Last update May 20, 2024 by colgadosporelfutbol
Paco Buyo, whose full name is Francisco Buyo Sánchez, It is a name that any Spanish football fan remembers with affection and admiration.. For being a legend of Spanish football, one of the best goalkeepers in the history of Spain and also an icon in Real Madrid where he lived and developed the best of his career. And it is not the only one of his records. Born on 13 of January of 1958 in Betanzos, Corunna, Let's remember the career of one of the best goalkeepers in the history of Real Madrid.
Paco Buyo, among footballers who have played the most games in the Spanish League
Buyo's long career, led him to debut in football with RCD Mallorca 1975/76. It was the 3rd Division and Betanzos barely played 5 matches. Then there was 4 years with Depor in the Second Division where he played quite regularly and moved to Sevilla in 1980. that season, the 1980/81, It was his debut in the Spanish First Division. A category where he would become one of the footballers with the most games played in the First Division Spanish. Specific 542 distributed in 199 as Sevilla goalkeeper and 343 defending Real Madrid's goal.
11 years at Real Madrid
But Paco Buyo He is especially remembered for his 11 seasons at Real Madrid, since 1986 until 1997. In those years, He won the hearts of fans with his spectacular saves and his character on the field. Not only was he an exceptional goalkeeper for his agility and reflexes, but also for his ability to remain calm in the most tense moments. With Buyo in goal, Real Madrid won six Leagues, two Copa del Rey and two UEFA Cups, three Super Cups and 2 Zamora trophies. Securing his place in club history.
And against all odds, Buyo always remained Real Madrid's starting goalkeeper except for the last few 2 seasons when he progressively gave way to Santi Cañizares and later to Bodo Illgner. In the season 1996-97, only season without playing a game and already with 39 years, Paco Buyo retired from Real Madrid. curiously 1 year before the Madridistas won the seventh European Cup after almost 4 decades without doing it.
Buyo's career in the Spanish team
Although his career with the Spanish team was not as extensive as his club career, The Betanzos goalkeeper had the honor of defending La Roja's goal seven times. that if, Paco Buyo can boast of being the goalkeeper who defended the goal of the Spanish team in one of its most glorious days in its history. And the Galician, He was Spain's goalkeeper in that famous 12 a 1 to Malta in December 1983.
Surely one of his moles in his career, was not playing in any World Cup defending the Spanish goal. Especially in the World USA 1994, when Buyo was in one of his best moments as a professional despite already having 35 years. This also, It came together with a fairly harsh controversy with Javier Clemente. And the mythical Javi, true to his politically incorrect character, llegó a afirmar que “Buyo cantaba más que Pavarotti”.
Bitter moments as a footballer
Buyo's career was full of great successes, but bitter moments also had a place in it. Without going further, the painful incident of the rocket launched at him in Pamplona, at the Sadar stadium. Or his notorious clash with Futre in a derby. Something that was controversial for a long time. Until in the summer of 2022, the Portuguese suffered a heart attack. After fortunately recovering, Futre acknowledged that one of the first to call him had been Buyo himself., thus closing a controversy that had lasted more than 3 decades. Paco Buyo, without a doubt a legend of Spanish football.
