BARCELONA, 9 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The former soccer player and former coach Marcos Alonso Peña passed away this Thursday at the age of 63 as a result of an illness, and leaves behind a long career on the pitches, being international, and on the benches, in addition to a legacy in his children, among they are the current FC Barcelona player Marcos Alonso.
Born in Santander (Cantabria) in 1959, he grew up playing football in the lower categories of Real Madrid and Racing Santander, with whom he made his debut in the First Division, and played for Atlético de Madrid in two stages, FC Barcelona (where he won his titles) and Logroñés. In addition, he was a Spanish international 22 times.
His professional beginnings were at Racing Santander, a team with which he made his debut in the First Division while still a minor. His speed and dribbling on the wing, his strengths, earned him to sign for Atlético de Madrid in 1979.
However, his greatest successes were dressed as a blaugrana. As a ‘culer’, between 1982 and 1987, he won 1 League, 1 Copa del Rey, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 League Cups; all his palmares. In addition, he scored 39 goals in 182 official matches for FC Barcelona, where his son Marcos Alonso Mendoza now plays.
At Barça he coincided with Maradona, Schuster, Quini, Carrasco or Lineker. Great players with whom he shared glory. Undoubtedly, one of ‘Pichón’ Marcos Alonso’s best games was in the 1983 Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid, a goal including the last breath to give the Catalans the title (2-1).
He arrived at Barça in 1982 and stayed with the club until 1987, when he opted to return to Atlético de Madrid, where he played between 1979 and 1982 and then between 1987 and 1989. As a ‘colchonero’, in the total of his two stages, he played 143 official matches and scored 15 goals. In addition, already in his role as coach, he led the team in the 2000/01 season.
Behind, in terms of duels played, is Racing Santander (75 games and 9 goals) and Logroñés, where he barely played 5 games and scored 1 goal before hanging up his boots at ‘his’ Racing and embarking on a coaching career. which led him to direct Rayo Vallecano, Racing, Sevilla, Atlético, Zaragoza, Valladolid, Málaga and Granada.
As an international, following in the footsteps of his father ‘Marquitos’ and paving the way for his son to reach three generations of internationals, Marcos Alonso played 22 games with the Absolute, scoring a goal against Iceland in his penultimate cap.
The most striking anecdote, beyond scoring his only goal for Spain almost in his farewell to the national team, in 1985 in a match against Iceland to qualify for the World Cup, was that he played 3 minutes in the historic 12-1 victory between Spain and Malta. , in 1983, which gave Spain the ticket to the European Championship in France (they needed to win by 11 goals or more).
SON AND FATHER OF INTERNATIONALS
Marcos Alonso Peña was the son of the Spanish international player Marcos Alonso Imaz, also known as ‘Marquitos’, who came to Real Madrid at the age of 21 from Rayo Cantabria. ‘Marquitos’ was part of the team that with Di Stefano, Puskas and Gento won, among other titles, the first five editions of the European Cup.
Despite his father being an important player in the white club and training in the lower categories of Real Madrid, Marcos Alonso Peña, the ‘Pichón’, stood out at FC Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid, the two great rivals of the white club.
In addition, the grandson of ‘Marquitos’ and son of ‘Pichón’ Marcos Alonso Mendoza now plays for FC Barcelona under Xavi Hernández, following in the footsteps of his father. However, the Blaugrana center back and winger was formed and played, like his father and his grandfather, in a Real Madrid team that was well present in the Alonso saga.
CONDOLENCES AND TRIBUTES FROM YOUR CLUBS
Marcos Alonso left his mark on the clubs where he played and where he trained. “FC Barcelona expresses its deepest condolences for the death of Marcos Alonso Peña, former Barça player during the 1982-1987 seasons and father of the current first-team player. All our strength to Marcos Alonso and his family. Rest in peace”, said the Catalan club.
Atlético de Madrid also mourned his death. “The rojiblanca family is in mourning for the death of our former player and former coach Marcos Alonso Peña. We convey our most sincere condolences and join the pain of his family and friends. You will always be in our hearts. Rest in peace,” the club said. mattress ‘.
And it did not fail, among other entities that joined the mourning, the club in which it was formed. “The Real Racing Club expresses its regret for the death, today, of Marcos Alonso, who was a Verdiblanco player and coach in the First Division. The entity joins the pain of his family and loved ones, to whom it sends its deepest condolences”, said the Cantabrian club.
“The RFEF regrets the loss of Marcos Alonso, a 22-time international, and sends a very heartfelt hug to his family and friends in these difficult times. The world of football will always remember you for all the good you have contributed to our sport,” he said. the Royal Spanish Football Federation said goodbye to him.
Real Madrid, the club where he was formed and where his father and son played, wanted to say goodbye to the Cantabrian. “Real Madrid CF, its president and its Board of Directors deeply regret the death of Marcos Alonso Peña, a historic player and coach of Spanish football, son of our legend Marquitos and father of our youth squad Marcos Alonso, current FC Barcelona player,” he said. the white entity.