Goodbye Don Alfredo – After Earth, Heaven Has Been Graced By Your Feet by Umid Dey
In life, we come to know of a lot of people, but the only ones that matter are the people who put a smile on our faces; the ones who play a tune that conquers our hearts.
And Alfredo di Stefano was the conqueror of millions of hearts.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he is regarded as the most complete player of all time. He joined Real Madrid in 1953 and played a major role in giving the Club the image it has right now. Every player in the world can’t say no to an approach from Real Madrid – such is the reputation of the Club, and Don Alfredo is one of the biggest reasons for that.
Due to being born in the 90s, I didn’t get the privilege to watch Don Alfredo in the White Shirt, except for a few recorded games and highlights. Watching those footages, one will know why he is the most celebrated Real Madrid player in the Club’s history.
His guile and craft on the ball and relentlessness off it made him a role-model Football player – he became the epitome of how a Footballer should be. He was, according to the great Helenio Herrera, “simultaneously the anchor in defence, the playmaker in midfield and the most dangerous marksman in attack.”
When he had the ball, he could do almost anything he pleased to do with it. Be it mesmerising defense-piercing passes, spraying possession swiftly, executing perfect crosses on the run or score from the most impossible of situations. When without possession, he worked altruistically to win it back by harrying the opposition, or with an inch-perfect tackle or cleverly positioning himself to intercept the ball.
He did everything. He was the heart, the soul and the backbone of the team. The drive and grit he had was second to none. He gives one the feeling that he absolutely despised not having the ball and didn’t rely on his team-mates to win it back or him, like almost all attacking players do in modern Football.
The Human mind tends to drift around on its own according to the things it has perceived. When someone watches a bit of the Argentine, the mind gets fixated to the divinity of the Blonde Arrow. He captured the imagination of many fans. They surely must have replayed those magnificent on-pitch moments of his within their minds while they ate, walked, sat and slept.
It is not difficult to fathom why so many considered him the greatest player of all time if one sees some of his recorded games. Two of the most self-boasting personalities in the world of Football, Diego Maradona and Pele – who consider their self to be better than the other – take the abode of humility when asked about Alfredo di Stefano.