called Di Stéfano "a great amongst the greats" while contemporaries [[Eusébio]] and [[Just Fontaine]] suggested that he was "the most complete footballer in the history of the game".<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2008-02/19/content_6464831.htm| work=China Daily| title=Football world honors Real Madrid legend Di Stefano| date=19 February 2008| access-date=27 June 2010| archive-date=7 February 2021| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210207001732/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2008-02/19/content_6464831.htm| url-status=live}}</ref>

==Early life==
{{CSS image crop|Image = Di stefano the certificate.jpg|bSize = 180|cWidth = 160|cHeight = 98|oTop = 10|oLeft = 10|Location = left|Description =Di Stefano's youth membership card at [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]}}
Born in [[Barracas, Buenos Aires|Barracas]], a neighborhood of [[Buenos Aires]], Di Stéfano was the son of Alfredo Di Stéfano, a first-generation [[Italian Argentine]] (his father Michele emigrated to Argentina from [[Capri]] in the 19th century), and Eulalia Laulhé Gilmont, an Argentine woman of [[French Argentine|French]] and [[Irish Argentine|Irish]] descent with her relatives being from [[Swinford]], [[County Mayo]].<ref>Brian Glanville, ''Soccer. A history of the game: its players, and its strategy'', Crown Publishers 1968, p. 154</ref><ref>{{cite news| url= http://news-realmadrid-football.blogspot.it/2011/05/legends-alfredo-di-stefano.html| title= Legends: Alfredo Di Stefano| date= 31 March 2011| access-date= 6 January 2013| work= realmadrid-football.blogspot.it| archive-date= 13 June 2017| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170613233513/http://news-realmadrid-football.blogspot.it/2011/05/legends-alfredo-di-stefano.html| url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/madrid-legend-could-have-been-an-irish-don-27902724.html|title=Madrid legend could have been an Irish 'Don'|publisher=Herald.ie|date=25 February 2009|access-date=22 November 2014|archive-date=29 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129041009/http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/madrid-legend-could-have-been-an-irish-don-27902724.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-04 |title=Alfredo Di Stefano, la 'Saeta Rubia' leggenda del River Plate e del Grande Real {{!}} Goal.com Italia |url=https://www.goal.com/it/notizie/alfredo-di-stefano-la-saeta-rubia-leggenda-del-river-plate-e-del-grande-real/1vv10c41q21tn1hea22xk2y1ln |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=www.goal.com |language=it |archive-date=12 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230912212828/https://www.goal.com/it/notizie/alfredo-di-stefano-la-saeta-rubia-leggenda-del-river-plate-e-del-grande-real/1vv10c41q21tn1hea22xk2y1ln |url-status=live }}</ref>

Di Stéfano's father, who was a former defender of River Plate, prematurely retired in 1912 due to a knee injury, introduced young Alfredo to football. Di Stéfano grew up playing street football, in oratories and in neighbourhood teams such as the [[Barracas, Buenos Aires|Barracas]] "Unidos y Venceremos", and the Imán of the Flores district. People already had noticed his talent. But, in 1940 his family moved to the countryside and Di Stéfano started working with his father and playing football with his brother Tulio for [[Club Progresista|Club Social y Deportivo Unión Progresista]] until 1943, when the family returned to Buenos Aires.

==Club career==

===River Plate===
[[File:Alfredo Di Stefano River Plate.jpg|thumb|150px|Di Stéfano with River Plate, where he debuted in 1945]]
In 1944 Di Stéfano's father wrote a letter of recommendation to [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]], and the club sent a reply telegram to invite him to an audition with the youth team. Di Stéfano impressed on the trial and joined the second team squad of River Plate, the club his family supported. The next year he became part of the first team which was called [[La Máquina]] due to their unprecedented success, consisting of players like [[Adolfo Pedernera|Pedernera]], [[Ángel Labruna|Labruna]] [[Juan Carlos Muñoz (footballer, born 1919)|Muñoz]], and [[Felix Loustau|Loustau]]. One of the main stars of the team, [[José Manuel Moreno|Moreno]], had just left for the Mexican [[Real Club España]] and it seemed like a good opportunity for the young Di Stéfano to fight for a place on the first squad.

Di Stéfano, whose idol was Paraguayan [[Arsenio Erico]], the [[Club Atlético Independiente|Independiente]] striker, learned from the big stars, especially [[Adolfo Pedernera|Pedernera]]. His coach and first mentor [[Carlos Peucelle]] taught him how to play the ball low and soon he made his first team debut in 1945, at the age of 19: on 15 July of that year he debuted against [[Club Atlético Huracán|Huracán]] in a 2–1 defeat on the twelfth day of the [[1945 Argentine Primera División|1945 Argentine championship]]. This was the only game Di Stéfano played in that year, but at the end of the season he won his first title as River Plate won the championship, four points ahead of [[Boca Juniors]].

===Loaned to Huracán===
[[File:Di stefano en huracan.jpg|thumb|130px|Di Stéfano with the Huracán shirt. He played with the club in 1946]]
During the only match Di Stéfano played in the previous season, the president of [[Club Atlético Huracán|Huracán]] was impressed by his potential; Di Stéfano agreed to join them, as he realised his chances of making the first team for River Plate were limited. Huracán and Argentina legend [[Herminio Masantonio]] had just retired and the club needed a replacement forward.

Former Argentine striker and World Cup top scorer [[Guillermo Stábile]], the Huracán and Argentina national team coach at the time, gave Di Stéfano his first real opportunities in the [[1946 Argentine Primera División|1946 season]]. He scored the first two goals of his career in a 3–1 victory against [[Estudiantes de La Plata|Estudiantes (LP)]]. 

He later scored against his former team River Plate, netting the fastest goal in the history of the Argentine championship after about ten seconds of play. He would score 10 goals in 25 appearances for [[Club Atlético Huracán|Huracan]], teaming up perfectly with [[Norberto Doroteo Méndez|Norberto Méndez]] who would later become the all-time top scorer in [[Copa América]]. Huracán tried to sign Di Stéfano permanently at the end of a successful eighth-place season, but could not afford the 90,000 pesos River Plate asked for the transfer.

===Return to River Plate 1947–1949===
[[File:La Maquina 1947 (2).jpg|thumb|Di Stéfano (third from left) in ''[[La Máquina]]'' team of 1947, along with Reyes, Moreno, Labruna, and Loustau]]
Upon his return to River Plate, Di Stéfano became an integral part of [[La Máquina]], taking on the role of the departing [[Adolfo Pedernera]] who had signed for [[Club Atlético Atlanta]]. [[Carlos Peucelle]] initially put Di Stéfano on the flank, a position in which Di Stéfano struggled; in a game against Atlanta of Pedernera, Peucelle decided to use him as a center forward and River eventually won 6–1. Soon, Di Stéfano imposed himself as the center forward and his teammates adapted to his game. He received the nickname of ''Saeta Rubia'' from journalist Roberto Neuberger. Though he had to leave the team for some time due to compulsory conscription, Di Stéfano contributed significantly to winning the [[1947 Argentine Primera División]], becoming the top scorer of the league with 27 goals.

[[File:Di stefano caravanas.jpg|thumb|left|150px|''Caravanas'' cigarettes ad featuring Di Stéfano with River Plate]]
The league victory gave River Plate the right to represent Argentina in the [[Copa Aldao]] against the champions of Uruguay [[Club Nacional de Football|Nacional Montevideo]] who featured great player like goalkeeper [[Anibal Paz]] and [[Walter Taibo]] in a two-nation club competition that tracked origins to 1913 and for many it was considered the precursor to the [[Copa Libertadores]]. In November 1947, River beat Nacional 4–3 with Di Stéfano scoring one goal in Montevideo, and four days later Di Stéfano celebrated his first international club trophy with a 3–1 victory in Buenos Aires.

In February 1948, champions River Plate participated in the inaugural [[South American Championship of Champions]] in Santiago facing the other South American champions, finishing second behind [[CR Vasco da Gama|Vasco da Gama]] with Di Stéfano scoring four goals in six games. During the Argentine championship of 1948, the Football Association suspended the tournament for a short time due to the protests of players led by [[Adolfo Pedernera]] and Alfredo Di Stéfano that resulted in a player's strike in a bid to gain professional status and rights. Despite that upheaval Di Stéfano scored 13 goals in 23 games and River Plate finished third. The strike lasted for eight months until 1949 and it eventually meant the departure of the best Argentine footballers to other leagues, in particular Colombia's, which was one of the most lucrative in the world at the time.

