The Atlético family mourns the passing of Enrique Collar
One of our greatest legends has passed away at the age of 91. A winner of one League title, three Copas and one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup while defending our colours, he also served as team captain for ten years—from 1960 to 1969—more than any other player in our club’s history.
Atlético de Madrid is in mourning following the death of Enrique Collar, who has passed away at the age of 91.
A skillful left winger, he played 470 matches and scored 105 goals as a Red & White player between 1953 and 1969, making him the club’s fifth-highest appearance-maker in official competitions—level with Antoine Griezmann—and the player who wore the captain’s armband for the longest period: a total of 10 years, from 1960 to 1969.
Born on Nov. 2, 1934 in San Juan de Aznalfarache (Seville), Enrique Collar first started at Imperial CF in his hometown and later, already in Madrid, at Peña Norit. In 1949 he joined Atlético’s youth ranks, where his greatest achievement was winning the Spanish Youth Championship in 1952. On Nov. 3, 1952, upon turning 18, he signed his first professional contract with Atlético de Madrid, before being loaned to Cádiz CF for the 1952/53 season. After returning from his loan, he made his first-team debut on Sep. 13, 1953, in the opening league match of that campaign away to Espanyol.
Nicknamed ‘El Niño’, Collar was loaned out once again during the first half of the 1954/55 season to Real Murcia, where he scored seven goals in 11 matches without tasting defeat. His decisive contribution helped set the foundations for the Pimentoneros’ promotion later that season, which took place when the Andalusian attacker was already back at Atleti, as his outstanding performances in the Segunda División had opened the doors of the Metropolitano for him in December 1954.
Thus began a memorable spell of 15 consecutive seasons as an Atlético player—16 in total including his debut campaign. Over those years he won one League title (1965/66), three Copas (1960, 1961 and 1965) and one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup (1962). He lifted all those trophies as team captain, starring in iconic moments such as the club’s first continental triumph, the farewell to the Metropolitano Stadium and the inauguration of the Estadio del Manzanares in 1966.
Alongside his inseparable friend Joaquín Peiró, he formed between 1955 and 1962 one of the most brilliant partnerships in the club’s history: ‘El Ala Infernal’. Their understanding on the left flank of Atlético’s attack was exemplary: Peiró operating as an attacking midfielder and Collar as the winger. Both scored in Collar’s first trophy as an Atlético player, the 1960 Copa del Rey final, in which we defeated Real Madrid 3–1, with ‘El Niño’ opening the scoring and ‘El Galgo del Metropolitano’ sealing the win.
However, Collar’s attacking chemistry was not limited to Peiró. Over a decade and a half, he shared the forward line with players of the caliber of Miguel, Escudero, Vavá, Mendonça, Jones, Ufarte and Gárate.
A Spain international on 16 occasions, he played at the 1962 World Cup in Chile and, upon his return, lifted the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup at Stuttgart’s Neckarstadion, where we defeated Fiorentina 3–0 in the replay of the final on Sep. 5, 1962. He also took part in the qualification phase for Euro 1964, contributing to the eventual triumph in that competition.
After concluding his Atlético career, and after one season at Valencia, Collar hung up his boots in 1970. Two years later he received a well-deserved tribute at the Vicente Calderón Stadium. On May 28, 1972, the Red & White fans paid homage to him in an afternoon in which he was awarded the club’s Gold and Diamond Badge, as well as the Silver Medal for Sporting Merit from the National Delegation for Sports and Physical Education. Bayern Munich were the invited opponents on that occasion, when Collar donned the Atleti shirt for the final time. He also received a gift from Larbi Ben Barek, who had been his teammate in the 1953/54 season.
Enrique Collar’s bond with the club endured throughout his life through the former Veterans’ Association, his relationship with fan clubs and supporters, and especially through his role as president of the Atlético de Madrid Foundation between 2005 and 2011. Those were years marked by dedication, hard work and commitment, as he carried out with distinction a role involving deep engagement with the humanitarian, cultural and educational initiatives undertaken year after year by our Foundation.
In recognition of his outstanding career, Enrique Collar was the face of Atlético de Madrid’s membership card for the 2023/24 season, following in the footsteps of former teammates and club legends such as Gárate, Luis Aragonés and Adelardo in previous campaigns.
With the passing of Enrique Collar, the Red & White family loses a symbol who gave everything to take Atlético de Madrid to the top of Spanish and European football. Our president, CEO, the rest of the Board of Directors and all club employees wish to convey our deepest condolences and join in the grief of his family and friends. Rest in peace.
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