It is likely that many years will pass before Paco Gento's feat is overtaken. In addition to his six continental trophies, he has also won the 1964 Nations Cup, 12 league titles, 2 Cups, a World Cup and an Intercontinental Cup.

For a long time he was and continues to be considered the best left winger in the world, just as Garrincha was on the other wing. “La Galerna del Cantabrico”, as he was nicknamed, amazed everyone with his speed and precision in his crosses and shots.

There are hundreds of anecdotes about him. One day Alfredo Di Stefano told me that Gento was the best. In a match we played in San Mamés, against Athletic, he was great. Rival audiences gave him a standing ovation. We had already retired to the locker room and Paco had to go out to greet the fans, because they continued to applaud him ".

Another former Real Madrid player and compatriot of Gento, Vicente Miera, told me recently: “Paco was a phenomenon. Before jumping on the pitch, in the locker room, we all knew it. If he was thoughtful or sad, mean, Paco was not well that day. But if we saw him rubbing his hands, as often happened, then we already knew that Paco would give his all. He did not fail ”.

Gento was simply a genius, the player who brought speed and precision to ball control in football. His dribbles left his rivals sitting down. A man ahead of his time, capable of doing what no one else could do. Since 2015 he has been Honorary President of Real Madrid. Cantabria and Real Madrid were his great loves, by his own admission - repeated several times. Today the small region of northern Spain and the most successful club in world football history are in mourning, because our genius is gone.

I still remember him full of vitality and good humor in our last meeting in the Real Madrid trophy room, before the 13 European Cups, on 1 February 2019, when we presented him with the trophy as one of the 25 best Cantabrian athletes in history. Excited, as when they gave him the first one, he looked at it and thanked us: “Tell all the sports journalists in Cantabria: thank you very much. They have always treated me very well. "

Thanks to you, Paco, for many beautiful football afternoons, for your example of fair play. Always present in our hearts.