44th anniversary of club's tribute to Pirri at the Santiago Bernabéu
On 15 May 1981, the team's stadium bid farewell to the club's current honorary president with an unprecedented match between Real Madrid and the Spanish national team.
On 15 May 1981, the Santiago Bernabéu paid tribute to one of Real Madrid's greatest legends. After his departure from Madrid for Mexico, where he would end his career a year later, José Martínez Pirri was given the recognition of the fans in an unprecedented match that saw Real Madrid and the Spanish national team play against each other. Pirri was captain of the Madridista team and posed with the line-ups of both teams before the start of the match, which ended in a draw (1-1).
Pirri made his debut on 8 November 1964, played 561 official matches and netted 172 goals for Real Madrid. He won 1 European Cup, 10 league titles, 4 Copa de España trophies and was capped 41 times by the Spanish national team. On 11 November 2023, the Real Madrid Members' Assembly unanimously elected him Honorary President of the club.
MATCH INFO
1-Real Madrid: Miguel Ángel, San José (Sabido, 46'), Pirri (García Navajas, 30'), Benito (Cunningham, 46'), García Cortés, Camacho, Del Bosque (García Hernández, 54'), Ángel, Isidro (Pineda, 65'), Juanito, Santillana.
1-Spanish national team: Arconada (Urruti, 46'), Celayeta (Gerardo, 46'), Alesanco (Maceda, 46'), Tendillo, Gordillo, Alonso, Joaquín, Víctor, Marcos, Montero, Morán (Esteban, 46').
Goals:
0-1 (min. 55): Joaquín.
1-1 (min. 60): Cunningham.