Antonio Pais Castroagudín

Antonio Pais Castroagudín (7 December 1938 – 13 March 2018) was a Spanish footballer who played as a midfielder.

Having started his career with Celta Vigo in the Segunda División, he played 123 La Liga games and scored 19 goals for Barcelona, Mallorca and Real Zaragoza. He spent six seasons at the last of those clubs, winning the Copa del Generalísimo in 1964 and 1966 and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1964.

Career Born in Padrón in the Province of A Coruña, Pais was raised in Santiago de Compostela. His father was a property registrar who disavowed of football as a profession, while his brother was a talented player who dedicated himself to a career in law.

Pais played for Club Arenal de Santiago before having a trial at Deportivo de La Coruña at age 16. He turned down their offer and returned home to play for Club Santiago in the Tercera División.

Pais joined Celta Vigo in April 1959. He arrived at a club that had just been relegated after 15 years in La Liga and became a regular in midfield, playing over 20 games in both of his seasons with 3 and 7 goals respectively, though his club lost the promotion playoffs in each.

In 1961, Pais transferred to Barcelona on a three-year deal for a fee of 1.8 million Spanish pesetas.

Pais played the 1962–63 season at Mallorca, having been close to joining Barcelona's city rivals Español. Pais signed for Real Zaragoza in 1963, managed by Antonio Ramallets, who had briefly been his teammate at Barcelona. He formed part of the side known as Los Magníficos in that decade. He totalled 130 games and 15 goals for the Aragonese club in all competitions, winning the domestic cup in 1964 and 1966 plus the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1964.

Personal life Pais retired in 1969 and on the recommendation of Real Zaragoza's president, entered the steel industry in the city. His wife Consuelo Iglesias had three sons and a daughter, all born in Zaragoza. One son became a journalist and the daughter a doctor, both working in Santiago de Compostela, while the other sons became a lawyer and an executive in Zaragoza.

Pais returned to Santiago de Compostela, where he died aged 79 on 13 March 2018.