In one of his last games in Argentina, on 31 July 1949, Di Stéfano played in the role of goalkeeper, replacing the owner [[Amadeo Carrizo]] for a few minutes and keeping the clean sheet in a derby won against [[Boca Juniors]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.derbyderbyderby.it/ddd/il-derby-racconta/quando-il-river-vinse-il-super-derby-con-il-boca-con-un-portiere-deccezione-alfredo-di-stefano/|title=Quando il River vinse il super derby contro il Boca con un portiere…d'eccezione: Alfredo Di Stefano!|access-date=7 July 2022|archive-date=26 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126054853/https://www.derbyderbyderby.it/ddd/il-derby-racconta/quando-il-river-vinse-il-super-derby-con-il-boca-con-un-portiere-deccezione-alfredo-di-stefano/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Millonarios 1949–1953===
After the [[Superga air disaster]], in May 1949, a friendly match between [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]] and [[Grande Torino]] was played and Di Stéfano was promised to the Granata. However the Argentine forward was soon after contacted by [[Adolfo Pedernera]], who had already agreed to terms with the Colombian Bogota-based club [[Millonarios F.C.|Millonarios]] On 9 August 1949, after another one of his teammates, [[Néstor Rossi]] signed for the Colombian club without River Plate receiving any compensation for the transfer. Di Stéfano signed with the Colombians. Millonarios, who could not afford to pay the transfer fees anyhow, offered him a salary clearly higher than that at River Plate, and the Argentine forward started a new chapter in his career in Colombia, in period called [[El Dorado (Colombian football)|El Dorado]]. Many international stars like the Hungarians [[Béla Sárosi]], [[László Szőke]], the Argentines [[René Pontoni]], [[Héctor Rial]], Englishman [[Charlie Mitten]] from [[Manchester United]] for 5,000 pounds a year, [[Neil Franklin]] from [[Stoke City]], French-Hungarian [[Ferenc Nyers]], Italian [[Luigi Di Franco]], the Brazilian [[Heleno de Freitas]] and others had joined the league after Pedernera first signed.

The Colombian league had turned professional in 1948, beginning the [[El Dorado (Colombian football)|El Dorado period]] on 25 April 1949. Di Stéfano, Perdenera, and Nestor Rossi who joined Millonarios in the summer, formed part of the famous team called the [[Ballet Azul]] that won their first title ever beating [[Deportivo Cali]] in the [[1949 Campeonato Profesional|1949 final]], with Di Stéfano scoring 16 goals in 14 games. Di Stéfano scored 23 goals in 29 games the following [[1950 Campeonato Profesional|1950 season]], but Millonarios finished two points behind eventual champions [[Once Caldas|Deportes Caldas]]. Di Stéfano, who kept himself in excellent condition, excelled during his games and led Millonarios to a second title in [[1951 Campeonato Profesional|1951]], leaving runners-up [[Boca Juniors de Cali]] 11 points behind at the final table. Di Stéfano scored 32 goals in 34 games, more than any other player in the league. Millonarios would go on to lose the 1951 [[Copa Colombia]] (played in 1952) to [[Boca Juniors de Cali]].

The [[1952 Campeonato Profesional|1952 league]] had the same outcome: Milionarios overtook [[Boca Juniors de Cali]], won their third title, and Di Stéfano was once again top scorer with 19 goals. In October 1952, Di Stéfano also led Millonarios to the [[Copa Colombia]] final after beating Cúcuta Deportivo by 2–1. The final would be played in May 1953, after Di Stéfano had already gone to Argentina.

In October 1951, the [[División Mayor del Fútbol Profesional Colombiano]] agreed to the Pacto de Lima with FIFA, with the requirement that foreign players would return to their countries after October 1954. Di Stéfano scored a total of 267 goals in 292 games for Milionarios, and is considered one of the best footballers in the history of the Colombian League.

===The disputed transfer to Spain===
In March 1952, [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]] organized a friendly tournament in the Spanish capital at its newly constructed home ground; [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]] was invited to participate in Real Madrid's 50th-anniversary tournament. The tournament was called Bodas de Oro, but once Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu heard about the new powerhouse in South America, Real Madrid cancelled the invitation to River Plate and invited the Colombians as the South American representative. The Colombians participated in the tournament and won it, after drawing 2–2 with Swedish champions [[IFK Norrköping|Norrköping]] and overcoming Los Blancos, who were managed by Uruguayan legend [[Hector Scarone]], by a 4–2 margin with a brace from ''Saeta Rubia'' in the presence of President [[Santiago Bernabéu (footballer)|Santiago Bernabéu]], who arrived to the stadium to observe [[Adolfo Pedernera]]. Millonarios would start a global tour and, spearheaded by Di Stéfano, they would beat Hungary and world champions Uruguay.

Soon after Millonarios' return to Colombia, the [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] directors visited Buenos Aires and agreed with River Plate, the last FIFA-affiliated team to have held Di Stéfano's rights, for his transfer in 1954 for the equivalent of 150 million Italian lira (according to other sources 200,000 dollars). This started a battle between the two Spanish rivals for his rights. In Christmas 1952, Di Stéfano, still contracted with Millonarios, returned briefly to Buenos Aires, where he was even making plans to abandon football and start a business, as the Argentine league was still not professional.

FIFA appointed Armando Muñoz Calero, former president of the Spanish Football Federation as mediator. Calero decided to let Di Stéfano play the 1953–54 and 1955–56 seasons in Madrid, and the 1954–55 and 1955–56 seasons in Barcelona. The agreement was approved by the Football Association and their respective clubs. Although the Catalans agreed, the decision created various discontent among the Blaugrana members and the president was forced to resign in September 1953.

Barcelona sold Madrid their half-share, and Di Stéfano moved to the Blancos signing a four-year contract. Real paid 5.5 million Spanish pesetas for the transfer, plus a 1.3 million bonus for the purchase, an annual fee to be paid to the Millonarios, and a 16,000 salary for Di Stéfano with a bonus double that of his teammates, for a total of 40% of the annual revenue of the Madrid club. This fact contributed greatly to intensifying the rivalry with Barcelona.

===Real Madrid: The first European triumph===
[[File:Di stefano real madrid cf (cropped).png|thumb|180px|Di Stéfano scoring a goal for [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]] where he won 15 official titles]]

A 27-year-old Di Stéfano arrived at Real Madrid on 22 September 1953, after seven months of inactivity, and made his debut with the white jersey five days later, scoring his first goal for Real Madrid in a 4–2 home win against [[Racing de Santander|Racing Santander]]. On 25 October 1953, Di Stéfano played in his first [[El Clásico|Clásico]] against champions Barcelona, just a few hours after the Catalonian team had sold his share on the Argentinian, and Di Stéfano contributed two goals in a 5–0 win. In his first several months in Madrid, the Argentine champion did not adapt to European football, but imposed his own style, playing all around the field with speed and keeping the ball low on the ground. Highlights of his first season included two match-winning performances against city rivals [[Atlético Madrid]], with a hat-trick in a 5–0 away win in November 1953, and scoring the two goals in a 5–0 home comeback in February 1954. The Blancos managed to win the Spanish championship after two decades, with Di Stéfano contributing two hat-tricks in the last two home games of the season, including the decisive 4–0 win against [[Valencia CF|Valencia]] that secured the title victory. His late goalscoring run made Di Stéfano the top scorer of [[1953–54 La Liga]] with 27 goals in 28 appearances, beating Barcelona's [[László Kubala]] by three goals.

The following year, Real Madrid acquired Argentine [[Héctor Rial]] from the [[Club Nacional de Football|Nacional Montevideo]], a signing recommended by Di Stéfano, for the attack of the Merengues. Despite the surprise sacking of manager [[Enrique Fernández (footballer, born 1912)|Enrique Fernández]] halfway through the season, the club won another league title in [[1954–55 La Liga|1955]] with [[José Villalonga]], leaving Barcelona again in the second place of the table. Di Stéfano scored 25 goals, finishing behind only [[Juan Arza]] (28) among the scorers of the Spanish league. On 26 June 1955, ''Los Blancos'' won their first ever [[1955 Latin Cup|Latin Cup]], beating [[Raymond Kopa]] and [[Just Fontaine]]'s [[Stade de Reims|Reims]] in the Paris final 2–0.

