Juan Carlos Touriño

Juan Carlos Touriño Cancela (14 July 1944 – 7 March 2017) was a professional footballer who played as a defender. After starting his career in Argentina, he won two La Liga titles and two Spanish Cups with Real Madrid, and made one appearance for the Spain national team.

Early life Touriño was born in the Parque Patricios district of Buenos Aires, Argentina, to immigrant Spanish parents who had fled the Spanish Civil War. As a youngster, he supported local team Huracán but did not begin playing football until the age of 15 as his parents would not allow him to have a football. He went on to make over 100 appearances for the club. In 1968, he participated in a tour of Africa with Racing Club de Avellaneda under manager Juan José Pizzuti which utilised a number of players from other Argentine teams. Signed by manager Miguel Muñoz, Touriño played over 100 league games for Real Madrid between 1970 and 1976, during which time he was part of three La Liga championship and two Spanish cup winning squads.

Early in his Real Madrid spell, he was part of the squad that reached the 1971 European Cup Winners' Cup Final which they lost to Chelsea F.C. In 1971–72, he won his first league championship with the club. He broke his tibia and fibula in 1973, and during his recuperation began suffering from depression and considered retiring from football but was convinced to carry on playing by the Real Madrid staff.

International career Touriño made his only international appearance on 12 January 1972 in Spain's 1–0 victory over Hungary. and treasurer. He has worked within the organisation to promote the idea that access to football facilities could help prevent young people from becoming addicted to drugs. and lectured on football management at the Facultad de Psciología at the University of Buenos Aires. In February 2008, he returned to Real Madrid to unveil a plaque in honour of fellow Argentine footballer Alfredo Di Stéfano.

Touriño was a keen reader and writer of poetry and said that it was his dream that some day someone would set one of his poems to music.