Ángel Labruna
Vorlage:Unreferenced Vorlage:Football player infobox
Angel Amadeo Labruna, (b. Buenos Aires September 28, 1918 - d. September 20 1983), was a football player and coach in Argentina. He is the highest scorer in the history of Club Atlético River Plate with 292 goals and second in the history of Argentina, only bettered by Arsenio Erico, with 293 goals. He was part of the celebrated River Plate forward, nicknamed "La Máquina", and he was considered one of the best South-American footballers of all time.
Biography
As Player
He started in River Plate on June 18, 1939 and played there for 20 years in the top league in his country. Won nine championships in the Argentina Tournament (1941, 1942, 1945, 1947, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956 y 1957) having the distinction of being top scorer twice (1943 with 23 goals and 1945 with 25).
He was part of his club's legendary team along with: Juan Carlos Muñoz, José Manuel Moreno, Adolfo Pedernera, and Félix Loustau, where he played as inner-left forward.
Labruna holds a number of records for River Plate, including his record 16 goals in the superclásico derby with fierce rivals Boca Juniors.
In 1959 Labruna left in River Plate having defended their colors in 516 matches, scoring 292 goals. He later played two seasons in the Chilean Rangers, and Uruguay's Rampla Juniors in Montevideo and Platense in Argentina, to retire when he was 43 years old.
Labruna played 37 matches for the Argentina National Team (scoring 17 goals). Won one Copa América (1955) and as a 40-year old he played in the final phase of World Cup in 1958 in Sweden.
Same as other greats of his generation he could not participate in other World Cups due to the event's suspension during World War II and later for his country's decision of not competing in the cups in Brazil and Switzerland.
As Coach
After ending his career as a player he became Assistant Coach and Coach in River Plate, Defensores de Belgrano, Platense, Rosario Central (where he won his first National Championship, in 1971), Talleres de Córdoba, Racing Club, Lanús, Chacarita Juniors and Argentinos Juniors.
Labruna's period in charge of River Plate brought the club much domestic success, a side endowed with players such as Daniel Passarella, Norberto Alonso and Leopoldo Luque.
He is interred at La Chacarita Cemetery in Buenos Aires.
External links
- 1918 births
- 1983 deaths
- People from Buenos Aires
- Argentine footballers
- River Plate footballers
- Platense footballers
- FIFA World Cup 1958 players
- Argentina international footballers
- Argentine football managers
- River Plate managers
- Platense managers
- Rosario Central managers
- Talleres managers
- Racing Club managers
- Lanús managers
- Chacarita Juniors managers
- Argentinos Juniors managers