10 greatest players in La Liga history ranked - Do Messi and Ronaldo make the cut?

#7 Alfredo di Stéfano - Real Madrid

Alfredo di Stefano

Alfredo di Stefano is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest to have laced a pair of football boots. The Argentine had one of the most profound impacts in the animosity between Real Madrid and Barcelona, when he joined the former having already agreed on a move with the latter (more on that later).

Having made a name for himself at River Plate and subsequently Millonarios, Madrid president Santiago Bernabeu was quick to take advantage of the fiasco surrounding Di Stefano’s move to Barcelona and snapped him up, a decision which changed history as we know it.

The Argentine, who later represented the Spanish national team, spent 11 successful seasons with Real Madrid, helping them win 5 European Cups coupled with 8 La Liga titles and a solitary Copa del Rey and laid the foundation of the super club that Los Blancos currently identify themselves as.

"Saeta rubia" or "Blond Arrow" as he was popularly nicknamed, scored a total of 308 goals for Real Madrid in 396 appearances and has the distinction of being the only player in history to have scored in 5 consecutive European Cup finals – a feat unfathomable in the present scenario.

He is also the only player ever to have scored in 5 European Cup finals and along with his partner Ferenc Puskas, holds the record for most goals scored in European Cup finals, with the duo scoring 7 each. Di Stefano is also only second to Telmo Zarra in the all-time Pichichi race, having won it on 5 occasions to Zarra’s 6.

Di Stefano is also the only player in history to have been awarded the Super Ballon d’Or in 1989. The Real Madrid legend makes it to the list at 7th position, only marginally, and has 481.365 points to his name.