The former Argentine defender Jorge Griffachampion of the America Cup with the albiceleste team and numerous titles with the Atlético de Madriddied at the age of 88, as reported this Monday by the club of which he was the “undisputed symbol”, Newell’s Old Boys.

“We deeply regret the death of Jorge Bernardo Griffa. The Maestro, undisputed symbol of Newell’s, was a player, youth coach and the creator of the leper hotbed that gave enormous figures to the world. Your legacy will always be part of our history, may you rest in peace,” the Rosario club published on its social networks.

Griffa played for five seasons in the ‘Leprosy‘ before joining the colchonera entity in 1959. With the rojiblancos he would play 291 games in ten seasons at the club, with which he would win five titles: one League (1966), three Cups (then called the Generalísimo), the first in the history of Atleti (1960, 1961 and 1965) and the European Cup Winners’ Cup (1962).

In 2019, he returned to the club to receive a tribute in front of the fans at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium., where he was visibly overwhelmed by the affection of the fans. “This is an excess, I just tried to do things in the best way and nothing is done alone,” he declared.

After finishing his red and white stage, he played for Espanyol that played in the Second Division, and in which he achieved promotion to the highest category of Spanish football before his retirement from football in 1971.

He also had the honor of playing metal with the Albiceleste team, winning the 1959 Copa América, which was played precisely in Argentina, against Pelé’s almighty Brazil, which arrived at the tournament after being world champion in Sweden the previous year.

After his retirement, Griffa would return to the Newell’s youth ranks to be a coach. From the red and black bench, he promoted the promotion of footballers of the stature of Jorge Valdano, Ricardo Giusti and Gabriel Batistuta.

He would later arrive at the Boca Juniors quarry, where he was also the discoverer of talents such as Éver Banega, Fernando Gago and Carlos Tévez.

In addition to all this, he is considered one of the main influences of another ‘leprous’ legend, the current Uruguay coach, Marcelo Bielsa, who, according to Griffa himself, is “his best student.”

Jorge Griffa left an entire life dedicated to the ball captured in his book ’39 years in lower divisionss’, where he told of his great experience as a coach.