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Arthur Friedenreich

Arthur Friedenreich
Arthur friedenreich.jpg
Friedenreich with the Brazilian national team .
Personal information
Date of birth (1892-07-18)July 18, 1892
Place of birth São Paulo, Brazil
Date of death September 6, 1969(1969-09-06) (aged 77)
Place of death São Paulo, Brazil
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1909 Germânia
1910 Ypiranga
1911 SC Germania
1912 Mackenzie College
1913–1915 Ypiranga
1916 Paulistano
1917 Ypiranga
1918–1929 Paulistano
1930–1933 São Paulo
1933 Atlético Mineiro
1933–1935 São Paulo
1935 Flamengo
Total unknown (1329)
National team
1914–1925 Brazil 23 (10)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Arthur Friedenreich (July 18, 1892 – September 6, 1969) was a Brazilian football player. Nicknamed The Tiger, he was arguably the sport's first outstanding black player. He is occasionally stated as the all-time top scorer in professional football, with 1329 goals, although this is highly disputable.

Friedenreich was born in São Paulo to Oscar Friedenreich, a German businessman whose father immigrated to Brazil, and Mathilde, an African Brazilian washerwoman and the daughter of freed slaves. Friedenreich was the first professional football player of Afro-Brazilian origin, because at that time football was dominated by Whites and Blacks were not accepted. He faced many barriers because of racism, and he could not attend the same places where white players were, such as swimming pools, tennis courts and parties.

He started his career influenced by his father, playing for SC Germânia, a Brazilian football team composed of German immigrants. After playing with a succession of São Paulo club sides from 1910 onwards, Friedenreich made his debut with the national team in 1914. He played twenty-two internationals, including wins in the 1919 and 1922 editions of the Copa América, scoring ten goals. On Brazil's 1925 tour of Europe, he was feted as the King of Football.

He was not picked by Brazil for the 1930 FIFA World Cup because there was a serious misunderstanding between the football Leagues of the States of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo; only players from Rio travelled. São Paulo stars, like him (who was 38 years old), Filó (who would be 1934 FIFA World Cup champion with Italy) and Feitiço, did not go to Uruguay.


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