Real Madrid says goodbye to Di Stefano

Madrid, July 9 (IANS) Fans, sportsmen and several politicians said goodbye to Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano Tuesday at his funeral chapel at the Santiago Bernabeu, the stadium of Real Madrid.

Dozens of fans waited at the gates of the stadium to say goodbye to the honorary president of Real Madrid, who died at the age of 88 Monday after suffering a heart attack on Saturday afternoon, reports Xinhua.

Leading figures from the world of football and politics have visited the chapel of Di Stefano, including Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and the director of the team's Institutional Relations, Emilio Butragueno.

Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas was also at the funeral chapel to say goodbye. "When you say Di Stefano, you say Real Madrid," Casillas said.

He also thanked Di Stefano "instilling claws, courage, anger into the players who came after him. These are things we will eternally be grateful for".

Di Stefano was made honorary president of Real Madrid in 2000 and it is considered one of the greatest players in the history of football. He began to play in Argentina, where he was born, and joined Real Madrid in 1953.

Di Stefano won five consecutive European Cups between 1956 and 1960 with Real Madrid and was named Balon D'Or for the best European based footballer in 1957 and 1959.