Wales legend John Toshack in rare public appearance amid health issues

Liverpool and Wales legend John Toshack in rare public appearance amid standing ovationThe football legend was honoured by the entire stadium after health strugglesReal Madrid head coach, Xabi Alonso, shakes hands with John Benjamin Toshack as the Welshman was honoured(Image: 2025 Real Madrid)Wales football legend John Toshack was honoured amid emotional scenes during a rare public appearance in Spain.Toshack, now 76, has suffered health difficulties in recent years after being rushed into intensive care in 2022 as he battled pneumonia from complications brought on by Covid.But he was given centre stage on the pitch as former club Real Sociedad presented him with the Diamond and Gold badge – the highest honour the La Liga club can give to their legends. The touching scene unfolded ahead of the match against Real Madrid, another club managed by Toshack, who won La Liga with the European giants in 1990.Toshack, supported by his family, received a standing ovation from both sets of supporters and was congratulated on the pitch by Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay.Toshack previously spoke in the immediate aftermath of his recovery from illness, saying: “When somebody tells you that you were out for two weeks, it’s frightening. You can win a championship in two weeks or get relegated. When I think back on it now, it’s frightening.”John Toshack spoke for the first time on the “frightening” Covid battle that put him on ventilator for two weeks(Image: BBC Wales)The Liverpool legend scored 13 times in 40 games as a player for Wales before twice becoming national team boss, in 1994 and from 2004 to 2010. He has taken charge of more than a dozen clubs around the world, including Real Madrid and Real Sociedad, and famously led Swansea from what was Division Four to the First Division in his first managerial post.His most recent job was as manager of Persian Gulf Pro League side Tractor, which he left in September 2018 after just three months in charge.Real Madrid boss Xavi Alonso, a former Liverpool player himself, was among those to pay tribute to Toshack ahead of the game.Toshack was a genuine footballing superstar in his playing days. He signed for Liverpool in 1970 in a £100,000 deal from Cardiff, going on to win nine trophies, including three First Division titles and a European Cup.A young John Toshack pictured in 1982(Image: Hulton Archive)A 40-year managerial career was to follow, taking in some of the biggest clubs in the world, as well as those two stints as Wales boss.During his time in charge of the national team, Toshack kickstarted the youth revolution which saw the likes of Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen make their Wales debuts as teenagers and eventually go on to march to the Euros semi-finals.He has also worked all over Europe, with jobs in Turkey, France and Macedonia, as well as Spain.Content cannot be displayed without consentSpeaking to The Daily Mail in 2012, Alonso explained how Toshack’s decision to recall him from a loan spell to give him a chance in his senior Sociedad side.”I would not have had the success I have had if it was not for John Toshack I was on loan in the Spanish second division when he called me back to play for Real Sociedad and the team were not in a good situation.”I was 19, but he said: ‘I have the confidence in you that you can help turn this season around’. Since he put that confidence in me I have never looked back.”