Luis Suarez Miramontes dead at 88: Spain’s last Ballon d’or winner and former national team manager passes away
LEGENDARY football star Luis Suarez Miramontes - Spain's last winner of the Ballon d'Or - has died aged 88.
He is regarded as one of the greatest Spanish football players of all time.
Suarez was a midfielder for Barcelona, Inter Milan and Sampdoria during a playing career that ran from 1953 to 1973.
He also managed the Spanish national team and led them to the second round of the World Cup at Italia 90.
Nicknamed The Architect - he is regarded as pioneering the modern attacking midfielder role.
Suarez played as an inside forward for one of the great Barcelona teams of the 1950s - winning two LaLigas and two Copa de España titles with the club.
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He won the Ballon D'or in 1960 - finishing ahead of legendary Hungarian forward Ferenc Puskas to win the award.
In doing so, he became the first Barcelona player to win a Ballon D'or.
Following his Ballon D'or win in 1960 he transferred to Inter Milan for a world record fee in 1961.
At Inter he played a crucial role in the 'Grande Inter' team which won three Serie A's and two consecutive European cups - it is regarded as the greatest team in Inter's history.
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Between 1961 and 1970 he made 328 appearances for the club and scored 55 goals - despite playing as a deep lying playmaker.
Suarez played 32 games for his national side and scored 14 goals - representing Spain at the 1962 and 1966 World Cups.
His greatest achievement at national level saw him lift the 1964 European Championship as part of the team - their only international trophy until winning the 2008 Euros.
His managerial career began in 1973 when he managed Genoa.
His career saw him manage a number of Italian clubs which included three separate stints with Inter.
The Milanese club led the tributes to their former midfielder, with a tweet saying: "The perfect footballer who, with his talent, has inspired generations. Ciao, Lusito."
His former club Barcelona wrote: "Football legend. Barca legend."
The club then listed his titles with the club before writing: "We will really miss you. Rest in peace, Luis Suárez Miramontes. 🕊️"