Fifty-six years after his sixth and last continental title, won in 1966, Gento still sits at the top of the list of players who have won the most C1s: the first five in history with the icon Alfredo Di Stéfano (1956-1960 ), of which he was one of the best lieutenants, and the sixth a little later, in 1966, once thirty and captain of Real.

Nicknamed "the Galerna of Cantabria", named after a stormy wind that sweeps through his native land, on the northern coast of Spain, Paco Gento also lost two other finals in 1962 and 1964, co-holding with the Italian Paolo Maldini (AC Milan) the record for C1 finals played.

This unique track record earned him the appointment of honorary president of Real Madrid in 2016 to succeed Di Stéfano, who died in 2014.

The Real Madrid team before a match in the Spanish capital in 1954. Paco Gento is the far right of the players seated, in the center of which is the legendary Alfredo Di Stéfano - AFP/Archives

"I'm talking to you about a magnificent man and a great player," club president Florentino Pérez said at the time.

"Dear Paco Gento, beyond your track record, you represent the values ​​of Real Madrid, you belong to this crest and you will forever remain in the hearts of all +Madridistas+ in the world."

"He hits like a cannon"

Gento, very physical but too clumsy, had nevertheless been criticized on his debut in the Madrid jersey.

But the shady Di Stéfano had recommended Santiago Bernabeu, legendary club president, to keep the winger.

"He's fast and he hits the ball like a cannon. It can't be learned, it's innate. The rest, we can teach him," said the Argentine striker, according to comments reported by his biographer Alfredo Relaño.

Gento quickly proved him right: his running speed impressed his opponents in a left lane where he ruled the roost.

And in 18 seasons, the player born in 1933 in Guarnizo (northern Spain) played 600 official matches and scored 182 goals for Real.

Paco Gento presents the Ballon d'Or to Cristiano Ronaldo on the lawn of Real Madrid before a club match against Granada on January 7, 2017 GERARD JULIEN AFP/Archives

Revealed at Racing Santander, the young Francisco Gento Lopez arrived in Madrid in 1953, at only 19 years old.

He ended his career there in 1971 in a final Cup Winners' Cup final lost to Chelsea (1-1, 2-1), after twelve Spanish league titles, two Spanish Cups and an Intercontinental Cup. .

A record total of 23 titles with Real, only equaled on Sunday by the Brazilian side Marcelo, after the victory of the Tuesday club in the Spanish Super Cup.

Hinge

Gento was at the crossroads between two eras, that of the great Real of Di Stéfano, Raymond Kopa and Ferenc Puskas, then the "Real des yéyés", winner of a sixth European Cup in 1966, in the midst of music Anglo-Saxon and the Beatles.

Became captain, the Cornish winger then the new merengue generation embodied by Amancio Amaro, who will be part of the victorious Spanish selection of Euro-1964, the first major trophy - and for a long time the only one - in the history of the "Roja ".

Gento is only partially associated with this international title: present during the playoffs, he was not selected for the final phase in Spain and did not play in the semi-finals or the final won against the USSR (2 -1) at the Bernabeu stadium.

Paco Gento and Raymond Kopa pose with the European Champion Clubs' Cup on April 3, 2006 in Reims FRANCOIS NASCIMBENI AFP/Archives

The Madrid winger nevertheless wore the Spanish jersey 43 times, from 1955 to 1969, scoring five goals and playing in two World Cups (1962 and 1966).

And he paved the way for a beautiful family saga since his nephews Paco Llorente and Julio Llorente in turn wore the Real jersey in the 1980s. Then his great-nephew Marcos Llorente cut his teeth at the Real Madrid training center. Real, playing two seasons in the first team (2017-2019) before joining Atlético Madrid.

© 2022 AFP