The second consecutive Spanish title allowed Real Madrid to be the first Spanish representative in the inaugural [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]] in the [[1955–56 European Cup|1955–56 season]]. Di Stéfano made his European Cup debut against [[Servette]] in a 2–0 away win. In the league, he was again the top scorer with 24 goals, but despite that, [[Athletic Bilbao]] won the tournament ahead of Barça and Real. In the European Cup, the team had their way eliminating the Swiss and later [[Partizan Belgrade]], after a suffering a 3–0 defeat in Yugoslavia. With the guidance of Di Stéfano they had an easy 4–0 victory in Madrid in the first leg, in December 1956. Real Madrid flew to Belgrade and despite the snowstorm that had hit the city in the previous days, the president Bernabéu agreed for the match not to be postponed. Unlike the Spaniards, the Partizan players did not suffer on the terrain, taking the lead and dominating the game. A penalty was awarded to Real Madrid, but [[Héctor Rial]] slipped when kicking and missed it. In the final minutes with the Serbians up by 3–0, Di Stéfano helped in defending and Real qualified despite a clear defeat. The Blancos eliminated Milan in the semi-finals 6–4 on aggregate and entered the [[1956 European Cup Final|final]] in Paris against [[Raymond Kopa]] and [[Just Fontaine]]'s [[Stade de Reims|Reims]]. Real Madrid suffered in the first half, but Di Stéfano carried his teammates in a comeback to win the trophy 4–3. At the end of the year, on 18 December 1956, the first [[1956 Ballon d'Or|Ballon d'Or]] was awarded, and Di Stéfano missed on winning it by just three votes to [[Stanley Matthews]] of English club [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]].

===Naturalisation and the building of an empire===
During the summer of 1956, Real Madrid signed [[Raymond Kopa]] from the Stade de Reims. The French forward could not feature in the games due to the limit of foreigners in La Liga and had to wait for the Spanish naturalisation of Di Stèfano, who became a Spanish citizen in October 1956.

The season started early with the participation of Real Madrid in the [[1956 Small Club World Cup|Small World Cup]] in Caracas, Venezuela as European champions. The Spaniards faced [[Vasco da Gama]], [[AS Roma|Roma]] and Porto playing against players like [[1958 FIFA World Cup|World Cup]] winner [[Alcides Ghiggia]] and [[Vavá]]. Real won the trophy with three wins and Di Stéfano finished as top scorer of the tournament with four goals (same as Vavá).

[[File:Real Madrid jersey 1956.jpg|thumb|170px|Signed Real Madrid jersey worn by Alfredo Di Stéfano in the 1956 European Cup Final against Reims]]

As Real Madrid did not win the title in the previous season, president [[Santiago Bernabéu (footballer)|Santiago Bernabéu]], who also served as the vice-president of the competition, came up with the idea that the European Cup winner had the right to register for the next edition to defend the title even if they had failed to win the domestic league. Consequently, Real participated in the [[1956–57 European Cup|1956–57 season]], eliminating [[Rapid Vienna]], [[OGC Nice|Nice]], and [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] in the semi-finals before beating [[Fiorentina]] 2–0 in the [[1957 European Cup Final|final]], in Madrid. During the season, Real also asserted itself in the last edition of the [[1957 Latin Cup|Latin Cup]], overcoming [[S.L. Benfica|Benfica]] 1–0 in the final with a decisive goal by Di Stéfano. At the end of the year, he won the [[1957 Ballon d'Or]]. From the twenty-third day of the [[1956–57 La Liga]], Real Madrid started a series of consecutive victorious home results that ended only in 1966, at the twenty-fifth round of the Liga, after 121 matches. The Blancos attack was one of the best in history and boasted Di Stéfano, [[Héctor Rial]], [[Francisco Gento]] and Kopa. Real won the league title in 1957 and Di Stéfano was again the top scorer with 31 goals.

In the following season, Real Madrid was further strengthened with the arrival of Uruguayan [[José Santamaría]] in defense. Di Stéfano scored 19 goals and won the top scorer award, obtaining the [[1957–58 La Liga|1957–58]] league title at the expense of [[Atlético Madrid]]. In the quarter-finals of the [[1957–58 European Cup|European Cup]], Real Madrid faced [[Sevilla FC|Sevilla]], humiliating their opponents in the first leg in Madrid with an 8–0 victory, where Di Stéfano scored four goals. In the return leg in Seville, Di Stéfano was greeted by the insulting choruses of opposing fans and Real were held to a 2–2 draw. In the semi-finals, Di Stèfano contributed to the success against the Hungarian Vasas and the team reached the [[1958 European Cup Final|final]] against [[Juan Alberto Schiaffino]]'s Milan. Real Madrid won the final with a 3–2 comeback victory, and the Argentine finished the tournament as the top scorer with 10 goals.

The season finished with the loss of the [[1958 Copa del Generalísimo|1958 Generalísimo Cup]] in the [[1958 Copa del Generalísimo Final|final]] to [[Athletic Bilbao]], 0–2. As a result, [[Ferenc Puskás]] signed with Real Madrid in the summer of 1958 to strengthen the squad and Real Madrid would be blessed with one of the most lethal attacking pairs in the history of football. Nevertheless, Real ended up second in the [[1958–59 La Liga|1958–59 season]] behind Barça, with Di Stéfano finishing as the best scorer in the league for the fifth and last time, and the fourth in a row, with 23 goals.

After overcoming rivals Atlético Madrid in three games in the semi-finals, Real Madrid won its fourth consecutive [[1958–59 European Cup|European Cup]] by defeating [[Stade de Reims|Reims]] (as three years ago) by a score of 2–0. During the [[1959 European Cup Final|final]], [[Enrique Mateos]], substituting for Puskás (the Hungarian feared retaliation and decided not to depart with the tam for the final in Stuttgart), took a penalty instead of Di Stéfano and missed it. At the beginning of the second half, Di Stéfano scored the second goal to seal the victory.

On 16 July 1959, Real Madrid hosted a match against [[Pelé]] and his Brazilian club, [[Santos FC|Santos]], during their European tour. It was one of the most anticipated games of the tour, given the reputation that Pelé had started building. Di Stéfano's team would beat the Brazilians 5–3. In December, France Football awarded Di Stéfano the [[1959 Ballon d'Or]], which he won ahead of teammate [[Raymond Kopa]] (who had already returned to Stade de Reims in the summer of 1959) and [[Juventus F.C.|Juventus]]'s Welsh star [[John Charles]]. Puskás and Gento both finished in the top ten.

During the [[1959–60 La Liga|1959–60 season]], the Madrilenos signed the Brazilian midfielder [[Didi (footballer, born 1928)|Didi]] who was a 1958 World Cup winner, the tournament best player and former teammate of [[Garrincha]] and [[Pelé]]. Given that the Brazilian's style of play was similar to Di Stéfano's, Didi often clashed with the Argentine and there were rumours that he asked for his release from the club's management in the summer of 1960.<ref> [https://elpais.com/deportes/2017/01/08/actualidad/1483909531_322622.html Pepillo: Sevilla, Real Madrid, River y...] El País, 8 januari 2017. [https://web.archive.org/web/20200927161128/https://elpais.com/deportes/2017/01/08/actualidad/1483909531_322622.html Gearchiveerd] op 27 september 2020.</ref> But with Didi in the squad, the Blancos won their fifth consecutive [[1959–60 European Cup|European Cup]]. After eliminating Barcelona in the semi-finals, Real Madrid played in the [[1960 European Cup Final|final]] at the [[Hampden Park]] in Glasgow in front of 135,000 spectators against [[Eintracht Frankfurt]]. Di Stéfano and Puskás scored three and four goals, respectively, in a game considered to be among the finest in the history of football. Di Stéfano scored eight goals in the tournament, finishing second in the scorers' chart won by Puskás. In the [[1959–60 La Liga|1959–60]] league season, Real finished equal with Barcelona on points, but the Catalonians were the ones to be awarded the title on a goal average tie-breaker. Di Stéfano did not win the Pichichi award as Puskás was the league top scorer with 25 goals. Real Madrid lost the [[1960 Copa del Generalísimo Final|Generalísimo Cup final]] to Atlético Madrid 3–1 at home on 26 June 1960.

===European decline and the first domestic double===
The new season started with the inaugural [[1960 Intercontinental Cup|Intercontinental Cup]] and the 0–0 draw in the first leg of the final against [[Peñarol]] in Montevideo on 4 July. In the return leg, however, Real beat the Uruguayans 5–1 with Di Stéfano scoring one goal on 4 September 1960. On 13 December 1960, Di Stéfano came fourth in the [[1960 Ballon d'Or|Ballon d'Or]] voting, and for the first time in history, Real Madrid were knocked out of the [[1960–61 European Cup|European Cup]], losing 3–4 on aggregate against Barcelona after a controversial second leg. Madrid, however, regrouped and easily won [[1960–61 La Liga|La Liga]] by a great margin over runners-up Atlético Madrid, but lost the [[1961 Copa del Generalísimo|final]] of the [[1960–61 Copa del Generalísimo|Generalísimo Cup]] again to Rojiblancos, 2–3. Di Stéfano finished the season with 21 goals, being the second-highest scorer in the league behind Puskás who netted 28 goals.

