Julio Grondona facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Julio Grondona
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Grondona in 2009.
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Julio Humberto Grondona
September 18, 1931 Avellaneda, Argentina
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| Died | July 30, 2014 (aged 82) Buenos Aires, Argentina
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| Nationality | Argentine |
| Occupation | Chairman of AFA (1979–2014) Vice-President of FIFA (1988–2014) |
Julio Humberto Grondona (born September 18, 1931 – died July 30, 2014) was an important leader in Argentine football. He was the president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) for a very long time, from 1979 until he passed away in 2014. He also held a high position as Senior Vice-President of FIFA, which is the world's football governing body.
Contents
Julio Grondona's Journey in Football
Starting with Arsenal Fútbol Club
Julio Grondona's journey in football began in 1956. He and his brother Héctor started a team called Arsenal Fútbol Club. They were inspired by an English team with the same name, Arsenal Football Club. Their team was founded in Sarandí, a town near Buenos Aires.
The team's colors were light blue and red. The light blue stood for the sky. The red stripe was chosen to honor Julio's grandfather, who was a big fan of River Plate.
Grondona was the president of Arsenal Fútbol Club for almost 20 years, from 1957 to 1976. During his time, the club moved up from the lowest football league in Argentina, the Primera D, in 1962. They were promoted again in 1964, when they won the Primera C title.
Leading Club Atlético Independiente
While he was still involved with Arsenal, Julio Grondona also worked with a nearby club called Independiente. In 1962, he became the leader of their professional football group. While he was in that role, Independiente won the 1963 Argentine Primera División league title. They also won the Copa Libertadores, a big South American tournament, in 1964 and 1965. In 1967, they won the Campeonato Nacional.
In 1970, his group, called Lista Roja, lost the club's elections. He left Independiente but returned as president in 1976. He won the elections against José Epelbóim. Under Grondona's leadership, Independiente won the 1977 Campeonato Nacional in Córdoba. They won this match against Talleres even with only eight players on the field! They also won the 1978 Campeonato Nacional, beating River Plate in the final game.
His Long Career at the Argentine Football Association
In 1979, Grondona was chosen to lead the Argentine Football Association (AFA). He took over right after the Argentine national team won the 1978 FIFA World Cup.
During his long time as president of the AFA, Argentina's national team achieved many great things. They reached three World Cup finals. All of these finals were against Germany. Argentina won the World Cup in 1986 but lost in 1990 and 2014.
The national team also reached three Olympic finals. They won a silver medal in Atlanta 1996. They then won gold medals in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. Argentina also won six FIFA U-20 World Cups (for players under 20 years old) in 1979, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, and 2007.
His Passing
Julio Grondona passed away on July 30, 2014, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 82 years old and died from an aortic aneurysm, which is a serious heart condition.
See also
- Estadio Julio H. Grondona
- In Spanish: Julio Grondona para niños
