Alberto Suppici
Alberto Horacio Suppici (20 November 1898 – 21 June 1981) was a Uruguayan footballer and coach who won the first ever FIFA World Cup, leading the Uruguay team in the 1930 tournament on home soil. Suppici is known as el Profesor (the Professor).[1] His cousin was professional driver Héctor Suppici Sedes.
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Personal information | |||
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Full name | Alberto Horacio Suppici | ||
Date of birth | 20 November 1898 | ||
Place of birth | Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay | ||
Date of death | 21 June 1981 82) | (aged||
Place of death | Montevideo, Uruguay | ||
Height | 1.67 m (5 ft 5 1⁄2 in) | ||
Position(s) | Left half | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1915–1923 | Nacional | 143 | (6) |
Teams managed | |||
1928–1932 | Uruguay (technical director) | ||
1935 | Central Español | ||
1938 | Montevideo Wanderers | ||
1935–1941 | Uruguay | ||
1945 | Peñarol | ||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only |
Biography
On 22 April 1917, Suppici founded the football club Plaza Colonia in Colonia del Sacramento, his hometown. The club's 12 000-capacity home ground has been named Estadio Profesor Alberto Suppici in his honour.[1]
As technical director of Uruguay, Suppici coached the side to third in the 1929 South American Championship, the precursor to the modern Copa América.
At the inaugural FIFA World Cup in his home nation of Uruguay, Suppici dropped goalkeeper Andrés Mazali, who had won a gold medal in the 1928 Olympic final, from the national team after he was caught breaking curfew and failing to arrive at the team hotel in time in Montevideo prior to the tournament. Suppici led the side to victory in the final over Argentina at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, masterminding a second-half comeback from 2 to 1 down to win 4–2 in front of 93,000 people.[2] Suppici's technical staff at the tournament included Pedro Arispe, Ernesto Figoli, Luis Greco and Pedro Olivieri. He is the youngest ever coach to win a World Cup, aged only 31.
Honours
International
Uruguay
- FIFA World Cup: 1930
- Copa América runner-up: 1941; third place: 1929, 1937
Years | Coach | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Win % | Tournaments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1928–1932 | Alberto Suppici | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 24 | 16 | 50.00 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
1935–1941 | Alberto Suppici (2nd time) | 24 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 47 | 46 | 45.83 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
References