Raúl Amarilla (footballer, born 1960) facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Raúl Vicente Amarilla Vera | ||
| Date of birth | 19 July 1960 | ||
| Place of birth | Luque, Paraguay | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Sportivo Luqueño | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1978–1979 | Sportivo Luqueño | ||
| 1980–1985 | Zaragoza | 126 | (47) |
| 1980–1981 | → Racing Santander (loan) | 29 | (9) |
| 1985–1988 | Barcelona | 35 | (8) |
| 1988–1989 | Olimpia | ||
| 1989 | América | ||
| 1990–1993 | Olimpia | ||
| 1993–1994 | Yokohama Flügels | 26 | (15) |
| International career | |||
| 1982–1983 | Spain U21 | 2 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2006–2007 | Paraguay | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Raúl Vicente Amarilla, born on July 19, 1960, is a famous retired football player from Paraguay. He was a talented striker, which means he was great at scoring goals. Even though he was born in Paraguay, he played for Spain's national under-21 team.
Contents
Raúl Amarilla: A Football Star
Early Career and Spanish Adventures
Raúl Amarilla started his football journey at just 17 years old. He played for his hometown team, Sportivo Luqueño, in Paraguay. He was very good at scoring goals and was also tall, which helped him head the ball into the net.
Because of his amazing skills, he soon moved to Spain. There, he signed with a team called Real Zaragoza. Before playing for Real Zaragoza, he spent a season on loan with Racing de Santander in 1980-1981.
When he returned to Real Zaragoza, he became a big star. In the 1982-1983 season, he was the top scorer for his team. He even finished as the second-best scorer in the entire La Liga, which is Spain's top football league!
Playing for Spain's Youth Team
His success in Spain led to an exciting opportunity. Raúl was asked to play for the Spain national under-21 football team. He said yes, which meant he couldn't play for the Paraguay national football team later in his career. After several great seasons with Real Zaragoza, Amarilla joined another famous Spanish club, FC Barcelona, where he played from 1985 to 1988.
Becoming a Legend at Olimpia
In 1988, Raúl Amarilla returned to his home country, Paraguay. He joined Club Olimpia de Asunción, a very popular team. In 1989, while playing for Olimpia, he was the top scorer in the Copa Libertadores, a huge South American club competition. He scored 10 goals that year!
A Short Stop in Mexico
For a short time in 1989, he went on loan to the América de Mexico football team. Even though he was there for a brief period, he scored 21 goals and became a fan favorite. He was even chosen as one of the top 100 players in Club America's history!
Triumphs with Olimpia in 1990
Raúl came back to Olimpia in Paraguay in 1990. This year was incredible for him and the team. He helped Olimpia win three major titles: the Copa Libertadores, the Supercopa, and the Recopa Sudamericana. He was part of an amazing attacking trio with Gabriel González and Adriano Samaniego. To top it all off, he was voted the South American Footballer of the Year in 1990!
Playing in Japan and Retirement
After his time at Olimpia, Raúl Amarilla played for two years in Japan's J.League with Yokohama Flügels. On January 1, 1994, he scored two goals in a big 6-2 win against Kashima Antlers in the final of the Emperor's Cup.
At 34 years old, he returned to Paraguay. He played for Olimpia one last time before retiring from professional football. He is still one of the most loved former players by the fans of Olimpia.
Coaching Career
After he stopped playing, Raúl Amarilla started coaching. He coached smaller teams in Paraguay, like Club Sportivo San Lorenzo and Sportivo Luqueño. He had some success with these teams.
Later, he became the assistant coach for the Paraguay national football team. He worked alongside coach Anibal Ruiz during the qualifying games for the 2006 FIFA World Cup and during the World Cup itself. When Ruiz left the national team, Amarilla became the interim head coach until a new manager was appointed in 2007.
Today, Raúl Amarilla works as the director of the youth divisions at Olimpia. He helps train the next generation of football stars.
Honours and Achievements
Raúl Amarilla won many important titles and awards during his football career.
Club Honours
- 1984–85 with FC Barcelona: La Liga (Spanish League)
- 1987–88 with FC Barcelona: Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup)
- 1988 with Olimpia: Paraguay 1st Division
- 1990 with Olimpia: Copa Libertadores (South American Champions League)
- 1990 with Olimpia: Supercopa Sudamericana (South American Super Cup)
- 1990 with Olimpia: Recopa Sudamericana (South American Winners' Cup)
- 1993 with Olimpia: Paraguay 1st Division
- 1994 with Yokohama Flügels: Emperor's Cup (Japanese Cup)
Individual Awards
- Paraguayan 1st Division top scorer in 1988
- Copa Libertadores top scorer in 1989
- South American Footballer of the Year in 1990
See also
In Spanish: Raúl Vicente Amarilla para niños
