Real Madrid Legend Jose Emilio Santamaria Dies At 96

Real Madrid has announced the death of Jose Emilio Santamaria, the Uruguayan-born centre-back who became one of the club’s most decorated players and later coached Spain at the 1982 World Cup. He was 96 years old.

“Real Madrid C. F., its President and its Board of Directors deeply regret the passing of Jose Emilio Santamaria, one of the greatest legends of our club and of world football,” the Spanish giants said in a statement on Wednesday.

Santamaria joined Real Madrid in 1957 from Uruguayan club Nacional and became a cornerstone of a team that defined an era. He won four European Cups with Los Blancos—in 1958, 1959, 1960, and 1966—alongside six La Liga titles and two Copa del Rey trophies.

Florentino Perez, the Real Madrid president, paid tribute to Santamaria’s place in the club’s storied history. “Alongside Di Stefano, Puskas, Gento and Kopa, that team began to build the legend of Real Madrid,” Perez said.

Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Santamaria earned 25 caps for his native country before becoming a naturalised Spanish citizen. He represented Spain at the 1962 World Cup in Chile and, two decades later, returned to the global stage as head coach of the Spanish national team for the 1982 World Cup hosted on home soil.

His playing career with Real Madrid spanned nine seasons, during which he made 337 official appearances and scored two goals. He retired in 1966 and transitioned into coaching, managing several Spanish clubs including Espanyol and Elche before taking charge of the national team from 1980 to 1982.

Santamaria was the last surviving member of the Real Madrid side that won the first five editions of the European Cup, a dynasty that established the club’s enduring reputation on the continent. His passing marks the end of a direct link to that foundational period in European club football.