Marcos Alonso, the end of a great saga, dies at 63

Marcos Alonso, during the presentation at Barcelona in the 82-83 season. Yv (EFE)

Marcos Alonso Peña, father of the current Barcelona defender, and former player of Racing Santander, Atlético de Madrid and the Barça club, died yesterday at the age of 63 as a result of cancer.

The son of Marquitos, a mythical defender for Real Madrid, winner of five European Cups, he was a fast winger with dribbling who became international 22 times.

The picture of him running down the wing, with his bangs over his eyes, was one of the iconic images of Spanish football in the early eighties.

Born in Santander, he went through the Real Madrid academy, where he failed to settle and signed for the club from his land.

He made his debut with Racing in the First Division at the age of 17 and drew attention for his self-confidence and his ability to balance.

In 1979 he signed for Atlético de Madrid, where he played until 1982. With the rojiblanco club he reached international status thanks to José Emilio Santamaría in 1981 and was on the shortlist for the 1982 World Cup. 1979 and at the 80 Moscow Olympic Games. His debut with the national team was in a historic friendly when Spain defeated England for the first time at Wembley (1-2).

In his first stage as a rojiblanco,

, as he was known for his joviality and his baby face, was about to win the 1981 League championship, forming a well-remembered striker along with Rubio and Rubén Cano.

In 1982 it was transferred to Barcelona by the hand of Josep Luis Núñez.

The Barça leader signed him at the same time as Diego Armando Maradona as part of an ambitious project that already included Bernd Schuster and some of the best national players such as Quini, Alexanco, Migueli, Carrasco, Urruti and Víctor Muñoz.

To these were added that same summer his teammate at Atlético, the left back Julio Alberto, Morán, Urbano and Periko Alonso.

He became a great friend of Maradona and was one of the few teammates invited by the Argentine star to his wedding, along with Real Madrid player José Antonio Camacho.

In 1982 Marcos Alonso, first on the right, signed for Barcelona.

In the image, together with the rest of the Barcelona club's signings: Morán, Urbano, the German coach Udo Lattek, Maradona, Julio Alberto and Periko Alonso. Sigfrid Casals (Getty Images)

With Barcelona he won a League (1984/85), a Copa del Rey (1983), a Spanish Super Cup (1983) and two League Cups (1983 and 1986).

His best moments as a Barça player were the goal against Real Madrid that led to the cupbearer title and his decisive participation in the aforementioned league tournament won in 1985, in which he was a fundamental piece for the English coach Terry Venables.

A year later came the most painful episode for him as a Barça player as a member of the team that lost the European Cup final in a penalty shootout in Seville against Steaua Bucharest.

He was one of four Barcelona pitchers who missed.

His final stage at the Barça club was marked by his substitutions.

In 1987 Jesús Gil y Gil recruited him as an electoral claim along with Paulo Futre and returned to Atlético de Madrid.

A serious knee injury made his second stage as a rojiblanco difficult and in 1989 he went to Logroñés, where he played his last season in the First Division.

A year later he signed for Racing, to which he returned to help them rise from Segunda División B to Segunda A and then retire.

Marcos Alonso, the day of his debut as Atlético coach against Racing de Ferrol (1-1) in October 2000. Manuel Escalera

After his time as a player, he began his coaching career as Jorge D'Alessandro's assistant at Atlético de Madrid.

Heavily influenced by the ideas of Cesar Luis Menotti, who coached him at Barcelona, ​​he was a coach with a marked offensive character.

Rayo Vallecano, Atlético de Madrid in the rojiblanco club's first year in Segunda, Sevilla, Zaragoza, Málaga, Valladolid and Granada 74 were the clubs he led.

After leaving the bench, he worked for the sports brand Puma, as a commentator in various media and focused on advising his son's career.

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