Julián Troncoso

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Julián Troncoso Sagredo (12 November 1895 – 26 September 1983) was a Spanish military officer and sports leader. He became the first president of the Francoist Spanish Football Federation (1937–1939) and later served as the 9th president of the Spanish Football Federation (1939–1940). He helped the Franco regime’s federation gain FIFA recognition and organized football in the Franco zone, overseeing many tournaments that led to the 1939 Copa del Generalísimo.

Born in Valladolid into a military family, Troncoso joined the Cavalry Academy as a teenager and became a lieutenant in 1917. He studied Physical Education and served in Morocco with the Alcántara Cavalry. He fought in the Battle of Annual in 1921 and was taken prisoner. During the Spanish Civil War he held several border commands and earned the nickname “The Pirate of Bidasoa” for his anti-Republican actions at sea. He was imprisoned in France in 1937–38 after a failed operation and was expelled to Spain.

After the war, Troncoso continued in military and public roles. He retired as a colonel in the early 1950s and later joined the reserves. He also became involved in politics and sports administration, serving as president of the National Transport Union, a deputy in the Cortes (1963), and vice president of Real Madrid (1961–1964). He taught physical education in schools until the end of his life. Troncoso died in Madrid in 1983 at age 87.