The case of Alfredo di Stefano is also interesting.
In March 1952, Real Madrid organized a friendly tournament in the Spanish capital, at its newly constructed home ground, River Plate was invited to participate in Real Madrid's 50th-anniversary tournament. The tournament was called Bodas de Oro, but once Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu heard about the new powerhouse in South America, Millonarios cancelled the invitation to River Plate and invited the Colombians as the representative of South America. The Colombians participated in the tournament and won it, after drawing 2–2 with Swedish champions IFK Norrkoping and overcoming the Los Blancos who were managed by Argentine legend Hector Scarone by 4–2 with a brace from Saeta Rubia under the presence of President Santiago Bernabéu, who arrived to the stadium to observe Adolfo Pedernera. Instead, Bernabéu asked Millonarios about Di Stéfano and a deal was struck between him and Millonarios owner Alfonso Senor Quevedo. Millonarios would start a global tour and spearheaded by Di Stéfano, they would beat Hungary and 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 the his card for the transfer of Di Stéfano in 1954 for the equivalent of 150 million Italian liras (according to other sources 200,000 dollars). That was when a head-to-head match between the two Spanish rivals for his purchase was born. In Christmas 1952, Di Stéfano still contracted with Millonarios, returned briefly to Buenos Aires, where he was even making plans to abandon football and start a business as Argentine league was still not professional.
FIFA appointed Armando Muñoz Calero, former president of the Spanish Football Federation as mediator. Calero decided to let Real Madrid play the seasons 1953-1954 and in 1955-1956 and in Barcelona the years 1954-1955 and 1956–1957. The agreement was approved by the Football Association and their respective clubs. Although the Catalans agreed, the decision created various discontent among the Blaugrana members and the president who was forced to resign in September 1953.
As his first few games were unimpressive, Barcelona sold Madrid their half-share, and Di Stéfano moved to the Blancos signing a four-year contract. Real paid 5.5 million Spanish pesetas for the transfer, plus 1.3 million bonus for the purchase, an annual fee to be paid to the Millonarios, 16,000 of salary to the Argentine with doubled bonus compared to his teammates, for a total of 40% of the annual revenue of the Madrid club. This fact contributed greatly to the rivalry with the Catalan club.