Luis Saura del Pan (8 June 1890 – 18 March 1980) was a Spanishfootballer who played as aforward forAthletic Bilbao andMadrid FC.^[1][2] He served as both the 10th president of theSpanish Football Federation between 1940 and 1941,^[3] and the 12th president of theNational Committee of Referees from 1951 to 1952.^[4]

Luis Saura del Pan was born inMadrid as the son of Pedro Saura y Coronas (1851–1943), a doctor, and Luisa del Pan.^[5] He developed a deep interest for football from a young age and became a Real Madrid member in 1905, at the age of 15.^[4] However, it was with Athletic Bilbao that he began his football career in 1908, scoring once in the onlyCopa del Rey match that he played for the club, a 2–4 loss toClub Ciclista in the quarterfinals of theedition.^[6]

Saura then joinedReal Sociedad, which participated in the1910 Copa del Rey under the umbrella of local club Vasconia Sporting Club (since the club was not a year old as the tournament statutes required), and in his first season with the club, Saura del Pan helped the club reach thefinal, which ended in a 0–1 loss to his former club, Athletic Bilbao, courtesy of a goal fromRemigio Iza.^[7]

Saura stayed at Madrid FC for five seasons between 1912 and 1917. In his first season in 1912–13, he played only one cup match,^[1] starting as a forward in the semifinals against his former club Athletic Bilbao, which ended in another loss, this time by 0–3.^[8] In the following season, he scored twice in four matches in theregional championship, and after a two-year hiatus, he returned for the 1916–17 season, playing four cup matches and scoring once,^[1] in a 1–3 loss toFC Espanya in the second leg of the semifinals.^[9] Saura did not play the subsequent replay, which ended in a 2–2 draw, but then played in the second replay, helping his side to a 1–0 victory, thus reaching the1917 cup final againstArenas Club. Despite forming an attacking partnership withRené Petit andSotero Aranguren, the match ended in a goalless draw, and he was then not called up for the replay which Madrid won 2–1.^[10]

During the years of theSecond Spanish Republic (1931–39), Saura was a military doctor, national categoryreferee, and secretary of theNational Committee of Referees.^[11]

In 1940, Saura was appointed as the 10th president of the Spanish Football Federation (replacingJulián Troncoso), a position that he held for one year until 1941, when he was replaced byJavier Barroso.^[3][11][12]

In 1951, the 61-year-old Saura was appointed as the 12th president of the National Committee of Referees, replacingPedro Escartín.^[4] By the time he reached this position, he had been registered as a Real Madrid member for almost 50 years, since 1905. He held the presidency for one year until 1952, when he was replaced byArturo Espinosa.^[4]

Saura died inValencia on 18 March 1980, at the age of 89.^[2]

Real Sociedad

• Copa del Rey:
  • Runners-up:1910^[a]

Real Madrid

• Copa del Rey:
  • Winners:1917