Pablo Porta Bussoms

Spanish football is in mourning with the news that the former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and member of UEFA and FIFA committees, Pablo Porta Bussoms, died during the early hours of Tuesday morning at the age of 85.

Many responsibilities
A keen footballer in his youth, he began his ties with the administrative side of the game as a member and president of the Catalan Football Federation. From there, he moved to the RFEF, over which he presided for nine years between 1975 and 1985. During this time, Spain was chosen to host the 1982 FIFA World Cup, while shortly afterwards the national team finished as runners-up in the 1984 UEFA European Championship.

UEFA tasks
In addition, Mr Porta Bussoms undertook various duties within the UEFA organisation. He was a member of the Youth Football Committee between 1974 and 1976, and served on the European Football Championship organising committee until 1990. As well as being a UEFA match delegate, he was a member of the UEFA study committee on football during a crisis period in the mid-1980s.

Developing Spanish football
Within the world football body FIFA, Mr Porta Bussoms was a European member of the FIFA Executive Committee between 1976 and 1992. He was succeeded as president of the RFEF by José Luis Roca, the forerunner to the current leader Ángel María Villar. Mr Porta Bussoms played a key role in the development of Spanish football.