Former Real Madrid player and current sporting director Emilio Butragueno says Ignacio Zoco personified everything about Real Madrid.
The 76-year-old ex-defensive midfielder died on Monday in Madrid. During an illustrious playing career, Zoco played 434 games for Los Blancos and won seven league titles between 1962 and 1974. He also won the European Cup with Real in 1966 and the European Championship with Spain in 1964.
After he retired from the game, Zoco remained closely linked with the club, serving on the board of directors as well as first team match delegate for four years between 1994 and 1998.
Butragueno hailed Zoco as one of a kind and for being a true role model on and off the pitch.
“He belonged to our club’s golden era. He was a legendary man for many reasons, not only for what he gave us on the pitch. He remained a role model and personified the values of this club,” he told the club’s official website.
And he added: “This is a very sad day for Real Madrid. When I made it to the first team, he had become a delegate and we had a lot of contact with him. He played an extremely important role in the Association of Former Players. The team will wear black armbands on Wednesday.”
