Amancio Amaro
Encyclopedia
Amancio Amaro Varela, commonly known simply as Amancio, is a former Spanish
football player. Nicknamed El Brujo (The Witch) he played for Deportivo de La Coruña
, Real Madrid
and the Spanish national team
.
, which at that time was in the Spanish second division
. When Deportivo were promoted to first division
, Amancio started to call the attention of the scouts for major teams, such as Real Madrid
.
’s insistence in signing the player, his astronomical signing-fee would have spoiled the negotiations.
Along with the signing of Amancio by Real Madrid in June 1962, players such as Ignacio Zoco, Lucien Muller, and Yanko Daucik
also arrived. During this time the team was in a transitional phase, since in earlier years the team had swept the competition both in Spain
and outside its borders. Amancio made his debut in European competition opposite Anderlecht
(3–3 result in the Santiago Bernabéu
); and in the league against Real Betis
in Seville
with a 5–2 win for Real Madrid.
During the 1963–64 season, Amancio and Real Madrid reached the final of the European Cup, only to be beaten by Inter Milan
by 3–1. The following season brought more heartache, with Benfica eliminating the youthful Madrid side in the quarterfinals. The ensuing season brought success for Madrid, as Miguel Muñoz
added young players such as Pirri, Velázquez
, Sanchís
and Grosso
. This was known as the "Yé-Yé
" team. Strong at the back, and devastating going forward, Madrid fought their way to another final, this time against FK Partizan
. The venue was Heysel Stadium
in Brussels
, and on the 11 May 1966, Amancio stepped out on to the pitch for his second and last European Cup final. FK Partizan
's Vasovic scored the first goal of the match. Amancio drew level twenty minutes from the end, after collecting a signature pass, faking out a defender and skillfully booting the ball past the Yugoslav keeper. Five minutes later, a thunderous shot by teammate Serena from 30 metres out settled the game. It was Amancio's first and only European Cup winner’s medal. In his first 6 seasons in Madrid, he won a breathtaking 6 La Liga titles. He would then go on to win another 3, giving him 9 titles in total. He even took the title of Pichichi on back to back occasions, 1969 and 1970.
As a Real Madrid player, Amancio's reputation reached such international fame, that he had the honour of being called for a world team, promoted by FIFA
.
Amancio retired in 1976 and joined the technical staff of Real Madrid.
. With the team, Amancio was a participant of one of the greatest achievements in the history of the team: winning the 1964 European Football Championship by a 2–1 score against the defending champions, the Soviet Union.
during a season. After one season he decided to dedicate himself to his businesses. In 1982 he was readmitted by Luis de Carlos, who had just won the club's presidential elections.
Amancio once again took charge of Castilla CF
, with which he won the Segunda División
in his second season. The team included the legendary Quinta del Buitre
, Made up of Butragueño
, Míchel, Sanchis, Martín Vázquez
, and Pardeza
.
In the 1984–85 season he took charge of the first team. However, the outcome was not as good as expected, and Amancio left his post. After a time as a consultant, Amancio left Real Madrid to join the sports company Kelme
, becoming a representative responsible for the Madrid
area.
In July 2000 he put himself forward as a candidate for the Presidency and the Board of Directors of Real Madrid which the President of the Club, Florentino Pérez
, ending up being elected member of the Board. From this position he favored the incorporation of former Real players in different positions of responsibility of the club. The Board of Directors agreed that Amancio would be in charge of the 100th anniversary of Real Madrid.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
football player. Nicknamed El Brujo (The Witch) he played for Deportivo de La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
, Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
and the Spanish national team
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
.
Early career
Amancio Amaro began his career aged 15 at local side, Victoria Club de Futbol, in the district of Santa Lucia. In the 1958-59 season he joined Deportivo de La CoruñaDeportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
, which at that time was in the Spanish second division
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
. When Deportivo were promoted to first division
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, Amancio started to call the attention of the scouts for major teams, such as Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
.
Real Madrid
The signing of Amancio by Real Madrid almost did not happen; had it not been for Santiago Bernabéu YesteSantiago Bernabéu Yeste
Santiago Bernabéu Yeste was a Spanish sportsman, one of the single most important men in Real Madrid's history. He is generally considered the one to whom much of the credit can be given for transforming Real Madrid C.F. from the second most successful club in Madrid into the most successful in...
’s insistence in signing the player, his astronomical signing-fee would have spoiled the negotiations.
Along with the signing of Amancio by Real Madrid in June 1962, players such as Ignacio Zoco, Lucien Muller, and Yanko Daucik
Yanko Daucik
Yanko Daucik Ciboch was a professional footballer during the 1960s and 1970s. Yanko played for Real Betis, Real Madrid, the Toronto Falcons and RCD Español...
also arrived. During this time the team was in a transitional phase, since in earlier years the team had swept the competition both in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and outside its borders. Amancio made his debut in European competition opposite Anderlecht
R.S.C. Anderlecht
Royal Sporting Club Anderlecht, usually known as Anderlecht or RSCA , is a Belgian professional football club based in Anderlecht in the Brussels Capital Region. Anderlecht plays in the Belgian Pro League and is the most successful Belgian football team in European competitions as well as in the...
