Football Mourns As Former Liverpool Coach Dies, Cause of Death Emerges
- Former Liverpool goalkeeper coach José Manuel Ochotorena has reportedly passed away at the age of 64
- His death marks the third high-profile loss by the club in a year, after the passings of Diogo Jota and Matt Beard
- Tributes have poured in for the UEFA Champions League-winning coach from major clubs, including Real Madrid
Liverpool has confirmed the passing of Jose Manuel Ochotorena, who died at the age of 64 on Sunday night, October 26.
The death of Ochotorena was announced following Real Madrid's 2-1 victory against Barcelona in an El Clásico clash.
Source: Getty Images
Liverpool issues statement on Ochotorena
The goalkeeper coach reportedly died of cancer, with Liverpool mourning his passing. In a statement, the English club reacted to his loss.
The Spanish manager joined the club under former manager Rafa Benitez in he summer of 2004, spending three years with the Reds.
According to The Mirror, Ochotorena was part of the UEFA Champions League-winning campaign in 2005, the FA Cup success in 2006, and also saw the club to the Champions League final in 2007, losing 2-1 to AC Milan.
Following the expiration of his contract, he left Liverpool to rejoin Valencia, combining his duties as the goalkeeper coach of the Spanish national team.
Valencia, Real Madrid mourn late coach Ochotorena
Valencia and Real Madrid have joined football fans in mourning the death of the legendary goalkeeper.
In separate statements, they both acknowledged the impact Ochotorena made during his time with the club.
Valencia wrote:
“Valencia CF is deeply saddened by the passing of José Manuel Ochotorena, goalkeeping coach, former player, and club legend, at the age of 64. The club extends its condolences to his family and friends and stands with them during this time of great sorrow”.
Source: Getty Images
Meanwhile, Real Madrid wrote:
"The club, along with its president and Board of Directors, is profoundly saddened by the passing of José Manuel Ochotorena, one of our club’s legendary goalkeepers”.
Who is Jose Manuel Ochotorena?
Born in San Sebastian, Spain, Jose Manuel Ochotorena passed through the ranks of Real Madrid's feeders and played for the Los Blancos between 1982 and 1988.
He was part of the squad that won three La Liga titles, two UEFA Cups, and one Copa de la Liga.
The goalkeeper also enjoyed a successful spell at Valencia, where he won the prestigious Zamora Trophy in his debut season for recording the lowest goals-to-games ratio in La Liga, according to Daveockop.
After retiring, he transitioned into coaching and became part of Spain’s backroom staff during a golden era that saw the national team win back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012, as well as the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
He left his role with the Spanish national team in 2021 but continued to work with Valencia, the club where he made over 100 appearances as a player after moving from Real Madrid in 1988.
Peter Rufai passes away
Legit.ng earlier reported that Super Eagles legend Peter Rufai died at the age of 61 on July 3, 2025.
The 1994 AFCON winner had been out of the spotlight for many months due to a period of illness.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
