JFairfax posted:

wait what's going on with this one:



that's a barca crest right?

quote:

Transfer to Spain[edit]


Di Stéfano scoring a goal for Real Madrid where he won 15 official titles.
Di Stéfano's transfer to Spain would prove controversial. Real Madrid noticed Di Stéfano when his club Millonarios played in a tournament in Spain in 1953.[16] Then Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabéu Yeste was greatly impressed with Di Stéfano, and in July 1953, Real Madrid reached an agreement with Millonarios for Di Stéfano's transfer to Real Madrid. However, Real's rival FC Barcelona made a separate deal with Di Stefano's original club River Plate, who still owned the rights to him according to FIFA. The Colombian league was then not recognised by FIFA.[16] The Spanish Federation, however, did not recognize the deal. A Spanish court made a decision to allow Di Stéfano to play four seasons in Spain – two for FC Barcelona and two for Real Madrid, to be played alternately.[16] Barcelona then renounced their claim to Di Stefano. The reasons for Barcelona's decision to let the player go to Madrid are disputed by the two clubs. This incident exacerbated the traditional enmity between the two clubs.[19]

TraderStav posted:

Quick google:

The Finn posted:

That's really cool as hell, good on those dudes and the club. I wonder if he went easy on him in FIFA though, like not obviously let him win but just subtly enough to make sure.

TraderStav posted:

Quick google:

JFairfax posted:

This article just appeared on the BBC as well:

football history could have been different - very different indeed. Because when the magical Argentine forward first opted for a move to Spain, he appeared to be destined not for Real but their eternal rivals Barcelona.

The story of Di Stefano's transfer to Los Blancos is a fascinating and complex web of claims, denials, counter-denials and conspiracy theories involving five clubs in three countries. There are allegations of treachery, a mysteriously ripped-up contract and - possibly - the personal intervention of a dictator.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28204560

ephex posted:

Hashtag Banterzone posted:

Bubble-T posted:

Also he shouldn't be waving his giant yellow dong around out in public like that.

JFairfax posted:

it's hard to feel too sorry for the guy, I mean he's seen his country win more world cups in his lifetime than most of us ever will...

Heskie posted:

Thank you, BBC.

hecko posted:

Poor guy.

Spanish Manlove posted:

I like this one of the crying guy telling a german girl to bring that cup to the final, because they deserve it.

Vintersorg posted:

This loving owns.

Syncopated posted:

Kurtofan posted:

tsk tsk tsk

Gigi Galli posted:

That old guy was on the cover of La Gazzetta Dello Sport this morning

quote:

And like any highly visible superfan, his support isn't as grassroots as it used to be. It was revealed that in 2009 his trip to the Confed Cup in South Africa was paid for by the state government of Rio Grande do Sul, to the tune of nearly 15,000 Brazilian reais (more than $6,000 USD). He was sent, he said, "to promote gaúcho culture." His 2010 World Cup trip was paid for in part by a sponsorship with a travel agency. It's not clear if he paid for his attendance at this World Cup out of his own pocket, but told an interviewer he "always travels with partnerships."

quote:

"I really like Germany," he said. "The formation of the gaúcho has a lot to do with the culture of the German people, I mean, I feel a little German."

quote:

I feel a little German