[[File:Distefano kubala puskas homenaje.jpg|thumb|150px|Di Stéfano, Ladislao Kubala and Ferenc Puskás in the friendly match that Barcelona organised in honor of Kubala at the Camp Nou, 30 August 1961]]
In the [[1961–62 Real Madrid CF season|1961–62 season]], Di Stéfano won the [[Double (association football)#Spain|domestic double]] for the first time, clinching the [[1961–62 Copa del Generalísimo|Generalísimo Cup]] 15 years since the last time Real Madrid had won the trophy, after beating Sevilla 2–1 in the [[1962 Copa del Generalísimo Final|final]] with two goals from Puskás to overturn the initial red and white advantage. Di Stéfano finished 6th in the [[1961 Ballon d'Or|Ballon d'Or]] voting in December. In the 1961–62 European Cup, Real reached the [[1962 European Cup Final|final]] for the sixth time in seven seasons, after eliminating Juventus and [[Standard Liège]]. In the showpiece, Madrid played against defending champions Benfica and though the Spaniards took the lead twice, in the second half of the game the Lusitanians cruised to successfully retaining their title with a thrilling 5–3 victory, courtesy of [[Eusébio]]. Real Madrid lost its first European Cup final, and for the first time Di Stéfano failed to score (the three goals were scored by Puskás). Nevertheless, Di Stéfano was among the best scorers of the competition for the second time in his career, with seven goals.

In the autumn of 1962, the Blancos were eliminated in the [[1962–63 European Cup]] preliminary round by [[Anderlecht]]. However, with Di Stéfano at the age of 37, Real won the [[1962–63 La Liga|1962–63]] league title over Atlético Madrid, with Puskás finishing as the top scorer once again.

The [[1963–64 Real Madrid CF season|1963–64 season]] was the last for Di Stéfano at Real Madrid. At the beginning of the season, the team had an exhibition tour in Venezuela as they participated in the [[1963 Small Club World Cup|Small Club World Cup]] against São Paulo and Porto. Di Stéfano played on the first match on 20 August, but on 24 August the Argentine champion was kidnapped by the [[Armed Forces of National Liberation (Venezuela)|National Liberation Armed Forces of Venezuela]] in the Potomac hotel in [[Caracas]], and was released by them three days later, unharmed.<ref name="ESPN:Kidnap of Stefano">{{cite news|title=The kidnap of Di Stefano|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/107534.html|access-date=8 July 2014|publisher=ESPN.co.uk|date=25 August 2011|archive-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714130913/http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/107534.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The incident cost the Los Blancos the trophy as without Di Stéfano they could not overcome São Paulo in the final game.<ref name="NY Times obit">{{cite news|title=Alfredo Di Stéfano, Soccer Great, Dies at 88|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/08/sports/soccer/alfredo-di-stefano-88-soccer-great-dies.html|publisher=NY Times|access-date=8 July 2014|date=7 July 2014|archive-date=4 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304060409/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/08/sports/soccer/alfredo-di-stefano-88-soccer-great-dies.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="ESPN:Kidnap of Stefano" /> The season, however, went on to be quite successful, with the Blancos clinching their fourth consecutive [[1963–64 La Liga|league title]] and returning to the [[1964 European Cup Final|European Cup final]], having defeated AC Milan in the quarter-finals 4–3 on aggregate along the way. In the final, Madrid faced [[Helenio Herrera]]'s [[Inter Milan]]. Hours before the final, Di Stéfano explicitly criticized the tactics designed by Real Madrid head coach [[Miguel Muñoz]] against Italian defender [[Giacinto Facchetti]]. The relationship between Muñoz, who had the support of President Bernabéu, and the Argentine player was already frayed. Inter won the final 3–1.

===Real Madrid career in numbers===
Di Stéfano played for Real Madrid for eleven years, winning eight Spanish championships, one Spanish Cup, two Latin Cups, five consecutive Champions Cups (scoring in all the finals he won), one Intercontinental Cup, several individual titles, including league top scorer five times. He scored 418 goals in 510 games, of which 308 goals in 396 official matches (49 goals in 59 matches in the Champions Cup), becoming the best scorer in the history of the club, until that record was surpassed several decades later first by [[Raúl (footballer)|Raúl]] and then by [[Cristiano Ronaldo]] (the current record goalscorer) and [[Karim Benzema]].

===Espanyol===
After the Champions Cup final loss in 1964 against Inter Milan, president Santiago Bernabéu offered Di Stéfano a place on the Real Madrid coaching staff instead of renewing the player's contract. Di Stéfano refused Bernabéu's proposal and he moved instead to Espanyol.

The Argentine veteran scored nine goals in all competitions in his first season with Espanyol, putting an end to a streak of 15 consecutive seasons in which he scored in double figures (18 total). After 14 goals in 60 matches with Espanyol, he retired as a player at 40 in 1966, helping his team avoid relegation in both seasons. Despite what was previously stated, Bernabéu decided to give Di Stéfano a farewell match against Celtic in Madrid, to honour him for his services.<ref> [http://www.cihefe.es/cuadernosdefutbol/2014/10/el-fichaje-de-di-stefano-por-el-espanyol-50-anos-despues/ El fichaje de Di Stéfano por el Espanyol 50 años después] Cihefe, 4 september 2014. [https://web.archive.org/web/20210811191640/https://www.cihefe.es/cuadernosdefutbol/2014/10/el-fichaje-de-di-stefano-por-el-espanyol-50-anos-despues/ Gearchiveerd] op 11 augustus 2021.</ref><ref> [https://elpais.com/deportes/2017/10/01/actualidad/1506866053_823614.html Los dos años de Di Stéfano en el Espanyol] El País, 1 oktober 2017. [https://web.archive.org/web/20200305064447/https://elpais.com/deportes/2017/10/01/actualidad/1506866053_823614.html Gearchiveerd] op 5 maart 2020.</ref>

==International career==
Di Stéfano played with three different national teams during his career,<ref name="Guardian obit">{{cite news|title=Alfredo di Stéfano was one of football's greatest trailblazers|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jul/07/alfredo-di-stefano-real-madrid|access-date=8 July 2014|work=The Guardian|date=7 July 2014|archive-date=25 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725025210/https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jul/07/alfredo-di-stefano-real-madrid|url-status=live}}</ref> scoring six goals in six appearances for [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]], and 23 in 31 appearances for [[Spain men's national football team|Spain]]. However, he never played in the [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]].<ref name="Guardian obit"/> Di Stéfano also played four times for Colombia, during the Dimayor period of Colombian football. The team at the time was not recognised by FIFA as the league had broken transfer rules in signing players while still under contract.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.worldsoccer.com/columnists/keir-radnedge/alfredo-di-stefano-remembered |editor=Revista World Soccer |title=Alfredo Di Stefano remembered |access-date=24 September 2014 |archive-date=10 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140710011948/http://www.worldsoccer.com/columnists/keir-radnedge/alfredo-di-stefano-remembered |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.myfootballfacts.com/Alfredo_Di_Stefano.html |editor=Portal digital MyFootballFacts |title=Legendary Football Players: Alfredo Di Stefano |access-date=24 September 2014 |archive-date=24 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724202242/http://www.myfootballfacts.com/Alfredo_Di_Stefano.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jul/07/alfredo-di-stefano |editor=Diario The Guardian |title=Alfredo Di Stéfano obituary |website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |date=7 July 2014 |access-date=24 September 2014 |archive-date=12 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112033159/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jul/07/alfredo-di-stefano |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Argentina===
[[File:Mcu Alfredo Di Stefano.jpg|thumb|150px|Di Stéfano won the South American Championship with Argentina in 1947]]
Di Stéfano made his international debut on 4 December 1947, in a match against Bolivia at the [[Estadio George Capwell]] in Ecuador, during the [[1947 South American Championship]]. He scored his first international goal in that same match, helping Argentina to a 7–0 win. Di Stéfano scored five more goals during the championship – including his first hat-trick against [[Colombia national football team|Colombia]] – as Argentina successfully defended the title they had won [[1946 South American Championship|the previous year]] on home soil.<ref>{{cite web|title=Southamerican Championship 1947|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tables/47safull.html|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=8 July 2014|archive-date=10 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010232843/http://www.rsssf.com/tables/47safull.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Di Stéfano's six games during that tournament would prove to be his only appearances for Argentina. Player strikes, and a dispute with the [[Brazilian Football Confederation]], forced Argentina to withdraw from qualifying for the [[1950 FIFA World Cup]] in Brazil, as well as the [[1949 South American Championship|1949]] and [[1953 South American Championship|1953]] South American Championships. By the time [[1954 FIFA World Cup qualification|qualifying]] began for the [[1954 FIFA World Cup]], [[FIFA]] had banned Di Stéfano from making any further appearances for Argentina, on account of his appearances for the Colombia XI two years earlier – though Argentina once again pulled out of qualifying.

