Julien’s Auctions announced today, July 25, 2021, property from the Estate of Alfrdo Di Stefano, the world record-breaking auction house to the stars’ tribute to the legendary Real Madrid football champion, taking place Thursday, September 23rd and Friday, September 24th, 2021, live at Mall Galleries in London and online at Juliensauctions.com.
Over 600 historic sports artifacts from the life and career of Alfredo Di Stéfano, one of the greatest footballers of all time and the number four ranking “Player of the Century” on France Football’s storied list that includes immortals of the game, Pelé and Diego Maradona, will be presented in the two-day auction event.
The Argentine-born professional footballer and coach began his career in 1943 at the age of 17 at Argentina’s River Plate and later played at Club Atlético Huracàn and Colombia’s Millonarios of Bogotà, where he won eight trophies during the first 10 years of his career.
But it was his signing in 1953 and transfer to Spain’s Real Madrid, where he would dominate the sport and become an international superstar. Nicknamed as the “Saeta Rubia” (“Blond Arrow”), for his power, skill and creativity as a forward on the field, Di Stéfano led Real Madrid to victory in the European Cup and La Liga throughout the 1950s and helped build one of the most successful team dynasties of all time.
He led the club to eight Spanish League titles and five European Cup Championships [Champions League], where along with Francisco Gento and José Maria Zárraga, was one of only three players instrumental in all five victories, scoring a goal in all five finals.
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Di Stéfano’s firsts for Real Madrid also include scoring 216 league goals in 282 league games (then a club record, since surpassed by Raúl and Cristiano Ronaldo) and scoring 49 goals in 58 matches, the all-time highest tally in the European Cup (which had not been surpassed until 2005 by Raúl).
Di Stéfano is also revered for his role in the club’s victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 1960 European Cup Final at Hampden Park, known as “The Greatest Football Match Ever,” which cemented Di Stéfano’s reputation as the best player in the world for ensuring Real Madrid’s record five consecutive European Cup wins, and by scoring three goals in the 1960 Final 7-3 victory, which remains as the highest scoring final in history. Neither of these records has yet to be beaten.
In 1964, he moved to Espanyol and played there until his retirement at the age of 36. He then managed the world-famous Boca Juniors team in Argentina and other teams such as River Plate, Valencia and eventually, Real Madrid in 1982-1984 and 1990-1991.
His career achievements include scoring 308 goals in 396 appearances for Real Madrid finishing as top goal scorer in five seasons and winning the Ballon d’Or Awards in 1957 and 1959, the highest honor any player can win in any given year.
He received the Ballon d’Or’s second and fourth ever honor given to an athlete since the establishment of the award in 1956 and in 1989, he became the only footballer ever to be awarded the Super Ballon d’Or Award for his contributions beyond the game. Other honors bestowed on the champion and records held by Di Stéfano include: named as Madrid’s leading goal scorer in the history of El Clásico, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo; ranked as the sixth highest scorer in the history of Spain’s top division and Real Madrid’s third highest league goal scorer of all time; named in 2003 as the Golden Player of Spain by the Royal Spanish Football Federation as their most outstanding player from the past 50 years; named by Pelé in 2004’s FIFA 100 list of the world’s greatest living players; a UEFA and Real Madrid’s special Presidents award in 2008 issued by FIFA at a ceremony in Madrid with an unveiling of a Di Stéfano statue; The Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium opening in 2006 in Madrid, Spain and more. He passed away on July 7th, 2014 at the age of 88.
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A game winning collection of medals, trophies, jerseys, awards and personal items from Di Stéfano’s distinguished legacy, many of which have never been before offered to the public, will score at the auction block including (with estimates): all five of his UEFA European Champions Cup Winners Medals from 1956 ( £20,000 – £40,000), where he was awarded as a player for Real Madrid in the inaugural European Champions Cup Final and the first of five consecutive European Cup wins he would score for the club (a record which has not to date been equaled) until 1960’s European Champions Cup Final at the storied “The Greatest Football Match Ever” against Eintracht Frankfurt ( £20,000 – £40,000), played in front of 127,000 fans (still a record attendance for a match) and 70 million television viewers via the new Eurovision TV Network; all five of Di Stéfano’s UEFA European Champions Cup Trophies from his championship 1956-1960 seasons with Real Madrid (each £8,000-£14,000), Di Stéfano’s Champions Trophies as well as his eight Spanish League (La Liga) Champions Trophies won from 1954 to 1964 as a player for Real Madrid, and his 1971 trophy as the manager of Valencia (each £5,000 – £6,000) (photo left); all three of Di Stéfano’s Ballon d’Or Awards by French magazine, France Football, presented to Di Stéfano in 1957 and 1959 (each £7,000 – £9,000) (photo top right) and his Super Ballon d’Or awarded in 1989 (£8,000 – £14,000); his 1960 Intercontinental Cup Winners Medal won with Real Madrid in the inaugural Continental Cup (£5,000 – £6,000); his 1956-1957 European Cup Miniature Trophy won with Real Madrid (£2,000 – £4,000); Di Stéfano’s five Pichichi Trophies from 1954-1959 (£2,000 – £4,000); Di Stéfano’s iconic Real Madrid white Number 9 jersey, worn during the 1950s (£3,000 – £5,000) (photo below right) and his Spanish National Team circa 1960s Red Number 9 jersey and a Spanish National Team circa 1960s Blue Number 9 jersey, worn to avoid color clashes with any opposing team wearing red (each lot estimate £1,500 – £2,500); UEFA President’s Award 2007 presented to Alfredo Di Stéfano (£1,500 – £2,500); his 1947 Ecuador Copa America Champions Miniature Trophy won with Argentina (£1,500 – £2,500); plus, documents, commemorative plaques, coins, medals, team shorts and socks, gifts, diplomas, ID cards, artwork, and more.
“Julien’s Auctions is proud to offer this spectacular collection of historical objects owned by one of the most revered and iconic footballers that ever played, Alfredo Di Stéfano,” said Kendall Capps, Sports Director, Julien’s Auctions.
“This auction, assembled with his Estate, represents the pinnacle of Di Stéfano’s triumphant career, including his record five consecutive winning European Champions Cup Gold Medals that set the course for Real Madrid to become one of the most successful teams of all time. His legacy will forever be remembered as one of the inventors of modern football who turned the game and its culture into a worldwide phenomenon.”
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