Santiago Bernabeu is an institution in the Real Madrid. The former president, with whose name the white stadium was baptized, He went down in the club’s history for his magnificent management between 1943 and 1982. During that period, Madrid became the most successful club in Europe, lifting six Champions, in addition to 16 leagues and six King’s Cups. However, before succeeding as a manager, Bernabéu was an idol as a footballer.
He entered as a youth in what, at that time, was called Madrid Foot-ball Club, of which his brother was a founding member. After standing out in the lower categories, he made his debut at the age of 16 (1912) in a friendly and, two seasons later, in an official match. He soon got hooked on the hobby of the estadio O’Donnell, where whites acted as locals. An insatiable scorer who formed with the French René Small one of the most important offensive couples in the history of the club.
One of Bernabéu’s best moments as a player came in 1916. Madrid and Barcelona faced each other in the Copa del Rey semifinals in a fratricidal duel that would be the seed of the rivalry that exists today between both teams. The footballer born in Almansa was the undisputed star of that tie that ended up being decided in four games and with much controversy.
On March 26, Barça won the first leg 2-1. The return was a week later and those of the capital, emboldened by the defeat, thrashed the Blaugranas 4-1. Then the Bernabéu show began, scoring three goals in that match. At that time, goals were not taken into account when breaking a tie, so Madrid and Barcelona played a tiebreaker at O’Donnell days later.
That meeting is in the history of both teams. They finished 6-6 after an extension in which neither of them could break the tie. The first half ended 2-2, with a missed penalty and a goal for Bernabéu, and the 90 minutes with 4-4. It was in extra time where the Madrid hero dressed up as a hero, scoring 5-4 and, after Barça got 5-6, scoring the final 6-6 on the hour, which led the tie to another tiebreaker.
In the fourth and final match, also played at O’Donnell, Barcelona again took the lead (0-2), but an inspired Bernabéu tied the game with two goals and forced extra time. In it, two of his assists to Aranguren ended the tie (4-2). The Catalans asked that the last goal be annulled due to a lack of the goalkeeper, but the referee did not indicate anything. His response was to leave the field before the final whistle.
In those games, Bernabéu began to forge his legend, which continues to this day. A magnificent player and an even better president who took Real Madrid to the top by being excellent in both facets.