Spaniard recognized as world's oldest man dies at 112

Madrid, Jan 19 (IANS) Santiago de la Fuente, a 112-year-old Spanish man, who was recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's oldest man in September last year, has died at his home in Leon in northwest Spain, his family has confirmed.

Santiago born on February 12, 1909 died on Tuesday. He was close to celebrating his 113th birthday. He survived the Spanish flu pandemic that broke out in 1918 and started working in a shoe factory when he was 13 years old.

He had eight children, 14 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren and during the ongoing Covid pandemic he became the first man to be vaccinated in Leon, Xinhua news agency reported.

Santiago also founded a football club in his neighbourhood in Leon - CD Puente Castro, which currently has several junior teams. The club published their condolences in a message that read "the oldest man in the world, from our neighbourhood and who we will always remember with all our love."