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Paulino Alcántara: Filipino Football Legend

Paulino Alcántara was one of the earliest football icons, emerging from the game before stars like Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona. Alcántara, born in the Philippines in 1896 to a Spanish father and Filipina mother, moved to Spain at age 14 and joined FC Barcelona, becoming their youngest ever player and goal scorer. With an impressive 357 goals in as many games, he established himself as the club's all-time leading goal scorer. Alcántara helped Barcelona to 15 trophies and also represented the Philippines national team. He retired from football at age 31 to become a doctor but continued serving Barcelona as a club director until 1934.

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Jose Mikael Resus
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625 views1 page

Paulino Alcántara: Filipino Football Legend

Paulino Alcántara was one of the earliest football icons, emerging from the game before stars like Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona. Alcántara, born in the Philippines in 1896 to a Spanish father and Filipina mother, moved to Spain at age 14 and joined FC Barcelona, becoming their youngest ever player and goal scorer. With an impressive 357 goals in as many games, he established himself as the club's all-time leading goal scorer. Alcántara helped Barcelona to 15 trophies and also represented the Philippines national team. He retired from football at age 31 to become a doctor but continued serving Barcelona as a club director until 1934.

Uploaded by

Jose Mikael Resus
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

PAULINO ALCANTARA: THE LEGEND OF FILIPINO FOOTBALL

Arvin Miguel D. Alajar

Long before football superstar Lionel Messi , Argentinan Legend, Diego Maradona or 3-time World Cup
winner Pel burst into the global football scene, there was Paulino Alcntara.
Alcntara, born in the Philippine city of Iloilo to a Spanish Military Officer and an Ilongga mother on
October 7, 1896, though largely unknown by most Filipinos, is considered as one of the earliest football icons to
have emerged from the game.
Alcantara and his family left the Philippines and moved to Spain when he was 14 years old. On 1910
when he was 14, he initially joined a football club formed by his classmates, FC Galeno. While playing, his
talents were discovered by Joan Gamper, founder of one of the biggest clubs in the world, FC Barcelona
(Barca). He then signed up for the club, making Paulino Alcantara the first Asian to ever play a European Club.
On 25 February 1912 he made his debut at FC Barcelona at the age of 15 years, 4 months and 18 days
old scoring 3 goals, and there, a legend was born.
Alcantara eventually set the still unbroken record as not only the youngest player to play for FC
Barcelona, but also the youngest player in Barca history to score in a competitive match.
With an impressive 357 goals to his name in as many games, Alcantara has established himself as the
clubs all-time record goal scorer.
To this day, his 1 goal per match ratio still remains unrivaled in the world of football.
He sent shockwaves across the world on April 30, 1922, in a game between Spain and France, he kicked
the ball so hard, the ball ended up ripping the net, earning him the nickname El Romperedes or The Net
Breaker. It was a legendary moment that children in Spain would try for years to replicate while playing
football.
Whilst playing in Spain, Alcantara helped the club dominate both the Copa del Rey( Spanish Cup) and
the Chapionat de Catalunya, leading them to 15 trophies
during his stint at Barcelona.
Alcantara also represented the Philippines National Football team and led them to an astonishing 15-2
victory over Japan.Up to this day, the game still remains as the biggest win by the Philippines in Philippine
Football
history.

He

The Filipino legend finally hung his boots on July 3, 1927 to start his career as a doctor at the age of 31.
then
served
as
the
club
director
of
Barca
between
1931
and
1934.

May Paulino Alcantara serve as a beacon of hope and an inspiration to the young Filipinos who wish to
follow in his footsteps to one day bring glory and pride to the realms of Philippine Football.

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