A final goodbye to Amancio Amaro

Emotional and full. This was a farewell to a football legend. Amancio Amaro received the last greeting today. Family, players and fans gathered during the morning, and yesterday afternoon, in the burning chapel Santiago Bernabeu commemorate Wizard. Wreaths sent by clubs such as Atlético de Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona and memories of his time as a footballer paved the way to the coffin.

At the end of the room, a large black and white photo of Amanci was behind the coffin. On it lay the flag of Real Madrid and the white jersey with Amancio’s number 7. And the thirteen titles he won with the Madrid team — nine Leagues, three Cups and one European Cup — gave a touch of greatness and preserved the remains of the former player.

Jorge Valdano, Santiago Solari, Clifford Luyk and José Emilio Amavisca. or camacho They were some of the personalities from the world of football who wanted to pay tribute to the Galician. During the morning, representatives of the Real Madrid team were also present. Carlo Ancelotti was the first to arrive, after the arrival of the team from Liverpool, where they dedicated Amancija to a spectacular return to Anfield. port Modricwho was photographed with one of the grandsons of the man from A Coruña, and Daniel Carvajal They finished the performance. “A man who strongly defended the values ​​of local players and their efforts to come from the bottom. He was even closer with us,” the side recalled.

One of the most emotional moments was the hug with Iker Casillas with Consuelo, Amancio’s widow. Upon the arrival of the Madrid native, they embraced in a warm embrace.

He appeared after noon Alvaro Arbeloa, who summoned his entire staff Minor A to go to the presidential box at the Santiago Bernabéu. “It’s a mark of respect and admiration for someone who allowed them to have the opportunities they have and, above all, support for his grandson Jaime and his nephew Nelson, who was our physio,” he said.

After two days in which there were numerous expressions of love and affection, the coffin of the Madrid legend moved towards three songs, in the north of Madrid, so that his closest family and friends could say goodbye to Amancio in privacy.

Proud to be a Galician in a football family

Almost 600 kilometers from his biscay street, Amancio never stopped feeling proud of his roots. “My feeling for the country grows with age. I owe everything I am to Madrid and Real and I want to be grateful, but I feel very Galician, very Coruña“, he admitted in an interview for La Voz in 2000. »I took my first steps in Victoria’s team and I remember it with some clarity. Every time I get more and more homesick,” he added.

Amancio started a family with his common-law partner Consuelo, also from Galicia. In fact, the Amaro Vicentes are very much loved in Santa Cristina (Oleiros), where they tried to escape during the summer holidays (“I keep my childhood friends”, he admitted to La Vozu). Six children of the players are still remembered there. Many of them inherited their passion for football from their father. Although neither turned professional, Oscar, the eldest, founded — and runs — a company for the representation of footballers and since 2006 has been a FIFA agent licensed by the Spanish Federation. In addition, he advises players in the lower categories of Real Madrid and other teams in the capital. However, he is not the only Amaro to be associated with the white team.

Grandson trained in a quarry

James, the grandson of a winger from A Coruña, also belonged to the club. “He is not in the Real Madrid youth center because of his surname, he plays there because of his desire and commitment,” Amancio pointed out a few years ago. The midfielder, who was born in Madrid, entered the youth ranks of the white team in 2012. Jaime is currently part of the Juvenil del Fuenlabrada team. In the Appendix, Nelson Amaro, one of his nephews works as a physiotherapist at the Chamartín club.