Europe 1 with AFP 2:48 p.m., January 18, 2022

Real Madrid legend Paco Gento died on Tuesday morning at the age of 88, the club announced. He is the only player in history to have won six European Cups for champion clubs. His gigantic record had raised him to the first rank of the most successful players in the history of Real Madrid, with 23 titles. 

Real Madrid announced on Tuesday morning the death at 88 of Paco Gento, legend of the Spanish club between 1953 and 1971 and the only player in history to have won six European Cups for champion clubs.

In 18 seasons at Real Madrid, Francisco "Paco" Gento had scored 182 goals in 601 matches, and had forged an enormous record, with, in addition to his 6 European Cups, 12 Spanish Championships and 2 European Cups. Spain, among others.

He was still honorary president of Real Madrid.

The lively and fast left winger had formed a fiery attack alongside Alfredo di Stéfano, Hector Rial, Ferenc Puskas then Raymond Kopa (from 1956 to 1959), and had lifted five consecutive C1s with the three first between 1956 and 1960.

8 C1 finals, two defeats

He then won a sixth six years later, in 1966, alongside other legends like Manu Sanchis or Pirri. In total, Paco Gento played in 8 C1 finals, including two lost: in 1962 against Benfica Lisbon and in 1964 against Inter Milan. Another record he shared with the Italian Paolo Maldini (AC Milan). “The figure of Paco Gento faithfully represents all the values ​​of Real Madrid, he was and will remain a reference for 'Madridism' and for the world of sport. Football lovers will remember him as one of the great legends of our sport," Real Madrid wrote in a statement.

His gigantic record had raised him to the first rank of the most successful players in the history of Real Madrid, with 23 titles.

It took almost half a century for him to be joined there on Sunday by Brazilian side Marcelo, after Madrid's victory in the Spanish Super Cup in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia).

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

Two World Cups played

Paco Gento was also international with Spain 43 times (5 goals).

He played in the qualifiers for Euro-1964, but he is only partially associated with this first major trophy in the history of "La Roja", because he had not been selected for the semi-finals and the final, won against the USSR (2-1) at the Bernabeu stadium.

He also played in two World Cups (1962 and 1966).

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 academy, playing two seasons in the first team (2017-2019 ) before joining Atlético Madrid.