==== 1949 Colombia XI ====
After moving to Bogota in 1949, during a break in the Colombian League in 1951, friendly matches were organised under the name of combined XI of the Colombian league. Di Stéfano – without ever holding a Colombian passport – made four appearances for the Colombian XI team, which did not appear in the official records of FIFA.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alfredo Di Stefano remembered|url=http://www.worldsoccer.com:80/columnists/keir-radnedge/alfredo-di-stefano-remembered|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140710011948/http://www.worldsoccer.com/columnists/keir-radnedge/alfredo-di-stefano-remembered|website=worldsoccer.com|access-date=6 January 2021|archive-date=10 July 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Spain===
[[File:Alfredo Di Stéfano 1962.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Di Stéfano with the Spain national team in 1962]]
Di Stéfano was widely loved in Spain, and having been banned from playing for Argentina, it made sense for Di Stéfano to play for Spain. FIFA initially refused to sanction this, but after Di Stéfano acquired Spanish citizenship in 1956, and amid pressure from the Spanish FA, the decision was eventually reversed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Alfredo Di Stefano: Real Madrid legend dies at the age of 88 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/28197863 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC |date=7 July 2014 |access-date=13 January 2020 |archive-date=7 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210607061610/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/28197863 |url-status=live }}</ref> Di Stéfano consequently made his debut for Spain on 30 January 1957 in a friendly against the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] in Madrid, scoring a hat-trick in a 5–1 win<ref name=eufoot/> to become one of a number of [[List of Spain international footballers born outside Spain|players born outside Spain]] to have appeared for their national team.

[[File:Alfredo_Di_Stéfano_1968_Sharjah_stamp.jpg|thumb|Di Stéfano for Spain on a stamp from [[Sharjah]]]]
The Spanish team, with a forward line also boasting Barcelona and Real Madrid stars [[Laszlo Kubala]], [[Luis Suárez (footballer, born 1935)|Luis Suárez]] and [[Francisco Gento]], were favourites to qualify for the [[1958 FIFA World Cup]] in Sweden, having been drawn into a [[1958 FIFA World Cup qualification|qualification group]] with Scotland and minnows Switzerland. However, Spain began their campaign with a 2–2 draw against the Swiss and then lost to Scotland at [[Hampden Park]] 4–2. Spain won both of the reverse fixtures 4–1, but the damage had already been done: Scotland beat Switzerland in their final match and qualified at Spain's expense. Di Stéfano, who had played in all four games and scored two goals, missed out yet again.

In 1961, at the age of 35, Di Stéfano finally qualified for a World Cup, helping Spain qualify for the [[1962 FIFA World Cup|1962 edition]] in Chile. A muscular injury just before the competition prevented him from playing in the finals, but Di Stéfano travelled with the squad anyway, picking the number 6 jersey as his preferred number 9 was taken by Gento.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbc.ca/sports/worldcup2006/history/events/1962.html |title=1962 World Cup report by CBC/Radio Canada web site |publisher=Cbc.ca |access-date=23 June 2012 |archive-date=18 June 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060618100013/http://www.cbc.ca/sports/worldcup2006/history/events/1962.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Spain boasted the likes of [[José Santamaría]] and [[Ferenc Puskás]] – both also naturalised citizens, and who had, coincidentally, represented their respective home countries in the [[1954 FIFA World Cup|1954 tournament]] – but with Di Stéfano sidelined, they failed to make it out of the group stage, losing to [[Didi (footballer, born 1928)|Didi]]'s Brazil in their final game and finishing at the bottom of their group. Di Stéfano retired from international football after the tournament.

==Managerial career==
{{multiple image
|total_width = 400
|image1 = Distefano dtboca 1969.jpg
|image2 = Delossantos vieta distefano.jpg
|footer = Two moments of Di Stéfano as manager of Boca Juniors and River Plate in 1969 and 1981 respectively; (left): giving a speech to players; (right): congratulating his players in a ''Torneo de Verano'' match
}}
After retirement, Di Stéfano moved into coaching. He guided Argentine club [[Boca Juniors]] to win two titles, the [[1969 Argentine Primera División|1969 Nacional]]<ref name=BBC>{{cite news|title=Alfredo Di Stefano: Real Madrid legend dies at the age of 88|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28197863|publisher=BBC|access-date=8 July 2014|date=7 July 2014|archive-date=8 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708000544/http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28197863|url-status=live}}</ref> when the team won the [[Nacional championship]].<ref>[https://www.clarin.com/deportes/50-anos-vuelta-olimpica-boca-monumental-futbol-espectaculo-alfredo-di-stefano-dt_0_g5fCiiAo.html A 50 años de la vuelta olímpica de Boca en el Monumental] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312115509/https://www.clarin.com/deportes/50-anos-vuelta-olimpica-boca-monumental-futbol-espectaculo-alfredo-di-stefano-dt_0_g5fCiiAo.html |date=12 March 2023 }} at Clarín</ref> and the [[1969 Copa Argentina]].<ref>[https://tn.com.ar/deportes/2021/12/07/copa-argentina-el-ano-en-el-que-salio-campeon-el-boca-de-di-stefano/ Copa Argentina: el año en el que salió campeón el Boca de Di Stéfano] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312121012/https://tn.com.ar/deportes/2021/12/07/copa-argentina-el-ano-en-el-que-salio-campeon-el-boca-de-di-stefano/ |date=12 March 2023 }} at TN, 7 Dec 2021</ref>

After his successful run in Argentina, Di Stéfano returned to Spain winning [[La Liga]] and the [[European Cup Winners' Cup]] with [[Valencia CF|Valencia]].<ref>[https://www.mundodeportivo.com/20140707/futbol/di-stefano-vivio-su-etapa-de-mas-exitos-como-entrenador-en-el-valencia_54411662705.html Di Stéfano vivió su etapa de más éxitos como entrenador en el Valencia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140712030058/http://www.mundodeportivo.com/20140707/futbol/di-stefano-vivio-su-etapa-de-mas-exitos-como-entrenador-en-el-valencia_54411662705.html |date=12 July 2014 }} by Alfonso Gil at Mundodeportivo.com</ref> He also managed [[Sporting Clube de Portugal|Sporting]] in the 1974–75 season.

In 1981 Di Stefano was hired as coach of River Plate, the club where he had debuted as player. With [[Mario Kempes]] as the star player of the team, Di Stéfano led River Plate to win the [[1981 Argentine Primera División|1981 Nacional]] championship.<ref>[https://www.elgrafico.com.ar/articulo/1057/17789/a-35-anios-del-titulo-que-consiguio-alfredo-di-stefano-como-tecnico-de-river A 35 AÑOS DEL TÍTULO QUE CONSIGUIÓ ALFREDO DI STÉFANO COMO TÉCNICO DE RIVER] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312120120/https://www.elgrafico.com.ar/articulo/1057/17789/a-35-anios-del-titulo-que-consiguio-alfredo-di-stefano-como-tecnico-de-river |date=12 March 2023 }}, ''El Gráfico'', 20 Dec 2016</ref>

Di Stéfano was also coach of Real Madrid between 1982 and 1984. In the [[1982–83 Real Madrid CF season|1982–83 season]], they finished second in [[1982–83 La Liga|La Liga]] and were defeated in the finals of the [[1982 Supercopa de Espana|Supercopa de España]], [[1983 Copa de la Liga|Copa de la Liga]], and [[1982–83 Copa del Rey|Copa del Rey]].<ref name=BBC /> Madrid also reached the [[1983 European Cup Winners' Cup Final|European Cup Winners' Cup final]] that season, but were also beaten by [[Aberdeen F.C.|Aberdeen]], managed by [[Alex Ferguson]]. The team also finished second in the La Liga of [[1983–84 La Liga|next season]] again.<ref name=BBC /> He also returned to Valencia in 1986 to guide them back to La Liga by winning the [[Segunda Division]] after their relegation the season prior before his arrival.

