Ignacio Zoco

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.^[1]

Zoco played more than 20 times with Spain, winning the 1964 European Nations' Cup and also representing the nation at the 1966 World Cup.

Born in Garde, Navarre,^[2] Zoco joined CA Osasuna from another side in the region, amateurs CD Oberena.^[3] 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.^[4]

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).^[5]

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).^[5] 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,^[6] retaining the position until 1998.^[7]

Zoco disputó 25 partidos con la selección española , debutando el 19 de abril de 1961 en una victoria a domicilio por 2-1 contra Gales en las eliminatorias para la Copa Mundial de la FIFA de 1962. [ ^{3 ] Fue} seleccionado para las plantillas de la Copa de las Naciones de Europa de 1964 , ayudando a la selección nacional a ganar el torneo, ^{[ 2 ]} y la Copa Mundial de 1966. ^{[ 8 ]}

Zoco se casó con la cantante y compositora María Ostiz (nacida en 1944) en 1974. La pareja tuvo tres hijos y permanecieron casados ​​durante 41 años. Tras el fallecimiento de Alfredo Di Stéfano , sucedió al frente de la Asociación de Veteranos del Real Madrid. ^{[ 9 ]}

Zoco falleció en Madrid el 28 de septiembre de 2015, tras una larga enfermedad. Tenía 76 años. ^{[ 10 ] [ 11 ]}

Real Madrid

• La Liga : 1962–63 , 1963–64 , 1964–65 , 1966–67 , 1967–68 , 1968–69 , 1971–72 ^{[ 13 ]}
• Copa del Generalísimo : 1969–70 , 1973–74 ; subcampeón: 1967–68 ^{[ 13 ]}
• Copa de Europa : 1965–66 ^{[ 13 ]}
• Subcampeón de la Recopa de Europa : 1970-71
• Subcampeón de la Copa Intercontinental : 1966

España

• Campeonato Europeo de la UEFA : 1964 ^{[ 13 ]}

Individual

• Equipo del Campeonato Europeo de la UEFA : 1964 ^{[ 14 ]}

• Ignacio Zoco en BDFutbol
• Ignacio Zoco en National-Football-Teams.com
• Ignacio Zoco – Récord de competición FIFA (archivado)
• Ignacio Zoco en EU-Football.info (archivado)