Ignacio Zoco Esparza (31 July 1939 – 28 September 2015) was a Spanish footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.
He spent 12 years of his professional career with Real Madrid, appearing in 434 competitive matches and winning ten major titles.Florentino: «Zoco representa los valores de nuestro club» (Florentino: "Zoco represents the values of our club"); La Razón, 28 September 2015 (in Spanish)
Zoco played more than 20 times with Spain, winning the 1964 European Nations' Cup and also representing the nation at the 1966 World Cup.
Club career Born in Garde, Navarre,Ignacio Zoco: "Di Stéfano era bueno en todo, un superdotado" (Ignacio Zoco: "Di Stéfano was good at everything, a genius"); Libertad Digital, 28 November 2014 (in Spanish) Zoco joined CA Osasuna from another side in the region, amateurs CD Oberena.A Zoco le sacaron de un cine para fichar: "¿Al Madrid o al Barcelona? ¡Al Madrid!" (Zoco was taken out of a movie theater to sign: "To Madrid or Barcelona? To Madrid!"); El Confidencial, 29 September 2015 (in Spanish) After spending the first months on loan to CD Iruña, he made his La Liga debut on 10 January 1960 in a 2–1 away loss against Real Oviedo, and eventually started in all of his appearances as the season ended in relegation.El séptimo descenso de Osasuna (Osasuna's seventh relegation); Diario de Navarra, 26 April 2017 (in Spanish)
In the summer of 1962, Zoco signed for powerhouse Real Madrid, playing only 13 matches in his first year, which ended with league conquest, but becoming a starter from there onwards. In 1965–66, apart from appearing in every minute in the domestic competition, he added nine complete games in that campaign's European Cup, including the final against FK Partizan (2–1 win).Ignacio Zoco Esparza – Matches in European Cups; at RSSSF
Apart from those two accolades, Zoco won a further six national championships and two Copa del Rey trophies with Real Madrid, totalling 64 appearances in European competition with the Merengues (six goals scored). He retired in June 1974 at the age of 35 and, 20 years later, was appointed the club's match delegate in replacement of Miguel Ángel González,Zoco nuevo delegado del equipo (Zoco new team delegate); El País, 13 January 1994 (in Spanish) retaining the position until 1998.Chendo busca... ¡la 'Novena'! (Chendo in search of... the 'Ninth'!); Marca, 1 June 2024 (in Spanish)
International career Zoco earned 25 caps for Spain, making his debut on 19 April 1961 in a 2–1 away win against Wales for the 1962 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He was selected for the squads at the 1964 European Nations' Cup, helping the national team to win the tournament, and the 1966 World Cup.Os jogadores do Real Madrid que participaram de Copas do Mundo (The Real Madrid players who took part in World Cups); Goal, 6 June 2018 (in Portuguese)
Personal life and death Zoco married singer-songwriter María Ostiz (born 1944) in 1968, with the couple fathering three children and going on to remain married until his death. He succeeded Alfredo Di Stéfano at the helm of Real Madrid's Veterans Association, after the latter's death.Zoco sustituye a Di Stéfano como presidente de los veteranos (Zoco replaces Di Stéfano as veterans' president); Marca, 10 September 2014 (in Spanish)
Zoco died in Madrid on 28 September 2015, after a long illness. He was 76 years old.Muere Ignacio Zoco, legendario jugador del Real Madrid (Ignacio Zoco, legendary Real Madrid player, dies); El Mundo, 28 September 2015 (in Spanish)Muere Ignacio Zoco, una leyenda del Real Madrid 'ye-yé' (Ignacio Zoco, legend of 'ye-yé' Real Madrid, dies); Diario AS, 28 September 2015 (in Spanish)
Career statistics + # Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 1 December 1963 Mestalla, Valencia, Spain 1–1 1–2 FriendlyEspaña, 1 – Belgica, 2 (Spain, 1 – Belgium, 2); Mundo Deportivo, 2 December 1963 (in Spanish)
Honours Real Madrid La Liga: 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1971–72 Copa del Generalísimo: 1969–70, 1973–74; runner-up: 1967–68 European Cup: 1965–66 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup runner-up: 1970–71 Intercontinental Cup runner-up: 1966
Spain UEFA European Championship: 1964
Individual UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1964
References
External links