(3–3 result in the Santiago Bernabéu
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators....
); and in the league against Real Betis
Real Betis
Real Betis Balompié S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in Seville, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. Founded on 12 September 1907, it currently plays in La Liga, holding home games at Estadio Benito Villamarín....
in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
with a 5–2 win for Real Madrid.
During the 1963–64 season, Amancio and Real Madrid reached the final of the European Cup, only to be beaten by Inter Milan
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
by 3–1. The following season brought more heartache, with Benfica eliminating the youthful Madrid side in the quarterfinals. The ensuing season brought success for Madrid, as Miguel Muñoz
Miguel Muñoz
Miguel Muñoz Mozún was a Spanish football player and manager.A midfielder, he spent the majority of his career at Real Madrid before going on to coach the club, where he was considered one of the most successful managers in its history, leading the team to two European Cup victories and nine La...
added young players such as Pirri, Velázquez
Manuel Velazquez
Manuel Velazquez was a 20th-century anti-boxing activist who kept meticulous files on boxing-related deaths.-Early life:...
, Sanchís
Manuel Sanchis Martínez
Manuel Sanchis Martínez is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a defender.Like his son, Manuel, he represented Real Madrid, also being an international...
and Grosso
Ramón Grosso
Ramón Moreno Grosso was a Spanish footballer who played for Real Madrid and was part of their European Cup victory in 1966...
. This was known as the "Yé-Yé
Ye-yé (Real Madrid)
The Yé-yé team was the name given to the generation of all-Spanish Real Madrid players that dominated Spanish football in the 1960s. The team was captained by the veteran player Francisco Gento who won the European Cup 5 times with Alfredo Di Stefano in the 1950s...
" team. Strong at the back, and devastating going forward, Madrid fought their way to another final, this time against FK Partizan
FK Partizan
Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978...
. The venue was Heysel Stadium
King Baudouin Stadium
The King Baudouin Stadium is a sports ground in north-west Brussels, Belgium. It was inaugurated on 23 August 1930 as the Stade du Jubilé or Jubelstadion in the presence of Prince Leopold. It was built to embellish the Heysel plateau in view of the Brussels International Exposition...
in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, and on the 11 May 1966, Amancio stepped out on to the pitch for his second and last European Cup final. FK Partizan
FK Partizan
Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978...
's Vasovic scored the first goal of the match. Amancio drew level twenty minutes from the end, after collecting a signature pass, faking out a defender and skillfully booting the ball past the Yugoslav keeper. Five minutes later, a thunderous shot by teammate Serena from 30 metres out settled the game. It was Amancio's first and only European Cup winner’s medal. In his first 6 seasons in Madrid, he won a breathtaking 6 La Liga titles. He would then go on to win another 3, giving him 9 titles in total. He even took the title of Pichichi on back to back occasions, 1969 and 1970.
As a Real Madrid player, Amancio's reputation reached such international fame, that he had the honour of being called for a world team, promoted by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
.
Amancio retired in 1976 and joined the technical staff of Real Madrid.
Spain
Amancio wore the Spanish jersey on 42 occasions, debuting before RomaniaRomania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
. With the team, Amancio was a participant of one of the greatest achievements in the history of the team: winning the 1964 European Football Championship by a 2–1 score against the defending champions, the Soviet Union.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 30 May 1963 | San Mamés San Mamés Stadium Estadio San Mamés, AKA La Catedral , is a football stadium in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. The stadium is the home of Athletic Bilbao, known as "Los leones de San Mamés-Bilboko lehoiak" . They are known as Los leones because their stadium was built near a church called San Mamés... , Bilbao Bilbao Bilbao ) is a Spanish municipality, capital of the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. With a population of 353,187 , it is the largest city of its autonomous community and the tenth largest in Spain... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
1–0 | 1–1 | 1964 European Nations' Cup qualifying | |
| 2. | 11 March 1964 | Sánchez Pizjuán Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán is a stadium in Seville, Spain. It is the home stadium of Sevilla Fútbol Club. It was the venue for the 1986 European Cup Final between Steaua Bucureşti and Barcelona and the 1982 World Cup semi-final game between Germany and France.This stadium contains a singular... , Seville Seville Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
1–0 | 5–1 | 1964 European Nations' Cup qualifying | |
| 3. | 11 March 1964 | Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain | 3–1 | 5–1 | 1964 European Nations' Cup qualifying | |
| 4. | 17 June 1964 | Santiago Bernabéu Santiago Bernabéu Stadium The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators.... , Madrid Madrid Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
2–1 | 2–1 | 1964 European Nations' Cup | |
| 5. | 15 July 1966 | Hillsborough Hillsborough Stadium Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the... , Sheffield Sheffield Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
2–1 | 2–1 | 1966 World Cup | |
| 6. | 28 February 1968 | Sánchez Pizjuán Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán is a stadium in Seville, Spain. It is the home stadium of Sevilla Fútbol Club. It was the venue for the 1986 European Cup Final between Steaua Bucureşti and Barcelona and the 1982 World Cup semi-final game between Germany and France.This stadium contains a singular... , Seville Seville Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
