Legends: Amancio Amaro

AMANCIO AMARO

Amancio Amaro

Amancio Amaro was born in La Coruña, October 16, 1939. From his childhood he liked kicking the ball as an offensive player. That is, that Amancio preferred scoring goals rather than avoid, dribbling with the ball at his feet, treating the ball with care as opposed to his rivals who liked more to strike the opponent's legs that ball. In short, Amancio played in the right side with skill and speed and was astonishing both friends and strangers.

Player

At fifteen years old, he moved to team Victoria, of his hometown, and in the 1958-59 season he joined Deportivo de La Coruna, by then in the Second Division of Spanish football. Amancio was promoted to First Division with Deportivo. That is when begin to hear the first rumors of signing. The seats of Riazor begin to fill with scouts from different major teams, including Real Madrid.

Amancio's signing for Real Madrid was not about to take place. The astronomical salary, 10 million pesetas ( 60,000 euros), was filed as a slab on the wishes of the player to sign with the white team. Real Madrid's delegates called on the president Bernabeu, who was on holiday in Santa Pola, to inform him of the unviable operation. Bernabéu asked them to reconvene and meditate again, but at the end of the talks the situation had not changed. They informed again Don Santiago, who emphatically declared: "Amancio will play for Real Madrid: Sign him". Again, the Bernabeu's intuitive instinct was right.

Amancio signed for Real Madrid in June 1962. That same year, also arrives Zoco, Muller and Yanko Daucik. Amancio is no stranger to the stage of transition that is experiencing Real Madrid. Years ago, the team had swept both inside and outside of Spain, winning the first five European Cups. Amancio debuted in European competition against Anderlecht (3-3 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium). In League, he played the first match in Sevilla, against Real Betis, with a favorable outcome to the whites by 5-2 (Amancio socred one of the goals). The success came quickly. In his first seven seasons with Real Madrid, won six Leagues and later would add three more to reach nine titles in his 14 seasons in Madrid.

But in Europe luck is more elusive. In 1964, Amancio suffers a major sport disappointment in his first European final. The Viennese Prater was the scene of the Real Madrid's defeat against Inter Milan.. Italian team showed on the pitch conjunction and quality. A year later, in 1965, Benfica, removed the whites of European competitions. In 1966, Real Madrid faced the ninth European Cup with renewed hopes. Madrid team has undergone a profound transformation. Miguel Munoz is the new coach and has incorporated some young players of great renown, but all responsibility fell on "The Wizard" (Amancio's nickname).

Brussels, is decked out to welcome the finalists of the European Cup, Real Madrid and Partizan. Heysel Stadium is the perfect setting in which Real Madrid will try to rejuvenate old laurels, and the Yugoslavs put his name along to the major teams in Europe. On May 11, 1966 is the appointed day. Vasovic scored first for Partizan, but Amancio tied the matchwith a goal in a wonderful play. Then, Serena scored with a stunning shot from 30 meters. That was when the young "ye-yes" realized that they could be champions of Europe and left the skin on the field. Final score: 2-1. Amancio had managed to win a European Cup.

With the Spanish team, Amancio played 42 times. In these games the Real Madrid player got eleven goals and was a participant in the greatest achievement in the history of Spain's national team until that time: the victory in the final of Euro 1964 (2-1) against the Soviet Union.

Amancio Amaro

Coach

Amancio belonged to the template of Real Madrid until the 1975-76 season in which he left permanently football as a player and started a new era on the bench. In 1982, is signed by Luis de Carlos to coach Real Madrid Castilla, team with which conquered the Second Division Championship in his second season. He coached Butragueño, Michel, Sanchis Jr., Martin Vazquez and Pardeza. In the 1985/86 season took over the first team. The results were not good and Amancio left the team.

Since then, he was part of Real Madrid as scout and as board member on the first stage of Florentino Perez. He definitely left the club in 2006.