The stars of Real Madrid’s triumphs in the 1950s and 1960s
There are few football teams in the history of the beautiful game that can compete with Spanish giants Real Madrid when it comes to history and silverware, both at home and abroad.
In fact, when it comes to European Cup/Champions League trophies, no other club can get near their tally of 15 titles in Europe’s elite competition.
While many will laud the modern Los Blancos stars, it would be hard to compete with their 1950s and 1960s iteration of the team, not just on the European stage but also on home soil.
An early force in European competition
While the likes of Raul, Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo may be familiar to football fans of a modern generation, the names of Alfredo di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas may well only be a vague footnote in their minds.
They were superstars of their time. The man responsible for signing Di Stefano in 1953 and Ferenc Puskas in 1958 was legendary former player and club president Santiago Bernabeu, who was elected in 1943. His effect on the club was such that Real Madrid’s iconic stadium now bears his name.
The signing of the two stars helped the club establish themselves as one of the most potent forces in the early stages of competitive European tournaments. In fact, Los Blancos won the first five European Cups from 1956 until 1960.
Who were these superstars?
The two players mentioned above, Di Stefano and Puskas, were crucial figures in Los Blancos’ glories in both the 1950s and 1960s. But who were the two stars?
Alfredo Di Stefano was born in Argentina in 1926. Before starring for the Spanish giants, he played for River Plate and Huracan in his homeland, as well as Colombian outfit Millonarios.
However, his move to the Spanish capital in 1953 defined his career. The skilful and powerful Di Stefano set about writing his name in Real Madrid folklore.
During his Los Blancos career, the forward was highly prolific, scoring 308 goals in 396 appearances. That tally included an impressive 52 goals in 64 appearances in European competition, 49 of which came in the European Cup.
Di Stefano was the European Cup top goalscorer in season 1957/58, as well as the joint top goalscorer in the competition in 1961/62. He is also the only player in history to score in five straight European Cups.
His performances and goals were also enough for Di Stefano to win the Ballon d’Or in 1957 and 1959. He also won the Pichichi award for the top goalscorer in La Liga on five occasions in 1953/54, 1955/56, 1956/57, 1957/58 (joint) and 1958/59.
The forward didn’t just represent one nation internationally, either. He played for two, as he made six appearances for Argentina before playing for his adoptive home of Spain 31 times, scoring a respectable 29 goals during his international career.
Born a year after his teammate, Hungarian superstar Ferenc Puskas struck up a lethal partnership with Di Stefano on his arrival in 1958.
Before joining Real Madrid, Puskas was already prolific in his homeland, scoring 382 goals in 367 games for Budapesti Honved from 1943 until 1956, when he was given a two-year ban by UEFA after the Hungarian Civil War.
Before his ban, Puskas was also the star player of Hungary’s famous ‘Mighty Magyars’ team, which is still by many considered one of the most exciting and best teams to have played international football.
After his ban, Puskas moved to Spain in 1958, joining Los Blancos at the age of 31 after a few unofficial outings for Espanyol.
Despite joining the team from the Spanish capital relatively late in his career, Puskas went on to enjoy eight highly successful campaigns with the Madrid giants.
He scored 242 goals in 262 appearances in all competitions for Los Blancos. During his time with Real Madrid, the skilful forward helped the team to three European Cups, scored seven goals in two European Cup finals and won the Pichichi award on four occasions.
From 1954 until 1962, either Puskas or Di Stefano won the Pichichi award on six occasions.
As well as playing a pivotal role in three European Cup triumphs, Puskas also played a big role in Real Madrid winning the Spanish title on five occasions.
Like his teammate Di Stefano, Puskas played for multiple different international teams during his career. He started his international with his homeland, scoring 84 goals in 85 appearances, before appearing for Spain on four occasions without finding the net.
His time with Hungary highlighted his majestic ability on the ball and brought ‘The Galloping Major’ into the world’s consciousness.
Exceptional players deserve to be remembered
Many will say football is a team sport, and other players in those great Real Madrid teams deserve recognition, too. That is true to a certain extent.
However, in every team and generation, there are exceptional players who shine brighter than their counterparts and could arguably play in any era of the game. Di Stefano and Puskas were those sorts of players.
Even nearly 70 years on, they deserve their achievements to be celebrated by football fans, especially those of a Real Madrid persuasion. Without the pair, Los Blancos may not be considered the same club as they are today.
It is inevitable that, as time goes by, their legend will fade slightly, as it has already, as it happens to everyone. Hopefully, though, Real Madrid as a football club will not let the legends of Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas quietly fade into the night.