José Emilio Santamaría, four-time winner of the European Cup with Real Madrid and former coach, dies

The former Spanish-Uruguayan footballer José Emilio Santamaría, one of the great Real Madrid myths of the 1950s and also a former Spanish national team coach, has died at the age of 96, as reported by the Madrid team this Wednesday.

“Real Madrid CF, its president and its Board of Directors deeply regret the death of José Emilio Santamaría, one of the greatest legends of our club and world football,” the Madrid team said in a statement.

The 15-time European champion expressed “his condolences and his affection to his wife Nora, to his children Nelson, Nora, Beatriz, José, Silvia and Javier, to his grandchildren, his great-grandchildren and all his family, colleagues and loved ones.” “Real Madrid extends its condolences to all Real Madrid fans. Rest in peace,” he said.

For his part, the president of Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez, noted that Santamaría “will always be remembered as one of the great symbols” of the merengue club. “He was part of a team that will remain in the memory of all Real Madrid fans and all football fans in the world,” he stressed.

“Together with Di Stéfano, Puskas, Gento and Kopa, that team began to build the myth of Real Madrid. Santamaría always represented the values ​​of our club in an exemplary manner and until his last moment, Real Madrid has been the great passion of his life,” stated the Madrid president.

José Emilio Santamaría arrived at Real Madrid in 1957 from the Uruguayan Club Nacional de Football and remained for a total of nine seasons, until 1966, winning four European Cups, six Leagues, an Intercontinental Cup and a Spanish Cup, playing a total of 337 games, forming “part of that legendary team that won the first European Cups in history consecutively, and that began the universal legend of Real Madrid.”

In addition, with the National Club he won his country’s championship four times, with which he was international 25 times and with which he played in the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland. He also wore the shirt of the Spanish team 16 times, with which he participated in the 1962 World Cup in Chile.

Santamaría also had an extensive coaching career, being the Spanish coach at the 1982 World Cup in Spain. He also coached Spain at the Olympic Games in Mexico in 1968 and Moscow in 1980, while at club level, he coached RCD Espanyol for seven seasons in 252 games, becoming the coach with the most official matches in the club’s history.

For its part, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) “deeply” regretted the death of Santamaría. “We convey our deepest condolences to all his family and friends. RIP,” the organization stressed.

RCD Espanyol joined in condolences for the disappearance of “one of the most outstanding coaches in the club’s history.” “He led the team 218 times in the League and is the second coach with the most official matches, with 265. He led the 1972/73 season, reaching third position in the standings. Rest in peace,” the Catalan team wrote in their official ‘X’ profile.