It is neither Messi, nor Cristiano, nor Di Stefano, nor Cruyff… The king of the Champions League is Paco Gento, he was from Guarnizo, a small town a few kilometers from Santander. Only he has had the honour of winning six European Cups. Five in a row, between 1956 and 1960, and the sixth, in 1966, against Partizan Belgrade. The Real Madrid legend Paco Gento passed away on January 18, aged 88.
It is likely that many years will pass, before Paco Gento’s feat is surpassed. In addition to his six continental trophies, he also won the 1964 European Nation’s Cup, 12 league titles, 2 Cups, a World Cup and an Intercontinental Cup.
For a long time he has been and continues to be considered the best left-footed winger in the world, just like Garrincha was on the other flank. “La Galerna del Cantabrico”, as he was nicknamed, amazed everyone with his speed as well as his precision in crosses and shots.
His anecdotes number in the hundreds. One day, Alfredo Di Stefano told me that Gento was the best. “In a game that we played in San Mamés, against Athletic, he was great. The rival public gave him a standing ovation. We had already retired to the locker room and Paco had to go out to greet the fans, because they kept applauding him.”
Another former Real Madrid player and Gento countryman, Vicente Miera, told me recently: “Paco was a phenomenon. Before jumping onto the field, in the locker room, we were all aware of him. If he was pensive or sad, bad – that day Paco was not well. But if we saw him rubbing his hands together, as was often the case, then we already knew that Paco was going to give his best. He did not fail.”
Gento was simply a genius, the player who brought speed and precision ball control to football. His dribbles, left his rivals sitting. A man ahead of his time, capable of doing what no one else could. Since 2015 he was the Honorary President of Real Madrid. Cantabria and Real Madrid have been his great loves, by his own admission – made repeatedly. Today the small region of northern Spain and the most successful club in the history of world football are in mourning, because our genius has gone.
I still remember him full of vitality and good humour in our last meeting in the Real Madrid trophy room, before the 13 European Cups, on February 1, 2019, when we presented him with the trophy as one of the 25 best Cantabrian athletes in history. Excited, as when they gave him the first one, he looked at it and thanked us: “Tell it to all the sports journalists in Cantabria: thank you very much. They have always treated me very well.”
Thanks to you, Paco, for many good football afternoons, for your example of fair play. Always present in our hearts.
Credit: AIPS
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