GREAT WORLD SOCCER PLAYER.
One of the greatest soccer players of this planet was Alfredo Di Stefano from Argentina. He shot into limelight while playing for Argentinean outfit River Plate. As many of the Argentineans made their careers in Spain by playing for Spanish giants, so too Di Stefano came to Spain and joined Spanish topmost club Real Madrid. Maradona also played in Spain for a top club from where he was recruited by Napoli of Italy. According to soccer experts and commentators of yesteryears, Alfredo Di Stefano stands much taller than the great Pele and great Maradona but the only bad luck of him was that during the time of Di Stefano the TV coverage was not as exhaustive as during the time of Pele and Maradona. The fame of Di Stefano due to lack of wider media coverage concentrated only in certain pockets of the world. Besides, during the peak form of Di Stefano world soccer was not as wider as it is now or during the time of Pele and Maradona. Lack of wider publicity, lack of wider media coverage and lack wider playing facilities very much hampered the fame of Di Stefano. Otherwise he should have been selected as the best soccer player of the last century instead of Pele and Maradona.
Alfredo Di Stefano played number of years for Real Madrid. I have seen very few pictures of his on video and read a lot about him in soccer books and soccer magazines. Much of my assessment on him I made by reading, since 1975, in the renowned monthly world magazine “World Soccer” where some of the top journalists who saw him in action during his days described him as better than Pele and Maradona too. He was a very good dribbler and a very good reader of the game. Like Pele and unlike Maradona, Di Stefano was a perfect player and could easily use both his legs with equal ease and of course play a major role in the aerial duels as well, again of course unlike Maradona. As a matter of fact Maradona was a great no doubt but he was not a perfect footballer because he was one legged player and weak in the aerial duels. In his pursuit in exhibiting excellent soccer Di Stefano was ably supported by his equally great colleague in Real Madrid named Ferenz Puskas a Hungarian World Cupper. Puskas according to the same journalists and commentators was also as good as Di Stefano and in view of this those commentators and journalists comparing them with Pele said that Pele comes third in rank though it is difficult for many of us to accept this suggestion because many of us have not witnessed all three during their peak form to compare them. But those who saw all three of them during their peak form and after comparing them with each other they gave this assessment.
Alfredo Di Stefano and Puskas played together for Real Madrid and won for their clubs number of championships. Their duo was the greatest duo ever played together anytime anywhere in the world. They both together would win the match against any top club in the world during those days. Puskas had atomic power in his left foot. I say atomic power because I saw some of his pictures even in the world cup where he terrified the world. When both of them playing for Real Madrid they were exchanging their views thru air waves without even seeing and noticing each other. One could easily see the other following him behind even without turning his head back and thus leave the ball for the other and run the other side taking with him the defenders thereby making fools of the defenders. Pele sometimes used to do such fakings. They could pass the ball to each other even without seeing each other and yet one would get the pass from the other. Their combination and coordination, long range power packed shots and powerful heading was creating fear into the minds and hearts of the topmost defenders of those days. Between two of them, they were scoring 4 – 5 goals per match thereby tearing their opponents into pieces. Alfredo Di Stefano was using his brain power more than foot power. He is still revered in Spain and in Europe. Spain was his second home and finally in appreciation of his tremendous contribution for the promotion and development of Spanish soccer he was even conferred with Spanish citizenship. Not only topmost retired soccer players of the world but even the current ones adore him as a great soccer personality and soccer celebrity. He is really a soccer “pundit”. So much so, even FIFA gives him due credit for his excellence on the soccer field.
On 16th of this month, the 81 year old Alfredo Di Stefano was honoured in Spain at Barnabeau Stadium by UEFA president by presenting him with a special trophy. The UEFA president and former French aristocrat player Michael Platini while presenting the trophy rightly described Di Stefano as “a great among greats”. In Spain and in other parts of Europe and in South America they respect and adore their yesteryear stars even by erecting the monuments of their once beloved players. The same thing they did in honour of Di Stefano by erecting his statue at Real Madrid’s training centre. Alfredo Di Stefano was named twice European Footballer of the year in 1957 and 1959. As a human being he was a very humble, even in victories and scoring goals he was not showy in his attitudes. Also, he was shy of receiving honours and as a proof of this while receiving the honouring trophy from Platini, he said “I don’t deserve all this”.
Europe and South America produce great soccer wizards. In both these continents people adore their stars not only during their peak form but also in their retirements and in old age. Do we in Goa emulate their examples? Or do we leave our yesteryear stars uncared and unattended to their old age woes? What is the fate of many of our yesteryear stars? Are they happy in their old age life or do they regret and cry because they are neglected not only by the society that once adored them but even by their own families for embracing soccer and in the bargain turning out to be paupers? Where are our yesteryear footballers like great Vassu Raiturkar, Menino Figueredo, Benzinho, Candu Abreu, Papa, Bernardo, Andrew, Domnick, Catao, Keshav and many others? Are they comfortable in their retired and old age life? Do they need any assistance? If yes, did the authorities concerned and also people concerned take interest in them? Do GFA shows its concern to the plight of many of them? Did society perform its duty towards their old age needs? Did any of the persons who earlier applauded and kissed their feet bother to take note of their woes if they have? Why not a single of them was given an opportunity to inaugurate and kick off the major tournaments and matches in Goa instead of showering this honour on Montirs and MLA’s whose contribution in the development of our soccer is minus zero?
When Bandodkar was ruling Goa he showed lot of personal interest in footballers. When first time Bandodkar Gold Cup was held in Goa, its inaugural match was kicked off by once great player Aboo who along with Bandodkar decorated the inaugural match of this once prestigious tournament. That honour was given to great Aboo because Bandodkar had seen greatness of Aboo during Aboo’s hey days. And as per elders, Goa is yet to produce another Aboo who played soccer not for money but for its sheer pleasure.
Goan society and Goan soccer lovers must ponder over what I wrote.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