==After retirement==
[[File:Di Stefano El Grafico 1988.jpg|thumb|170px|Di Stefano in 1988.]]
Di Stéfano resided in Spain until his death in 2014. On 5 November 2000, he was named Honorary President of Real Madrid.<ref name=BBC />

On 24 December 2005, 79-year-old Di Stéfano suffered a heart attack.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/4557800.stm Di Stefano in serious condition] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060223074154/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4557800.stm |date=23 February 2006 }}, BBC News, 25 December 2005.</ref>

On 9 May 2006, the [[Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium]] was inaugurated at the ''[[Ciudad Real Madrid|City of Real Madrid]]'', where Real Madrid usually train. Its inaugural match was a friendly between Real Madrid and [[Stade de Reims|Reims]], a rematch of the [[1956 European Cup Final|European Cup final]] won by Real Madrid in 1956. Real Madrid won 6–1 with goals from [[Sergio Ramos]], [[Antonio Cassano]] (2), [[Roberto Soldado]] (2) and [[José Manuel Jurado]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Alfredo di Stefano Stadium|url=http://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/club/ciudad-real-madrid/alfredo-di-stefano-stadium|website=Realmadrid.com|access-date=8 July 2014|archive-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714141104/http://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/club/ciudad-real-madrid/alfredo-di-stefano-stadium|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Style of play==
Regarded as a very strong player, Di Stéfano was a powerful, quick, skillful, and prolific goalscorer, with great stamina, tactical versatility, creativity, and vision, who could play almost anywhere on the [[Association football pitch|pitch]]. He is arguably one of the greatest dribblers ever to set foot on a pitch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.storiedicalcio.altervista.org/di_stefano.html|title=Alfredo Di Stefano|publisher=Storie di Calcio|language=it|access-date=23 September 2015|archive-date=8 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508083251/http://www.storiedicalcio.altervista.org/di_stefano.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ifhof.com/hof/alfredodistefano.asp|title=Alfred Di Stefano|publisher=International Football Hall of Fame|access-date=23 September 2015|archive-date=22 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422165517/http://www.ifhof.com/hof/alfredodistefano.asp|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panorama.it/sport/calcio/morto-alfredo-di-stefano-real-madrid-88-anni/|title=Addio a Di Stefano, leggenda del Real e del calcio mondiale|trans-title=Farewell to Di Stefano, a legend of Real Madrid and World Football|publisher=Panorama|language=it|author1=Paolo Corlo|date=7 July 2014|access-date=23 September 2015|archive-date=30 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730140811/https://www.panorama.it/sport/calcio/morto-alfredo-di-stefano-real-madrid-88-anni/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.repubblica.it/2009/02/sport/calcio/calciomercato/calcio-estero/pele-attacca-maradona/pele-attacca-maradona.html|title=Maradona? Di testa segnava solo di mano...|trans-title=Maradona? With his head he only scored with his hand...|publisher=La Repubblica|language=it|date=17 September 2009|access-date=23 September 2015|archive-date=26 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726231654/https://www.repubblica.it/2009/02/sport/calcio/calciomercato/calcio-estero/pele-attacca-maradona/pele-attacca-maradona.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He was highly proficient in using feints to get past defenders and create chances, and volleys as well as bicycle kicks to score dynamic goals.

==Death==
[[File:Distafanomillonarios.JPG|thumb|150px|Di Stéfano's memorabilia (River Plate and Millonarios shirts clearly visible) at the Real Madrid museum]]
Following another heart attack on 5 July 2014, the 88-year-old Di Stéfano was moved to intensive care in the [[Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón|Gregorio Marañón hospital]] in Madrid,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jul/05/alfredo-di-stefano-heart-attack-real-madrid |title=Alfredo Di Stéfano in critical condition after heart attack in Madrid |date=5 July 2014 |access-date=7 July 2014 |work=The Guardian |archive-date=25 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725032216/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jul/05/alfredo-di-stefano-heart-attack-real-madrid |url-status=live }}</ref> where he died on 7 July 2014.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jul/07/alfredo-di-stefano-dies-real-madrid |title=Alfredo Di Stéfano dies at the age of 88 |date=7 July 2014 |access-date=7 July 2014 |work=The Guardian |archive-date=12 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112011818/http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jul/07/alfredo-di-stefano-dies-real-madrid |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Rice |first=Simon |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/alfredo-di-stefano-dead-legendary-argentinian-player-and-honorary-real-madrid-president-passes-away-aged-88-9590151.html?dkdk |title=Alfredo Di Stefano dead: Legendary Argentinian player and honorary Real Madrid President passes away aged 88 |date=7 July 2014 |access-date=7 July 2014 |work=The Independent |archive-date=9 July 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140709052947/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/alfredo-di-stefano-dead-legendary-argentinian-player-and-honorary-real-madrid-president-passes-away-aged-88-9590151.html?dkdk |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.abplive.in/sports/sports_others/2014/07/07/article358169.ece/Real-Madrid-legend-Di-Stefano-dies-aged-88 |publisher=ABP Live |title=Real Madrid legend Di Stefano dies aged 88 |access-date=7 June 2014 |archive-date=27 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170627095517/http://www.abplive.in/sports/sports_others/2014/07/07/article358169.ece/Real-Madrid-legend-Di-Stefano-dies-aged-88 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 8 July, Di Stéfano's coffin was placed on public display at the [[Santiago Bernabéu Stadium|Bernabéu Stadium]]. Real Madrid president [[Florentino Pérez]] and captain [[Iker Casillas]] were amongst those in attendance.<ref>{{cite news|title=Alfredo Di Stefano mourners gather to pay tribute at Bernabeu|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28212301|access-date=8 July 2014|publisher=BBC Sport|date=8 July 2014|archive-date=12 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140712135116/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28212301|url-status=live}}</ref> Following his death Di Stéfano received tributes from many famous football personalities including [[Alex Ferguson]], [[Pelé]], [[Cristiano Ronaldo]], [[Diego Maradona]], and [[Bobby Charlton]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Tributes pour in for the late Alfredo di Stefano |url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/tributes-pour-in-for-the-late-alfredo-di-stefano-30412421.html |access-date=25 August 2020 |work=Irish Independent |date=7 July 2014 |archive-date=13 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613234756/https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/tributes-pour-in-for-the-late-alfredo-di-stefano-30412421.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 

[[File:La ciudad de Madrid homenajea a Alfredo Di Stéfano con una calle en Valdebebas (04).jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Calle de Alfredo Di Stéfano'', dedicated in 2017]]
During the [[2014 FIFA World Cup]] semi-final between Argentina and the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] on 9 July, Di Stéfano was honoured with one minute of silence, while the Argentine team also wore black ribbons in a matter of respect.<ref>{{cite news|title=A minute's silence was held before the Holland-Argentina game for the passing of Di Stéfano|url=https://www.realmadrid.com/en/news/2014/07/a-minutes-silence-was-held-before-the-holland-argentina-game-for-the-passing-of-di-stefano|access-date=11 July 2014|work=[[Real Madrid]]|date=9 July 2014|archive-date=26 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126181101/https://www.realmadrid.com/en/news/2014/07/a-minutes-silence-was-held-before-the-holland-argentina-game-for-the-passing-of-di-stefano|url-status=live}}</ref>

River Plate and Millonarios organized a friendly match in homage of their former player. The match was played on 16 July 2014, at Millonarios' [[Estadio El Campín]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.telam.com.ar/notas/201407/71201-river-millonarios-colombia-homenaje-di-stefano.html|title= River enfrentará a Millonarios de Colombia, en un partido homenaje a Di Stéfano|trans-title= River will play against Millonarios from Colombia, in an homage match for Di Stéfano|language= es|date= 16 July 2014|publisher= Telam|access-date= 15 July 2014|archive-date= 1 March 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210301230635/https://www.telam.com.ar/notas/201407/71201-river-millonarios-colombia-homenaje-di-stefano.html|url-status= live}}</ref>

