Josep Samitier facts for kids
Samitier in 1928
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| Personal information | |||
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| Full name | José Enrique Ignacio Samitier Vilalta | ||
| Date of birth | 2 February 1902 | ||
| Place of birth | Barcelona, Spain | ||
| Date of death | 4 May 1972 (aged 70) | ||
| Place of death | Barcelona, Spain | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1914–1916 | Internacional | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1917–1919 | FC Internacional | 18 | (1) |
| 1919–1932 | Barcelona | 174 | (133) |
| 1932–1934 | Real Madrid | 14 | (7) |
| 1936–1939 | Nice | 48 | (21) |
| National team | |||
| 1920–1936 | Catalan XI | 26 | (20) |
| 1920–1931 | Spain | 21 | (2) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1936 | Atlético Madrid | ||
| 1942 | Nice | ||
| 1944–1947 | Barcelona | ||
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| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's football | ||
Representing  Spain |
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| Olympic Games | ||
| Silver | 1920 Antwerp | Team competition |
Josep Samitier Vilalta (born February 2, 1902 – died May 4, 1972) was a famous Spanish football player, manager, and scout. People also knew him as José Samitier. He played as a forward for big clubs like FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and OGC Nice. He also played for the Catalan XI and the Spanish national team.
After his playing days, Samitier became a coach for teams like Atlético Madrid, Nice, and Barcelona. He also worked as a scout for both Barcelona and Real Madrid. During his time as a player at Barcelona, he scored 187 official goals. For a long time, he was the club's top goalscorer. As of 2020, he is still one of Barcelona's top five goalscorers. Samitier was known for his unique playing style. He was called Surrealista (The Surrealist) and Home Magosta (The Grasshopper Man).
As a manager, he led Barcelona to win the La Liga title in 1945. As a scout, he helped Barcelona sign another legendary player, László Kubala. Samitier is remembered as a legendary figure for FC Barcelona. When he passed away in 1972, he received a special funeral. A street leading to Barcelona's stadium, Camp Nou, was named after him.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Starting Out
Josep Samitier was born in Barcelona, Catalonia. He started playing football as a young boy for a team called FC Internacional. At just 17 years old, in 1919, he joined FC Barcelona. As a welcome gift, he received a fancy watch and a new suit. One of his teammates at Barcelona was his childhood friend, Sagibarba. Samitier and Sagibarba even played football with the famous artist Salvador Dalí during their holidays!
FC Barcelona Star
By 1925, Samitier was the highest-paid football player in Spain. He was a key part of the amazing FC Barcelona team. This team was coached by Jack Greenwell. It included other famous players like Paulino Alcántara, Ricardo Zamora, and Franz Platko.
Between 1919 and 1933, Samitier helped Barcelona win many titles. They won the Campionat de Catalunya twelve times. They also won the Copa del Rey five times. And they won the very first La Liga title in 1929. Samitier scored important goals in the Copa del Rey finals in 1922, 1925, 1926, and 1928.
Moving to Real Madrid
In 1933, Samitier had some disagreements with the management at FC Barcelona. He was taken out of the main team. Real Madrid, which was then called Madrid CF, quickly offered him a spot. At Real Madrid, Samitier played again with his friend Ricardo Zamora. Even though he played for Madrid for a short time, he helped them win the La Liga title in 1932–33 and the Copa de España in 1934.
On May 13, 1934, a special match was held to honor Samitier. It took place at Estadio Chamartín in Madrid. Madrid FC played against Espanyol. Samitier scored two goals in Madrid's 8-2 victory.
Time in France
In 1936, Samitier briefly started his career as a coach for Atlético Madrid. However, the Spanish Civil War began, and his coaching plans were put on hold. He was arrested for a short time but was later released and went to France on a warship.
In October 1936, he joined OGC Nice in France as a player. There, he played alongside his friend Ricardo Zamora again. Samitier scored 21 goals in 48 matches for Nice. He stopped playing football in 1939. Later, in 1942, he briefly coached OGC Nice.
Back to Barcelona
Samitier returned to Spain and became the manager of CF Barcelona in 1944. In the 1945 season, he led them to win their second-ever La Liga title. They also won the Copa de Oro Argentina that year.
After managing, Samitier became the club's chief scout. He played a very important role in bringing another Barcelona legend, László Kubala, to the club. In 1950, Kubala came to Spain with his own team. Samitier convinced Kubala to sign with Barcelona, even though Real Madrid also wanted him.
Playing for His Country
In 1920, Josep Samitier was part of the very first Spanish national squad. He played alongside other famous players like Ricardo Zamora and Pichichi. This team won a silver medal at the 1920 Olympic Games. Samitier played 21 games for Spain and scored 2 goals.
Samitier also played many games for the Catalan XI, which is a regional team. He played 26 games and scored at least 20 goals for them. He helped the Catalan XI win the Prince of Asturias Cup twice, in 1923–24 and 1926. In the 1924 final, he scored two goals in a 4–4 draw. He scored again in the replay, which Catalonia won 3–2. His last game for the Catalan XI was a special match in his honor on January 19, 1936.
Honors and Awards
As a Player
With FC Barcelona
- La Liga: 1929
- Copa del Rey (5 times): 1920, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1928
- Catalan Championship (12 times): 1918–19, 1919–20, 1920–21, 1921–22, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1925–26, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1931–32
With Madrid CF
- La Liga: 1932–33
- Copa del Rey: 1934
With Spain
- Olympic Games Silver medal: 1920
With Catalan XI
- Prince of Asturias Cup: 1923-24 and 1926
As a Manager
With CF Barcelona
- La Liga: 1944–45
- Copa de Oro Argentina: 1945
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See also
In Spanish: José Samitier para niños
