Rafael Garza

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Garza and the second or maternal family name is Gutiérrez.

Rafael Garza

Personal information
Full name	Rafael Garza Gutiérrez
Date of birth	(1896-12-13)December 13, 1896
Place of birth	Mexico City, Mexico
Date of death	July 3, 1974(1974-07-03) (aged 77)
Place of death	Mexico City, Mexico
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position	Defender
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1916–1932	América
International career
1923–1930	Mexico	11	(0)
Managerial career
1917–1919	América (player-manager)
1920–1926	América (player-manager)
1929–1931	América (player-manager)
1933–1935	América
1934	Mexico
1935–1936	América
1937–1938	Mexico
1937–1942	América
1946–1949	América
1949	Mexico
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Rafael Garza Gutiérrez (13 December 1896 – 3 July 1974), nicknamed "Récord", was a Mexican football coach and former professional defender. Garza was among the founders of Club América and captained Mexico at the 1930 FIFA World Cup in Uruguay. He and his younger brother Francisco were one of the first brother pairs to play together at a World Cup.

Club career

A group of young men in Mexico City, including Garza, met on 12 October 1916 (Columbus Day) to establish Club América. Garza himself led América to four consecutive championships (player in 1924–25; player-manager in 1925–26, 1926–27, 1927–28).

International career

Garza's early success brought him to the attention of those that championed the idea of a national team to represent Mexico in international competition. This team would be governed by Mexican Football Federation (Spanish: Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación; FEMEXFUT), when it was created in 1927. Garza was elected to be the team's first head coach, although he had been informally coaching what was then the team since 1923. He continued at his post until 1928. He played at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and the 1930 World Cup. After his retirement, he continued to coach Mexico in three separate tenures (1934–35, 1937 and 1949).

Honours

Player

América

Primera División: 1924–25, 1925–26, 1926–27, 1927–28

Copa Challenger: 1927

Manager

América

Primera División: 1926–27, 1927–28

International

NAFC Championship: 1949

External links

• Rafael Garza at National-Football-Teams.com
• Stats as a player
• Chronologic list of Mexico National Team coaches