José Nasazzi Yarza (24 March 1901 – 17 June 1968) was a Uruguayan footballer who played as a right-back or centre-back.[2] He captained his country when they won the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930.
![]() Nasazzi with the Uruguay national team. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | José Nasazzi Yarza[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 24 March 1901 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Montevideo, Uruguay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of death | 17 June 1968 | (aged 67)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of death | Montevideo, Uruguay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Defender | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1918–1920 | Lito | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1921 | Roland Moor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1922–1933 | Bella Vista | 322 | (17) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1933–1937 | Nacional | 58 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1923–1936 | Uruguay | 41 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1942–1945 | Uruguay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Career
editHe was born in Bella Vista, Montevideo to Giuseppe, an Italian immigrant from Esino Lario (near Lecco), and María Jacinta Yarza from the Basque Country of Spain.[3][4]
Nasazzi is regarded by many as Uruguay's greatest ever football player.[5] He was known as El Gran Mariscal ("The Great Marshal"), and had already won the gold medal at the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games,[6] as well as the South American Championship in 1923, 1924, and 1926, by the time of the first World Cup. On individual level, he was selected as best player at FIFA World Cup 1930 and twice (1923 and 1935) at South American Championship (the predecessor of Copa America).
During the 1930 FIFA World Cup tournament, Uruguay's only serious rivals were their neighbors Argentina. After defeating Peru and Romania in the first round, Uruguay defeated Yugoslavia 6–1 in the semi-finals to set up a final against Argentina. Although his team were 2–1 behind at half-time, Nasazzi rallied his teammates in the second half, leading them to a 4–2 victory and making himself the first captain to lift the Jules Rimet Trophy.
Although Uruguay refused to defend their title in 1934, Nasazzi won the South American Championship again (in 1935), before retiring in 1936 with 41 international appearances. Throughout his career at Nacional, he played 110 matches and scored 10 goals, including friendlies.[7]
Nasazzi's Baton
editNasazzi's Baton is an unofficial title named after José similar to the Unofficial Football World Championship. It is said to have been held by Uruguay after the first World Cup, and subsequently to have been taken over by any team to beat the holders over 90 minutes in a full international match.[8]
Honours
editClub
edit- Lito
- Uruguayan Intermedia: 1917, 1920
- Roland Moor
- Uruguayan 3era Extra: 1921
- Bella Vista
- Nacional
- Primera División: 1933 – 1937; 1925: European Tour with Nacional; 1927: US Tour with Nacional;.
International
edit- Uruguay
- FIFA World Cup: 1930
- Football at the Summer Olympics: 1924, 1928
- South American Championship: 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935
Individual
edit- Best player at the South American Championship: 1923, 1935
- FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 1930[9]
- France Football's World Cup Top-100 1930–1990, 56th: 1994[10]
- IFFHS South American Footballer of the Century, 26th: 1999[11]
- World Soccer's 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time, 75th: 1999[12]
- RSSSF Uruguay All-Time Team: 1999[13]
- Copa América Historical Dream Team: 2011
- IFFHS Uruguayan Men's Dream Team[14]
References
edit- ^ a b "José Nasazzi Biography and Olympic Results". Sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
- ^ "José Nasazzi". Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "Ha muerto José Nasazzi, "el más grande capitán de la historia"" (in Spanish). Club Nacional de Football. Archived from the original on 21 August 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
- ^ "Cavani, che cuore! L'Uruguay applaude" (in Italian). Corriere dello Sport. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ Chiesa, Carlo F. (22 August 1999). "We are the champions – I 150 fuoriclasse che hanno fatto la storia del calcio" [The 150 champions that made football's history]. Calcio 2000 (in Italian). Action Group S.r.l.
- ^ "José Nasazzi". Olympedia. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ^ "Nasazzi, José".
- ^ "Le Baton de Nasazzi" (in French). Archived from the original on 26 November 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ "World Cup 2014: Fifa announces Golden Ball shortlist". BBC Sport. 12 July 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
- ^ "France Football's World Cup Top-100 1930–1990". RSSSF. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ "IFFHS' Century Elections". RSSSF. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ "The Best x Players of the Century/All-Time". RSSSF. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ "World All-". RSSSF. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ^ "IFFHS All-Time Uruguay Men's Dream Team". IFFHS. 5 August 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
External links
edit- José Nasazzi – FIFA competition record (archived)