His tenure at the Bernabeu went for five years, from 1995-2000. In that time, Real Madrid won the Champions League twice — in 1998, breaking a 38-year drought, and in 2000 — and won La Liga once in 1997. He was responsible for signing players to the Spanish club such as Davor Suker, Pedrag Mijatovic, Roberto Carlos and Clarence Seedorf. Sanz’s time as president came to an end after losing an election to Florentino Perez, officially kicking off Real’s big-spending ‘Galatico’ era.

Sanz had initially chosen to stay home while feeling sick so as not to further overwhelm Spain’s medical service, but ultimately went to the hospital on Tuesday when his fever had lasted for eight days. After testing positive for COVID-19, an infection gave him kidney failure and he died Saturday night, according to The Guardian.

He is survived by his wife, Mari Luz, and his five children: Lorenzo, Francisco, Fernando — who played for Real Madrid as a defender from 1995 to 1999 and now serves as a La Liga ambassador — María Luz [Malula] and Diana.

More than 24,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Spain, with nearly 1,400 deaths as a result of the respiratory disease.