Alfonso “Doctor” Cabeza, a controversial figure in sports politics in the 1980s, has been the protagonist of a series of statements that have shaken both football and the recent history of Spain. In 2025, the 86-year-old veteran appeared as a guest of honor on the RTVE and Cuatro programs to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of Generalissimo Franco, revealing details that only he could know.
According to Cabeza, on November 19, 1975, while on duty at the La Paz Hospital, he witnessed Franco's death. "The guard told me that two people had arrived, the Minister of Information and Tourism, León Herrera, and the Minister of Justice, Sánchez Ventura. It was 9 pm on the 19th. He went up and had just died," he said on the program "Directo al grain." He added that the hospital became a “Gordian knot” and described the atmosphere of tension and rituals that followed, from the wearing of masks to embalming. The embalmer Antonio Piga also confirmed the death on the same day on the “La Sexta” network.
Cabeza, who also directed the Hospital de la 12ª de Octubre between 1975 and 1980, has been an open critic of the Franco regime and the management of the Spanish Football Federation. During his brief time at Atlético de Madrid (1980-82), he denounced the supposed “stolen” of the 1980-81 League and the poor performance of referee Álvarez Margüenda in the classic against Zaragoza. His sarcastic style and his tendency to break the rules of television talk shows earned him suspension from the Federation for 16 months in March 1982, after which he resigned from his position and dedicated himself to entertainment and covering the Vuelta a España for the La Ser network.
In the sporting field, Cabeza also stood out for his criticism of the Federation and the referees during confrontations between Atlético and teams such as Barcelona and Real Madrid. In the 1982 Copa del Rey final match, referee Álvarez Margüenda awarded two penalties to Barça, disallowed an Atlético goal and sent off key players, provoking a strong reaction from the public and from Cabeza, who demanded a boycott of the Bernabéu match in exchange for a tortilla snack.
Apart from his career in football, Cabeza has been the author of the book “Yo, Cabeza”, where he presents his version of the events and his critical vision of politics and sports. Today, the memory of his figure continues to be the subject of debate, while the legacy of his criticism and his participation in sports politics in the 1980s continues to influence the narrative of Spanish football.