The FIFA World Cup has engulfed everyone. Apart from the previews and reviews of the matches, there are discussions around World Cup's best player ever, most successful player, most influential player in a single edition, etc.

Who is the best player never to play in a World Cup? Many names are mentioned including George Best (Northern Ireland), Duncan Edwards (England), George Weah (Liberia) and Ryan Giggs (Wales).

Alfredo di Stefano, who played internationals for three countries -- Argentina, Columbia and Spain -- is widely regarded as one. He was born in Argentina in 1926. World War II lasted from 1939 to 1945. The first post-world war World Cup was staged in 1950, when Di Stefano was 24. Argentina didn't enter the competition in Brazil due to a conflict with the Brazilian Football Confederation. A footballers` strike in Argentina in 1949 forced Di Stefano to look elsewhere. Di Stefano played in Columbia from 1949-53. During a break in the Colombian League in 1951, friendly matches were organised under the name of combined XI of the Colombian league. Di Stéfano - without ever holding a Colombian passport - made four appearances for the Colombian XI team, which did not appear in the official records of FIFA. Argentina didn't enter the 1954 World Cup as well. FIFA, for good measure, had banned Di Stéfano for playing for Argentina anyway, on account of him turning out for Colombia. While FIFA had already banned Columbia as it had lured players from a number of countries without the approval of the respective national federations; it was a mind-boggling puzzle.

Next, he made a move to Real Madrid in Spain and became a naturalized Spanish in 1956. Stefano played for Spain in the qualifiers for the 1958 World Cup. The strong Spanish side surprisingly failed to qualify, finishing just one point behind the group winner Scotland. Cometh the 1962 World Cup, the 36-year-old Di Stefano played a stellar role in helping Spain qualify. Again his luck ran out. A muscular injury just before the competition prevented him from playing in the finals. Hence, Di Stefano couldn`t appear in a World Cup for a variety of reasons.

In his international career, Di Stefano scored 6 goals in 6 appearances for Argentina, and 23 in 31 appearances for Spain.

Di Stefano excelled at the club scene of all the three countries. In Argentina, he debuted in 1945 for River Plate, the country`s most successful team in the domestic competition, against Huracan. The manager of Huracan was very impressed by the teenager and he offered Di Stefano a better contract to join his club. River Plate loaned him to Huracan. 1946 was the season and Di Stefano got noticed. He scored regularly including a goal against his former club River Plate which he netted in the 10th seconds of the play -- the fastest goal in the history of the Argentine national league. Huracan wanted him to stay with them permanently but were unable to pay the transfer fee of 90,000 demanded by River Plate.

Returning to River Plate in 1947, he was initially deployed as a winger but later switched to the centre forward position where Di Stefano was so imposing that the teammates had to adapt themselves to his game. River Plate won the 1947 Argentine Premera Division and Di Stefano was league`s top scorer with 27 goals. The sharp shooter also earned the sobriquet of Saeta Rubia (blonde arrow).

In the international arena, Argentina won the 1947 Copa America. Di Stéfano netted 6 goals in 6 matches.

During the 1948 season, the players' protests to get professional status led to a strike and the Argentine Football Association suspended the championship for a while. The strike continued for eight months until 1949 and it resulted in the departure of the top Argentine footballers to other leagues, in particular Colombia's, one of the most lucrative in the world at the time.

The Colombian league had attracted stars not only from South America but also from Europe. Di Stefano joined Millonarios of Bogota and along with other illustrious Argentine stars formed part of the famous team called the Ballet Azul (Blue Ballet) that won their first title ever in 1949. The club had its most successful period. In Di Stefano`s four seasons (1949-1952) they won the league thrice and were runner up once. Millonarios was named by several soccer pundits as the best team in the world in the early 1950s. Di Stéfano scored a total of 267 goals in 292 games for Milionarios.

In March 1952, Real Madrid organised a friendly tournament in the Spanish capital and invited the Colombians as the South American representative. Both the Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona scouts were in attendance and instantaneously infatuated with this Argentine wonder. Millonarios would start a global tour and spearheaded by Di Stéfano, they would beat even the world champions Uruguay.

Soon after Millonarios' return to Colombia, the Barcelona directors visited Buenos Aires and agreed with River Plate, the last FIFA-affiliated team to have held Di Stéfano's rights, for his transfer in 1954 for the equivalent of around 200,000 dollars. A battle between the two Spanish rivals for his rights ensued. FIFA had to intervene and they appointed Armando Calero, former president of the Spanish Football Federation as mediator. Calero decided to let Di Stéfano play the 1953-54 and 1955-56 seasons in Madrid, and the 1954-55 and 1955-56 seasons in Barcelona. The decision didn't go well with the Barcelona members. Barcelona sold Madrid their half-share. Di Stéfano moved to Real Madrid. He is best known for his achievements with Real Madrid, declared the FIFA Club of the 20th century, where he was instrumental in the club's domination of world`s best club competition European Cup (now called UEFA Champions League). He won the European Cup five times on the trot (1956-60) and his stats are incredible: his 49 goals in 58 matches remained a record till 2005. His average of 0.84 goals per match is still unmatched. He is also the only player to score in five European Cup finals. His 216 league goals for Real Madrid were the club record at the time; it lasted for around 40 years. Di Stéfano played for Real Madrid for 11 years, winning eight Spanish championships. Barcelona might be regretting till today.

In 2000, he was named Honorary President of Real Madrid. In 2006, the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium was inaugurated at the City of Real Madrid, the training complex of Real Madrid. He passed away in 2014.

Di Stefano was total football (defending, attacking, stopping goals, scoring goals, setting up goals, with pace, vision and strength, and all with a fighting spirit). His tactical versatility meant that he could play anywhere on the soccer field.

Di Stéfano was awarded the Ballon d'Or for the European Footballer of the Year in 1957 and 1959.

In 2003, he was selected as the Golden Player of Spain by the Royal Spanish Football Federation as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years.

In 2000, a FIFA appointed "Football Family" committee comprising football journalists, officials, and coaches, voted Pelé the best player of the century, and Di Stefano was second. Pele himself said Di Stefano was the best player "ever".

Alfredo di Stefano`s CV might look incomplete with no World Cup appearance but many called him "the most complete footballer in the history of the game".

ijaz62@hotmail.com