MADRID: Former Real Madrid player and Spain’s 1982 World Cup coach Jose Emilio Santamaria has died at the age of 96, Los Blancos said on Wednesday.

Real Madrid mourned “one of the greatest legends of our club and of world football”.

Centre-back Santamaria, who joined Real Madrid in 1957 from Uruguayan side Nacional, played in one of the most decorated eras in the club’s history.

“Alongside Di Stefano, Puskas, Gento and Kopa, that team began to build the legend of Real Madrid,” said Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez.

Santamaria, born in Uruguay, won four European Cups with Madrid in 1958, 1959, 1960 and 1966, as well as six La Liga titles among other trophies.

He played 25 times for the Uruguay before becoming a naturalised Spaniard and playing at the 1962 World Cup for Spain, whom he went on to coach.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2026