Dead Francisco Gento, legend of Real Madrid and Spanish football

He left at 88. With the blancos he won 6 European Cups, playing from 1953 to 1971

Francisco ‘Paco’ Gento, honorary president of Real Madrid and the only footballer in the world capable of winning 6 European Cups, has died. The first five editions of the competition, between 1955 and 1960, and that of 1966, when all his companions of the first great blanca epic, Di Stefano in primis, had already left Real Madrid. He also lost the finals of 1962 and 1964.

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He Awards

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Gento was 88 years old and had spent 18 years playing for the blancos, from 1953 to 1971, winning, in addition to the aforementioned 6 Champions Cups, also 12 Liga, two Spanish Cups and an Intercontinental Cup. In total 23 trophies, most of all in Madrid until Sunday evening, when he was joined by Marcelo, 600 games and 182 goals. In addition to 43 international appearances with which he won the 1964 European Championship without playing. His brothers Julio and Toñin, nephews Julio and Paco Llorente, father of Atletico Marcos Llorente, were also footballers. Other family members have successfully played basketball.

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symbol of madridism

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Born in Cantabria on 21 October 1933 as Francisco Gento Lopez, father of a truck driver, athletics and football tore him from his career as a pastor. The first sport had guaranteed him the speed that characterized him in his races on the left wing. Arrived at Racing Santander, the club he supported, after just 10 games he was brought to Madrid. He was 19 and made his debut against Barça. Beginning of a wonderful career that turned him into a myth of madridism. He immediately won the Liga, a championship that Madrid had not won for 20 years, and was key in the European domination of the club transformed into an international power by Santiago Bernabeu: Di Stefano, Puskas and Kopa played in attack with Gento. Moving on to the bench, he started in Castilla, the ‘filial’ of Madrid, and after short passes in Castellon, Palencia and Granada returned to the ‘Fabrica’, the cantera blanca. In December 2015 he became Honorary President of Real Madrid, a position he held until his death.

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