In September 2017, a street near Real Madrid's training complex was named after Di Stéfano for the 64th anniversary of his debut.<ref>{{cite news |title=Alfredo Di Stéfano Street is unveiled in Valdefuentes |url=https://en.as.com/en/2017/09/23/soccer/1506193418_564369.html |access-date=14 March 2022 |work=Diario AS |agency=EFE |date=23 September 2017 |archive-date=30 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130070306/https://en.as.com/en/2017/09/23/soccer/1506193418_564369.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Personal life==
Di Stéfano married Sara Freites in 1950; they had six children. Sara died in 2005.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Couzens |first1=Gerard |title=Soccer great, 86, to wed secretary, aged 36 |url=https://www.independent.ie/woman/celeb-news/soccer-great-86-to-wed-secretary-aged-36-29243215.html |access-date=14 March 2022 |work=The Irish Independent |date=5 May 2013 |archive-date=14 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220314212642/https://www.independent.ie/woman/celeb-news/soccer-great-86-to-wed-secretary-aged-36-29243215.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2013, Di Stéfano's children won custody of him and his assets in order to prevent his planned wedding to Gina González, his Costa Rican secretary who was 50 years younger than him.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Galaz |first1=Mábel |title=Di Stéfano's children win custody over their soccer legend father |url=https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2013/10/01/inenglish/1380641217_292021.html |access-date=14 March 2022 |work=El País |date=1 October 2013 |archive-date=20 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120042439/https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2013/10/01/inenglish/1380641217_292021.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1965, Di Stefano was made the godfather of [[Quique Sánchez Flores]], the son of Di Stefano's then Real Madrid teammate [[Isidro Sánchez (footballer, born 1936)|Isidro Sánchez]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archivo.lavozdeasturias.es/html/218021.html|title=Quique Sánchez Flores: El alumno aventajado de la ´Saeta rubia´|trans-title=Quique Sánchez Flores: Brilliant pupil of the 'Blonde Saeta'|newspaper=[[La Voz de Asturias]]|first=Elías|last=Israel|language=Spanish|date=8 August 2005|accessdate=31 July 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130213164203/http://archivo.lavozdeasturias.es/html/218021.html|archivedate=13 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/aug/13/watford-quique-flores-di-stefano|title=Watford's Quique Flores flourishing with a little inspiration from Di Stéfano|newspaper=The Guardian|last=Lawrence|first=Amy|date=13 August 2015|access-date=29 August 2015|archive-date=23 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150823101723/http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/aug/13/watford-quique-flores-di-stefano|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Career statistics==
===Club===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
|-
!rowspan="2" width="150"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
! colspan="3" |League
!colspan="2"|Cup
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!
!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|[[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]
|[[1945 Argentine Primera División|1945]]
|[[Argentine Primera División]]
|1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0
|- 
|[[Club Atlético Huracán|Huracán]] (loan)
|[[1946 Argentine Primera División|1946]]
|Argentine Primera División
|25||10||2||0||0||0||27||10
|- 
|rowspan="4"|[[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]
|[[1947 Argentine Primera División|1947]]
|Argentine Primera División
|30||27||0||0||2||1||32||28
|-
|[[1948 Argentine Primera División|1948]]
|Argentine Primera División
|23||13||1||1||6||4||30||18
|-
|[[1949 Argentine Primera División|1949]]
|Argentine Primera División
|12||9||0||0||0||0||12||9
|- 
! colspan="2" |Total
!66!!49!!1!!1!!8!!5!!75!!55
|-
|rowspan="5"|[[Millonarios Fútbol Club|Millonarios]]
|[[1949 Campeonato Profesional|1949]]
|[[Campeonato Profesional]]
|15||15||0||0||0||0||14||14
|-
|[[1950 Campeonato Profesional|1950]]
|Campeonato Profesional
|29||23||2||1||0||0||31||24
|-
|[[1951 Campeonato Profesional|1951]]
|Campeonato Profesional
|34||31||0||0||0||0||34||31
|-
|[[1952 Campeonato Profesional|1952]]
|Campeonato Profesional
|24||19||8||5||0||0||32||24
|- 
! colspan="2" |Total
!102!!88!!10!!6!!0!!0!!111!!93
|-
|rowspan="12"|[[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]]
|[[1953–54 Real Madrid CF season|1953–54]]
|[[La Liga]]
|28||27||0||0||0||0||28||27
|-
|[[1954–55 Real Madrid CF season|1954–55]]
|La Liga
|30||25||0||0||2||0||32||25
|-
|[[1955–56 Real Madrid CF season|1955–56]]
|La Liga
|30||24||0||0||7||5||37||29
|-
|[[1956–57 Real Madrid CF season|1956–57]]
|La Liga
|30||31||3||3||10||9||43||43
|-
|[[1957–58 Real Madrid CF season|1957–58]]
|La Liga
|30||19||7||7||7||10||44||36
|-
|[[1958–59 Real Madrid CF season|1958–59]]
|La Liga
|28||23||8||5||7||6||43||34
|-
|[[1959–60 Real Madrid CF season|1959–60]]
|La Liga
|23||12||5||3||6||8||34||23
|-
|[[1960–61 Real Madrid CF season|1960–61]]
|La Liga
|23||21||9||8||4||1||36||30
|-
|[[1961–62 Real Madrid CF season|1961–62]]
|La Liga
|23||11||8||4||10||7||41||22
|-
|[[1962–63 Real Madrid CF season|1962–63]]
|La Liga
|13||12||9||9||2||1||24||22
|-
|[[1963–64 Real Madrid CF season|1963–64]]
|La Liga
|24||11||1||1||9||5||34||17
|- 
! colspan="2" |Total
!282!!216!!50!!40!!64!!52!!396!!308
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[RCD Espanyol|Espanyol]]
|[[1964–65 La Liga|1964–65]]
|La Liga
|24||7||3||2||0||0||27||9
|-
|[[1965–66 La Liga|1965–66]]
|La Liga
|23||4||4||1||6||0||33||5
|- 
! colspan="2" |Total
!47!!11!!7!!3!!6!!0!!60!!14
|- style="background:beige"
! colspan="3" |Career totals
!521!!373!!70!!50!!78!!57!!669!!480
|}

===International===
{{See also|List of international goals scored by Alfredo Di Stéfano}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref name="eufoot">{{cite web|title=Di Stéfano|url=http://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=4695|website=European Football|access-date=7 July 2014|archive-date=16 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516003509/https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=4695|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/distefano-intl.html |title=Alfredo Di Stéfano Laulhé – International Matches |last=Pla Diaz |first=Emilio |publisher=[[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation]] |date=10 July 2014 |access-date=19 August 2020 |archive-date=2 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002130003/https://rsssf.org/miscellaneous/distefano-intl.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Argentina national football team|Argentina]]
|1947||6||6
|-
!Total!!6!!6
|-
| rowspan="6" |[[Spain men's national football team|Spain]]
|1957||7||7
|-
|1958||4||1
|-
|1959||5||6
|-
|1960||8||6
|-
|1961||7||3
|-
!Total!!31!!23
|-
! colspan="2" |Career total
!37
!29
|}

==Honours==

===Player===
[[File:Alfredo di Stefano - panoramio.jpg|thumb|170px|Di Stéfano's [[Golden Foot]] award in “The Champions Promenade" on the seafront of the Principality of [[Monaco]]]]
[[File:Super Ballon d'Or and Ballon d'Ors.jpg|thumb|The two Ballon d'Ors (1957 and 1959) and Super Ballon d'Or (1989) won by Di Stéfano]]
[[File:Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, September 2014 04.JPG|thumb|The screen honoring Di Stéfano at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium following his death in 2014]]

'''River Plate'''
*[[Argentine Primera División]]: [[1945 Argentine Primera División|1945]], [[1947 Argentine Primera División|1947]]
*[[Copa Aldao]]: [[1947 Copa Aldao|1947]]
*[[South American Championship of Champions]] runner-up: [[South American Championship of Champions|1948]]

'''Millonarios'''
*[[Categoría Primera A|Campeonato Profesional]]: [[1949 Campeonato Profesional|1949]], [[1951 Campeonato Profesional|1951]], [[1952 Campeonato Profesional|1952]]
*[[Copa Colombia]]: 1953
*[[Small Club World Cup]]: [[1953 Small Club World Cup (1st tournament)|1953]]

'''Real Madrid'''
*[[La Liga]]: [[1953-54 La Liga|1953–54]], [[1954–55 La Liga|1954–55]], [[1956–57 La Liga|1956–57]], [[1957–58 La Liga|1957–58]], [[1960–61 La Liga|1960–61]], [[1961–62 La Liga|1961–62]], [[1962–63 La Liga|1962–63]], [[1963–64 La Liga|1963–64]]
*[[Copa del Rey|Copa del Generalísimo]]: [[1962 Copa del Generalísimo Final|1961–62]]
*[[UEFA Champions League]]: [[1955–56 European Cup|1955–56]], [[1956–57 European Cup|1956–57]], [[1957–58 European Cup|1957–58]], [[1958–59 European Cup|1958–59]], [[1959–60 European Cup|1959–60]]
*[[Latin Cup]]: [[1955 Latin Cup|1955]], [[1957 Latin Cup|1957]]
*[[Intercontinental Cup (football)|Intercontinental Cup]]: [[1960 Intercontinental Cup|1960]]
*[[Small Club World Cup]]: [[1956 Small Club World Cup|1956]]

'''Argentina'''
*[[Copa América|South American Championship]]: [[1947 South American Championship|1947]]

