José Manuel Moreno facts for kids
Moreno on the cover of El Grafico magazine in 1941.
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jose Manuel Moreno Fernandez | ||
| Date of birth | 3 August 1916 | ||
| Place of birth | Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||
| Date of death | 26 August 1978 (aged 62) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1935–1944 | River Plate | 256 | (156) |
| 1944–1946 | España | 41 | (11) |
| 1946–1948 | River Plate | 64 | (24) |
| 1949 | U. Católica | 22 | (8) |
| 1950 | Boca Juniors | 22 | (6) |
| 1951 | U. Católica | 12 | (2) |
| 1952 | Defensor | 14 | (3) |
| 1953 | Ferrocarril Oeste | 15 | (1) |
| 1954–1957 | Independiente Medellín | 40 | (12) |
| 1960–1961 | Independiente Medellín | 3 | (1) |
| Total | 489 | (224) | |
| National team | |||
| 1936–1950 | Argentina | 34 | (19) |
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José Manuel Moreno Fernández (born August 3, 1916 – died August 26, 1978) was a famous Argentine footballer. People called him "El Charro". He played as an inside forward. Many people think he was one of the greatest players ever. They even compare him to legends like Diego Maradona and Pelé.
Moreno was the first footballer to win top league titles in four different countries. Later, only a few players like Jiri Jarosik and Rivaldo achieved this. He was a key part of the River Plate team called La Máquina ("The Machine"). This team was very strong in Argentine football during the 1940s. He also played for the Argentine national team. With them, he won the South American Championships in 1941 and 1947. He was even named the best player in the 1947 tournament.
Many saw him as a complete player. He had great skill, excellent vision, and was very dangerous near the goal. In 1999, he was ranked as the 5th best South American player of the 20th century. He was also among the top 25 players in the world.
Contents
Early Life and Club Beginnings
Moreno was born in La Boca, a neighborhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He grew up near the Boca Juniors stadium, La Bombonera. When he was 15, he tried out for Boca Juniors' youth teams. But he was not chosen. He then joined the youth teams of River Plate in 1933. River Plate was Boca Juniors' biggest rival. A famous River Plate player, Bernabé Ferreyra, recommended him.
Playing for River Plate (1935-1944)
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At 18, Moreno went on a tour in Brazil with other young players. His first official game was against the Brazilian team Botafogo. He made his debut in the top Argentine league, Primera División, on March 17, 1935. River Plate won 2–1 against C.A. Platense, and Moreno scored one goal.
He quickly became a top player in Argentine soccer. He helped River Plate win league titles in 1936 and 1937. He became a key player in the River Plate team known as La Máquina ("The Machine"). This team had a famous attack line: Moreno, Adolfo Pedernera, Ángel Labruna, Juan Carlos Muñoz, and Félix Loustau. They were very strong in the early 1940s. With Moreno, River Plate won two more national titles (1941, 1942) and many Aldao Cups.
Adventures Abroad: Mexico and Chile
Playing in Mexico (1944-1946)
In 1944, Moreno moved to Mexico. He joined the México Primera División club España. With España, Moreno helped the team win the national title in the 1945–46 season. His success in Mexico earned him the nickname Charro. This is a term for a traditional Mexican cowboy.
Return to South America (1946-1961)
Moreno came back to River Plate in Argentina in 1946. He played for River for three more seasons. He won another championship in 1947. After a players' strike in 1948, he moved to Universidad Católica in Chile. In the same year, he helped this team win its first league title.
He returned to Argentina in 1950 to play for Boca Juniors. The next year, he played for Universidad Católica again. He also played one season in Uruguay for Defensor. In 1953, he went back to Argentina to join Ferrocarril Oeste.
Colombia and Retirement
Moreno moved to Colombia in 1954. He joined Independiente Medellín. Here, he played and also managed the team. He won the Colombian championship in 1955. This made him the only footballer to win league titles in four different countries: Argentina, Mexico, Chile, and Colombia. In 1957, he won his last league title, his 12th overall. He retired with Independiente Medellín in 1961. His last game was a friendly match against Boca Juniors. He played and coached in that game, and Independiente won 5–2. Moreno even scored a goal.
International Career
Moreno played for the Argentina national team from 1936 to 1950. He played 34 games and scored 19 goals. He was part of the teams that won the South American Championships in 1941, 1942, and 1947.
He scored the 500th goal in Copa América history. This happened in a game against Ecuador. He scored five goals in that match! This is a Copa América record he shares with a few other players. Argentina won that game 12–0, which is the biggest win in Copa América history. Moreno was the top goalscorer in the 1942 South American Championship with seven goals. He was also chosen as the best player of the 1947 tournament. He is tied for third place among the Copa América's all-time top scorers, with 13 goals.
Managerial Career
Moreno also worked as a football manager. He briefly managed the Argentina national team in 1959. He also managed clubs like Boca Juniors, Huracán, and All Boys in Argentina. In Chile, he managed Colo-Colo.
Honours
Club
- Primera División (6): 1936 Copa Campeonato, 1936 Copa de Oro, 1937, 1941, 1942, 1947
- Copa Aldao (4): 1936, 1937, 1941, 1947
- Copa Ibarguren (3): 1937, 1941, 1942
- Copa Adrián C. Escobar (1): 1941
- RC España
- Primera División (1): 1944-45
- Campeonato Nacional (1): 1949
- Primera División (2): 1955, 1957
International
- South American Championship (2): 1941, 1947
Individual
- 1942 South American Championship Top Scorer (shared with Herminio Masantonio)
- 1947 South American Championship Best Player
- Best Player of Chile in 1949
- "Premio Konex de Platino" 1980
- Ranked among the 25 best players in the world in the 20th century by the IFFHS in 1999.
- Ranked as the fifth best player in South America.
- Ranked as the third best player in Argentina, after Diego Maradona and Alfredo Di Stéfano.
See also
In Spanish: José Manuel Moreno para niños
