Legendary Real Madrid striker Alfredo di Stefano is to be honoured with a statue outside the club's training ground.

The 81-year-old Argentinian-born forward - the club's honorary president - will watch the unveiling alongside FIFA supremo Sepp Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini.

Platini will later present a 'UEFA President's' prize to di Stefano and open an exhibition dedicated to him at the club's stadium, the Santiago Bernabeu.

Di Stefano, nicknamed 'The Blond Arrow', played for Los Merengues from 1953 until 1963 after beginning his career with Argentinian outfit River Plate.

He became a Spanish national in 1956 and was capped 31 times by his adopted country.

Di Stefano scored 49 goals in the European Cup for Real, a spell that saw them win European club football's most prestigious trophy five times.

He was twice named European Footballer of the Year, in 1957 and 1959, won the Spanish title eight times and was five times top scorer in the domestic league.

AFP