up the pitch to combine with his teammates and progress play like an interior in a 4-3-3. He can be best described as Real’s hook in possession, or midfield general, for everything flowed through him. Sometimes he was so obsessed with controlling every aspect of the game, that he could be seen taking the ball off his fellow teammate so that he could manage things himself!

Once in the final third, Di Stéfano turned into an attacking midfielder who would tantalize his markers with reverse step-overs and feints, before looking to feed Madrid’s four attackers. As the ball went out wide, he would turn into a center forward and make runs into the box.

He even defended a considerable amount, something that today’s stars would loathe to do.

His peerless mixStéfano and combine with Gento.

Paco Gento: Paco Gento was arguably the most exciting player in the world at the time. In games, it looked like he was an entertainer first and a professional footballer second. It was not uncommon to see Gento repeatedly attempt sombreros, nutmegs, and rabonas, even if it came at the cost of possession.

Despite this inefficiency in his play, he was Madrid’s most important outlet in attack due to his incredible pace. All counter-attacks were aimed at him and the Puskás-Gento one-two combination was a nearly unstoppable pattern that ensured a free cross out on the left-wing. He was also a skilled goal scorer and generous assister, making him one of Real’s most proficient attackers in their long and storied history.

Canário: While the above three