1–1 | 3–1 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 7. | 28 February 1968 | Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain | 2–1 | 3–1 | Friendly | |
| 8. | 8 May 1968 | Santiago Bernabéu Santiago Bernabéu Stadium The Estadio Santiago Bernabéu is an all-seater football stadium in Madrid, Spain. It was inaugurated on 14 December 1947 and is owned by Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. It has a current capacity of 85,454 spectators.... , Madrid Madrid Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
1–0 | 1–2 | 1968 Euro qualifying | |
| 9. | 30 April 1969 | Camp Nou Camp Nou Camp Nou , sometimes called "the Nou Camp" in English, is a football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The stadium, located in the west of the city, has been the home of FC Barcelona since its construction in 1957.... , Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
1–0 | 2–1 | 1970 World Cup qualification | |
| 10. | 15 October 1969 | José Antonio, La Línea La Línea de la Concepción La Línea de la Concepción is a town in Spain, in the province of Cádiz in Andalucia. It lies on the eastern isthmus of the Bay of Gibraltar on the border with the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, with which it has close economic and social links... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
5–0 | 6–0 | 1970 World Cup qualification | |
| 11. | 19 October 1972 | Insular Estadio Insular Estadio Insular was a multi-use stadium in Las Palmas, Spain. It was initially used as the stadium of UD Las Palmas matches before Estadio Gran Canaria opened in 2003. The stadium held 21,000 people and was built in 1945.-External links:**... , Las Palmas Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Las Palmas de Gran Canaria commonly known as Las Palmas is the political capital, jointly with Santa Cruz, the most populous city in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands and the ninth largest city in Spain, with a population of 383,308 in 2010. Nearly half of the people of the island... , Spain Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
1–0 | 2–2 | 1974 World Cup qualification |
Managerial career
Upon retiring, Amancio began a new phase on the bench. He began coaching the junior teams of Real MadridReal Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
during a season. After one season he decided to dedicate himself to his businesses. In 1982 he was readmitted by Luis de Carlos, who had just won the club's presidential elections.
Amancio once again took charge of Castilla CF
Real Madrid Castilla
Real Madrid Castilla is a Spanish football team that plays in the Segunda División B. It is the reserve team of Real Madrid. They play their home games at Alfredo di Stéfano Stadium....
, with which he won the Segunda División
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
in his second season. The team included the legendary Quinta del Buitre
Quinta del Buitre
La Quinta del Buitre is the moniker given by Spanish sport journalist Julio César Iglesias to the five homegrown Real Madrid players who were at the core of the team that dominated Spanish football in the 1980s. The name was derived from Emilio Butragueño's nickname El Buitre, the most charismatic...
, Made up of Butragueño
Emilio Butragueño
Emilio Butragueño Santos is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a striker.He was best known for his spell with Real Madrid...
, Míchel, Sanchis, Martín Vázquez
Rafael Martín Vázquez
Rafael Martín Vázquez is a retired Spanish footballer who played mostly as an attacking midfielder, with above-average skills....
, and Pardeza
Miguel Pardeza Pichardo
Miguel Pardeza Pichardo is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a forward.He was part of Real Madrid's generation of footballers known as Quinta del Buitre, but spent the better part of his career at Real Zaragoza...
.
In the 1984–85 season he took charge of the first team. However, the outcome was not as good as expected, and Amancio left his post. After a time as a consultant, Amancio left Real Madrid to join the sports company Kelme
Kelme (company)
Kelme is a Spanish firm that creates sport shoes. It was founded in 1977 by Diego and José Quiles and mainly produces footwear and apparel for football and running....
, becoming a representative responsible for the Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
area.
In July 2000 he put himself forward as a candidate for the Presidency and the Board of Directors of Real Madrid which the President of the Club, Florentino Pérez
Florentino Pérez
Florentino Pérez Rodríguez is a Spanish businessman, civil engineer, former politician, and current president of Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, as well as ACS...
, ending up being elected member of the Board. From this position he favored the incorporation of former Real players in different positions of responsibility of the club. The Board of Directors agreed that Amancio would be in charge of the 100th anniversary of Real Madrid.
Club
Real Madrid- European CupUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
: 1965–66 - Spanish LeagueLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
: 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1975–76 - Spanish CupCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
: 1969–70, 1973–74, 1974–75
Country
Spain- European Football ChampionshipUEFA European Football ChampionshipThe UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA . Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current...
: 1964
Individual
- Pichichi: 1968–69, 1969–70
- Pichichi: Second Division 1961–62
- Ballon d'Or: Third Place 1964
External links
- BDFutbol profile
- BDFutbol profile
- National team data
- Real Madrid archives
- International appearances at RSSSFRec.Sport.Soccer Statistics FoundationThe Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation is an international amateur organization dedicated to collecting statistics about association football...