Luis Suárez Miramontes

Luis Suárez Miramontes ( born May 2, 1935 in A Coruña, Galicia ) is a former Spanish footballer and coach.

Club career

Suárez was born in A Coruña in Galicia and also grew up there. At age 10 he began the school team of Accion Catolica Tomas in his home city of A Coruña with organized kicking, served subsequently in two other smaller clubs high, so that his path in 1951 resulted in the Youth Department of Deportivo La Coruña. The people in charge do not misjudged his footballing qualities and so he made his debut at age 18 on December 6, 1953 in the first team in the 1:6 defeat against FC Barcelona in the Primera Division. By the end of the season midfielder Suarez had completed 17 games ( 3 goals ) and become a regular player.

After this strong second half, he joined in the summer of 1954 for the equivalent of 6,500 euros to FC Barcelona to Catalonia, where he first played in the reserve team SD España Industrial and cut his teeth had to earn it first. But in 1955 managed " Luisito " made ​​it into the first team and also became a regular player in the midfield. In " Barça ", he played together with László Kubala, Zoltán Czibor, Sándor Kocsis and legendary goalkeeper Antoni Ramallets, which was extremely helpful for his footballing development. He was out of the team here to stay and has developed into a technically perfect playmaker who could read the game and his teammates supplied with millimeter precision passes.

But he excelled not only as a rigger, but sought even the way to the gate and met in the league in every other game ( statistically speaking ). Under coach Helenio Herrera the team in 1959 (now the Copa del Rey Copa del Generalissimo, ) won the Spanish league and cup double in. The championship winning 1958/59 succeeded Barca with 96 goals in 30 league games ( 51:9 points) and arch-rival Real Madrid was kept at four points at a distance. With the prolific interior storm Kocsis, Evaristo and Suarez becoming the first champion title was brought to Camp Nou in six years. In 1960, the next championship and Suárez had made itself into a world class player. As an expression of his abilities, he was elected in the same year the European Footballer of the year, so it was up to 2012 ( Andrés Iniesta won the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award ) is the only Spanish-born player, who was bestowed this honor (except it only won the naturalized Argentine Alfredo Di Stéfano as a Spaniard that price ). His last game for Barcelona was the final of the European Champions Cup in 1961, but the Spaniard lost 2:3 against Benfica.

Coach Herrera left Barcelona to Italy to train Inter Milan. Suárez followed the success coach after 139 league games and 62 goals in the Primera Division (of which 122/60 for Barcelona) and moved in 1961 for a then-record sum of 250 million lire ( the equivalent of 142,000 pounds sterling) also to Inter. Suárez, as the most expensive player in the world should have received a substantial earnest money for this transfer. But the change should be worthwhile for player and club, the era of "La Grande Inter" would make the start and Suárez experienced the most successful period of his career. Coach Herrera Suárez built into his Catenaccio system as a playmaker who should act as a switchboard between defense and attack.

Later, he presented him with Sandro Mazzola a talented player on the page that helped him. Inter was the mid-1960s as the best club team in the world and won in 1963, 1965 and 1966 the Scudetto. Internationally, the team made ​​a sensation and won 1964 ( 3:1 against Real Madrid), and 1965 ( 1-0 against Benfica ), respectively the European Champions Cup. Also in 1964 and 1965, the World Cup was won (both for CA Independiente ). In 1970 the veteran with 35 years of Inter Milan after 257 Serie A games ( 42 goals) and joined for three years Sampdoria before 1973 - after 64 games with eight goals - ended his active career.

Career in the National Team

1957 Suárez gave his debut in the national team. He belonged to the Spanish squad that at the World Cup in Chile took in 1962, but already eliminated in the first round. But two years later celebrated the " Selección " with playmaker Suárez her first international title and won the European Football Championship 1964. In the final, the Soviet Union was defeated 2-1. This should remain until 2008 the only title before Spain became European champions again.

After this success and with top stars such as Francisco Gento, José Ángel Iribar and Pirri Spain was considered a dark horse for the 1966 World Cup in England. But the team's disappointing turn right down the line and had to go to the first round four years ago to return home. After this bitter disappointment Suárez ended his career in the national team.

Career as a coach

Following the return to his native Spain, he took over in 1978, the coach of Deportivo La Coruna. However, similar great success as a player denied to him. In 1980, he accepted an offer of the Spanish Football Federation and was responsible for youth work. In 1984 he took the Under-21 Vice- Championship, and two years later by a final victory over Italy the European title. At the World Cup in Mexico in 1986, he served as an assistant coach Miguel Muñoz, whose successor Suárez took after the European Football Championship 1988.

In 1990, the 55- year-old's " Seleccion " for the World Cup to Italy, where the team was eliminated in the second round against Yugoslavia. In summer 1994, Suarez returned to the Spanish league and coached briefly Albacete Balompié. As a coach awarded him especially the open approach with the players. In addition, however, he sat at Inter Milan three times in the dugout, 1974-1975, and 1992 and 1995, both times only as interim coach.