Former Spanish international Enrique Castro “Quini”, who enjoyed success with Sporting Gijon and Barcelona, has died aged 68.
Sporting said Quini – a distinguished former striker – collapsed while walking near his house in the northern city of Gijon.
Quini played with Sporting from 1968 until 1980, and again after leaving Barcelona to end his career with more than 400 appearances for the club.
He played in the 1978 and 1982 World Cups for Spain and became known as ‘The Wizard’, winning five league titles for Barca and winning the Pichichi award for Spain’s leading goalscorer on five occasions.
The former player was also famed for being abducted at gunpoint and spending 25 days in captivity before being rescued by police.
The Catalan giants paid tribute by stating Quini was "a synonym for goals" and "one of the best strikers in Europe in his time."
