Alfredo Di Stéfano: The greatest footballer of all time?

The European Cup, launched in the 1955/6 season, might just as well have been called the Real Madrid Cup in its first few years. In the first final, played in Paris on 13 June 1956, Real Madrid beat a strong Remis side that included French genius Raymond Kopa.

The following year, this time stronger after signing Kopa, Real Madrid defeated Fiorentina 2-0 to lift the trophy again. Milan were the victims a year later, losing 3-2 to Real in extra time. For the 1958/59 season, Real signed the ridiculously good Ferenc Puskas, giving them an attacking force of Puskas, Kopa, and Di Stéfano, surely the greatest trio of attacking players ever to grace the same side.

Real Madrid again won the European Cup, beating Reims 2-0 in Stuttgart in front of a crowd of 80,000. At Hampden Park, Glasgow, on 18 May 1960, in front 130,000 Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3.

That was the end of Real's run of success in the European Cup until the late 1990's. Di Stéfano scored in five successive finals, and was instrumental in helping Real win all five finals. In 1960, he also helped Real to the first Intercontinental Cup, beating Penarol of Uruguay.

While playing for Real Madrid, Di Stéfano also won the European Footballer of the Year award, in 1957, and again in 1959. Di Stéfano played in two more European Cup finals with Real Madrid, losing 5-3 to a Benfica side in 1962 that featured Eusebio, (which lost to Pele's Santos side in the InterContinental Cup), and 3-1 to Inter Milan in the 1964 final.

International Career

Di Stéfano represented three nations during his career, playing for Argentina, Colombia, and Spain. His international career began when Di Stéfano was a 21 year old, selected for Argentina in the 1947 Copa America (South American Championship).

Di Stéfano established himself as a star immediately, scoring six goals in the competition, and leading Argentina to victory. Di Stéfano was the second leading scorer of the competition.

While exiled in Columbia, the Colombian FA asked Di Stéfano to play for their national side, Di Stefano obliged, so Colombia became his second international team, for only four matches. While in Spain, Di Stéfano established himself on the international scene, scoring 23 goals in 31 games for his newly adopted homeland.

If there is one reason why Alfrédo Di Stefano is not remembered better for his great achievements and as a challenger to Pelé's generally accepted title as the greatest player ever it is this: Despite being capped by three countries, and playing at the top level of professional football for 20 years, Di Stéfano never played in the FIFA World Cup Finals.

In 1950, Argentina were one of many teams to withdraw from the competition, the first to be played after World War II. In 1954, having played for Argentina and Colombia, Di Stéfano was ruled by FIFA to be ineligible to appear for Spain, a decision not reversed until 1957, when Di Stéfano was 31. He scored a hat-trick on his debut against Holland.

In 1958, Spain failed to qualify for the finals, and in 1962, having been selected for the Spanish squad, Di Stéfano injured himself just before the tournament began. So one of the world's greatest footballers was denied the chance to grace the world's greatest tournament.

In the past, in order to be one of the greats in Football, you had to participate in the FIFA World Cup. It was the one chance to prove yourself against the best in the world. Nowadays, with TV broadcasting matches world wide, you can easily prove to the world if you have the skills and talents necessary to be considered "great." Di Stéfano never had this chance, so he is not as well known as others.

It is hard to compare players. But I have to admit, doing research and speaking to those that saw Di Stéfano play, he may be the best all-around player to feature on a pitch.

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