Spain s drumbeat falls silent as superfan Manolo el del Bombo dies at 76

Manuel Caceres, the drum-pounding Spanish football superfan known worldwide as Manolo el del Bombo, died on Thursday at the age of 76, silencing the rhythmic heartbeat that had accompanied Spanish football for over four decades.

With his trademark oversized Basque beret and red number 12 shirt, Caceres became as much a fixture at Spanish matches as the players themselves - a percussive national treasure whose relentless drumming provided La Rojas unofficial soundtrack.

My aim is to retire after 12 World Cups, which will make me 77, if Spain qualify for all of them. Ill be there even if I have to go with a walking stick, the Spanish fan told Reuters at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

His love affair with the team began when he first travelled abroad to watch Spain play in Cyprus in 1979. The 1982 World Cup on home soil transformed him from a passionate supporter into a cultural phenomenon, with his drum becoming inextricably linked to the Spanish footballing identity.

Caceres ultimately fell two tournaments short of his ambitious goal, attending a total of 10 World Cups but missing the 2022 showpiece in Qatar. His final appearance came at Valencias Mestalla stadium during the Nations League quarter-final against the Netherlands in March.

Ive given up everything for football - my businesses and everything - but Im still alive. Im happy, I can follow Spain wherever I go. What more could I ask for? he told Reuters at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Such was his fame that the Spanish federation covered his travel and accommodation during the showpiece in Russia, recognising a man whose celebrity often rivalled the players themselves.

One of our most loyal fans has passed away, someone who was always with us through thick and thin. We know youll keep