'''Individual'''
*[[List of Argentine Primera División top scorers|Argentine Primera División top scorer]]: [[1947 Argentine Primera División|1947]]
*[[Campeonato Profesional]] top scorer: [[1951 Campeonato Profesional|1951]], [[1952 Campeonato Profesional|1952]]
*[[Pichichi Trophy]]: [[1953–54 La Liga|1953–54]], [[1955–56 La Liga|1955–56]], [[1956–57 La Liga|1956–57]],  [[1957–58 La Liga|1957–58]] (joint), [[1958–59 La Liga|1958–59]]
*[[Ballon d'Or]]: [[1957 Ballon d'Or|1957]], [[1959 Ballon d'Or|1959]]; runner-up: [[1956 Ballon d'Or|1956]]
**[[Super Ballon d'Or]]: 1989<ref>[http://www.goal.com/es/news/27/liga-de-espa%C3%B1a/2011/12/24/2816156/real-madrid-21-a%C3%B1os-del-%C3%BAnico-s%C3%BAper-bal%C3%B3n-de-oro-de-la "Real Madrid: 21 años del único Súper Balón de Oro de la historia"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514184549/https://www.goal.com/es/news/27/liga-de-espa%C3%B1a/2011/12/24/2816156/real-madrid-21-a%C3%B1os-del-%C3%BAnico-s%C3%BAper-bal%C3%B3n-de-oro-de-la |date=14 May 2021 }}. Goal.com. (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 July 2014</ref>
* [[Small Club World Cup|Small Club World Cup top scorer]]: [[1956 Small Club World Cup|1956]]
*[[List of European Cup and UEFA Champions League top scorers|European Cup top scorer]]: [[1957–58 European Cup#Top scorers|1957–58]], [[1961–62 European Cup#Top scorers|1961–62]] (joint)
*Spanish Player (Athlete) of the Year: 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964
*[[FIFA Order of Merit]]: 1994<ref>{{cite web|title=FIFA Order of Merit|url=https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/r&a-awards/01/20/85/43/170490-factsheet-fifaorderofmerit%281984-2010%29_neutral.pdf|access-date=21 January 2015|archive-date=2 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002174800/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/r%26a-awards/01/20/85/43/170490-factsheet-fifaorderofmerit%281984-2010%29_neutral.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[World Soccer (magazine)|World Soccer]] World XI: 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964<ref>[http://beyondthelastman.com/2013/04/29/eric-battys-world-xis-the-sixties/ "ERIC BATTY’S WORLD XI – THE SIXTIES"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116024135/https://beyondthelastman.com/2013/04/29/eric-battys-world-xis-the-sixties/ |date=16 January 2018 }} Retrieved on 26 November 2015</ref>
*[[World Team of the 20th Century]]: 1998
*[[FIFA 100]]: 2004
*[[UEFA Jubilee Awards]] – Golden Player of Spain: 2004
*[[Golden Foot]]: 2004, as [[Golden Foot#Award legends|football legend]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goldenfoot.com/en/legends/item/270-alfredo-di-st%C3%A9fano.html|title=Golden Foot – Alfredo Di Stéfano|access-date=2 March 2015|publisher=Goldenfoot.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209070841/http://goldenfoot.com/en/legends/item/270-alfredo-di-st%C3%A9fano.html|archive-date=9 February 2015}}</ref>
*[[UEFA President's Award]]: 2007<ref name="UEFA President's Award">{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=2050865.html|title=UEFA President's Award|publisher=UEFA.com|date=2 January 2014|access-date=1 June 2017|archive-date=6 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106172739/https://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=2050865.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Copa América Historical Dream Team: 2011
*''[[World Soccer (magazine)|World Soccer]]'' [[World Soccer (magazine)#Greatest XI of All Time|Greatest XI of all time]]: 2013
*[[IFFHS]] Legends<ref>{{cite web|url=http://iffhs.de/iffhs-has-announced-the-48-football-legend-players/|title=IFFHS announce the 48 football legend players|publisher=IFFHS|date=25 January 2016|access-date=14 September 2016|archive-date=24 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190924082150/https://iffhs.de/iffhs-has-announced-the-48-football-legend-players/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Ballon d'Or Dream Team]] (Silver): 2020<ref>{{cite web |title=The other two Ballon d'Or Dream Team XIs: Zidane, Cruyff, Iniesta, Di Stefano... but no Casillas |url=https://www.marca.com/en/football/international-football/2020/12/14/5fd7bc8522601d53598b45b2.html |website=[[MARCA]] |date=15 December 2020 |access-date=15 December 2020 |archive-date=15 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201215113120/https://www.marca.com/en/football/international-football/2020/12/14/5fd7bc8522601d53598b45b2.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* 11Leyendas Jornal AS: 2021<ref>{{cite web |url=https://as.com/futbol/2021/02/25/reportajes/1614273403_238476.html |title=11 Leyenda el mejor once de la historia |publisher=JornalAS |date=25 February 2021 |access-date=19 April 2021 |archive-date=19 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419010543/https://as.com/futbol/2021/02/25/reportajes/1614273403_238476.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[International Federation of Football History & Statistics#All-time Men's Dream Team (2021)|IFFHS All-time Men's B Dream Team]]: 2021<ref name="IFFHS Dream Team">{{cite web |url=https://www.iffhs.com/posts/1110 |title=IFFHS ALL TIME WORLD MEN'S DREAM TEAM |work=IFFHS |date=22 May 2021 |access-date=2 October 2021 |archive-date=2 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213838/https://www.iffhs.com/posts/1110 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[IFFHS World Team#All-time Men's Dream Team (2021)|IFFHS South America Men's Team of All Time]]: 2021<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iffhs.com/posts/1116|title=IFFHS all time South America men's dream team|access-date=18 December 2021|archive-date=7 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407062346/https://www.iffhs.com/posts/1116|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Manager===
'''Boca Juniors'''
*[[Argentine Primera División|Primera División]]: [[1969 Argentine Primera División|1969 Nacional]]
*[[Copa Argentina]]: [[1969 Copa Argentina|1969]]

'''River Plate'''
*[[Argentine Primera División|Primera División]]: [[Argentine Primera División|1981 Nacional]]

'''Valencia'''
*[[La Liga]]: [[1970–71 La Liga|1970–71]]
*[[European Cup Winners' Cup]]: [[1979–80 European Cup Winners' Cup|1979–80]]
*[[Segunda División]]: [[1986–87 Segunda División|1986–87]]

'''Real Madrid'''
*[[Supercopa de España]]: [[1990 Supercopa de España|1990]]

===Records===
*Scored in most European Cup finals: five<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/ec1.html |title=European Champions' Cup |access-date=11 August 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208171501/http://rsssf.com/tablese/ec1.html |archive-date=8 February 2011 }}</ref>
*Scored in most consecutive European Cup finals: five
*Most goals scored in European Cup finals: seven (shared with Ferenc Puskás)
*Only player to be awarded the Super Ballon d'Or<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.realmadrid.com/noticias/2015/12/tal-dia-como-hoy-di-stefano-gano-el-super-balon-de-oro-|title=Tal día como hoy, Di Stéfano ganó el Súper Balón de Oro – Real Madrid CF|access-date=13 July 2016|archive-date=17 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517204541/https://www.realmadrid.com/noticias/2015/12/tal-dia-como-hoy-di-stefano-gano-el-super-balon-de-oro-|url-status=live}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Biography|Association football|Argentina|Spain}}
* [[List of footballers with 500 or more goals|List of men's footballers with 500 or more goals]]

== References ==
;General
* ''(Autobiography)'' {{cite book |last= Di Stéfano |first= Alfredo |title= Gracias, Vieja: Las Memorias del Mayor Mito del Futbol |year= 2000 |publisher= Aguilar|location= Madrid |isbn= 84-03-09200-8}}

;Specific
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite book | author = [[Jonathan Wilson (writer)|Wilson, Jonathan]] | title = Angels With Dirty Faces: The Footballing History of Argentina | publisher = Orion Publishing Group | year = 2016 | isbn = 978-1-409-14443-4}}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* [https://archive.today/20130201095200/http://www.realmadrid.com/cs/Satellite/en/1193040472616/1202817703443/jugador/JugadorLegendario/Di_Stefano.htm Alfredo Di Stéfano] at [[Real Madrid]] {{in lang|en|es}}
* {{FIFA player|174499}}
* [http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=622735.html Di Stéfano's high five] UEFA.com
* [http://www.uefa.com/news/newsid=140942.html Di Stéfano's golden memories] UEFA.com
* [http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/newsid=109010.html Madrid salute Di Stéfano] UEFA.com
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071014055546/http://futbol.sportec.es/seleccion/ficha_jugador.asp?j=168&n=di%2Fstefano%2Falfredo%2Fdi%2Fstefano%2Flaulhe Spain national team stats from Sportec.es]
* [https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/distefano-intl.html Detail of international appearances by RSSSF]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120407192547/http://www.rsssf.com/players/ec1winningsquads.html European Champions Cup/UEFA Champions League Winning Squads]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054133/http://www.meco-steel.ro/index.html European Champions Cup/UEFA Champions League Winning Squads]

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{{UEFA Cup Winners' Cup winning managers}}
{{La Liga winning managers}}
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{{World Team of the 20th Century}}
{{South American Team of the 20th Century}}
{{Copa América Historcial Dream Team}}
{{Ballon d'Or Dream Team}}
{{IFFHS Men's World Team of the 20th Century}}
{{IFFHS Men's South American Team of the 20th Century}}
{{IFFHS All-time Men's World Dream Team}}
{{IFFHS All-time Men's South American Dream Team}}
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{{UEFA President's Award}}
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{{Argentina squad 1947 South American Championship}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Di Stefano, Alfredo}}
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