Pirri

José Martínez Sánchez (born 11 March 1945), nicknamed Pirri, is a Spanish former footballer. A central midfielder in the early part of his career, he finished up as a sweeper.

For other people with the name, see Pirri (name).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Martínez and the second or maternal family name is Sánchez.

Pirri
Pirri (left) with László Kubala in 1973
Personal information
Full name José Martínez Sánchez
Date of birth (1945-03-11) 11 March 1945
Place of birth Ceuta, Spain
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder / Sweeper
Youth career
Imperio Riffien
SD Ceuta
Atlético Ceuta
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1963–1964 Granada 21 (12)
1964–1980 Real Madrid 417 (123)
1980–1982 Puebla 55 (18)
Total 493 (153)
National team
1963 Spain U18 1 (0)
1964 Spain amateur 4 (2)
1966–1978 Spain 41 (16)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He spent the vast majority of his career with Real Madrid, appearing in 561 competitive matches and scoring 172 goals while winning 15 titles. He also served as captain of the club.[1]

A Spanish international for 12 years, Pirri represented the country in two World Cups.

Club career

Born in Ceuta, Pirri signed with Real Madrid in 1964 as a 19-year-old, from Segunda División club Granada CF who received 200 million pesetas. He made his debut with the former on 8 November of that year as a replacement for suspended Ferenc Puskás, in a 4–1 home win against FC Barcelona;[2] late in the same month he scored the first of his 123 goals in La Liga, contributing to a 2–0 home victory over Deportivo de La Coruña also at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.[3]

During his tenure for Real, Pirri won ten national championships, netting in double digits in five of those seasons including a career-best 13 goals in 1975–76. He added nine appearances in the 1965–66 European Cup (for a total of 57 with 18 goals in the competition), including the final against FK Partizan (2–1 win in Brussels);[4] he was part of a generation of players of the team dubbed Yé-Yé.[5]

In 1980, Pirri signed for Mexican Liga MX side Puebla FC. He scored his first goal for them on 28 September, in a 2–0 home defeat of Atletas Campesinos.[6]

Pirri retired from the game at the age of 37 due his club's poor economic situation, even though he had one year more running in his contract.[7] He then completed his studies to qualify as a physician, and joined Real Madrid's medical staff;[8] in late December 1999, he was named their general manager after Jorge Valdano (who later replaced him) rejected the offer.[9]

International career

Pirri earned 41 caps for Spain, scoring 16 goals. He made his debut in the group stage opener of the 1966 FIFA World Cup, netting in the 1–2 loss to Argentina in an eventual group stage exit.[10]

The 33-year-old was also in squad for the 1978 World Cup held in Argentina, playing twice in another group phase elimination.[10]

International goals

(Spain score listed first, score column indicates score after each Pirri goal)[11]

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.13 July 1966Villa Park, Birmingham, England Argentina1–11–21966 FIFA World Cup
2.7 December 1966Mestalla, Valencia, Spain Republic of Ireland2–02–0Euro 1968 qualifying
3.22 October 1967Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain Czechoslovakia1–02–1Euro 1968 qualifying
4.17 October 1968Gerland, Lyon, France France1–11–3Friendly
5.15 October 1969José Antonio, La Línea, Spain Finland1–06–01970 World Cup qualification
6.11 November 1970Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain Northern Ireland2–03–0Euro 1972 qualifying
7.20 February 1971Sant'Elia, Cagliari, Italy Italy1–02–1Friendly
8.17 March 1971Luis Casanova, Valencia, Spain France1–22–2Friendly
9.17 March 1971Luis Casanova, Valencia, Spain France2–22–2Friendly
10.9 May 1971GSP, Nicosia, Cyprus Cyprus1–02–0Euro 1972 qualifying
11.24 November 1971Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain Cyprus1–07–0Euro 1972 qualifying
12.24 November 1971Los Cármenes, Granada, Spain Cyprus4–07–0Euro 1972 qualifying
13.12 October 1974Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina Argentina1–01–1Friendly
14.12 October 1975Sarrià, Barcelona, Spain Denmark1–02–0Euro 1976 qualifying
15.10 October 1976Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville, Spain Yugoslavia1–01–01978 World Cup qualification
16.25 January 1978Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain Italy1–02–1Friendly

Style of play

Pirri was well known for his ferocity, leadership skills and versatility. Other than his two main positions, he was also deployed as a makeshift forward.[1]

Pirri played the 1971 European Cup Winners' Cup Final with his arm in a cast, and the decisive game of the 1974 Copa del Rey with fever and a broken clavicle.[1] For his services to Real Madrid, he was only one of two players to have the Laureada being bestowed upon him by president Santiago Bernabéu – the other being Goyo Benito.[12][13]

Personal life

In 1969, Pirri married Spanish actress Sonia Bruno.[14][15] In February 2009, he started working as a commentator for Radio Nacional de España's Tablero Deportivo.[16]

Honours

Real Madrid[1]

References
  1. "Pirri, el 'pulmón' blanco" [Pirri, the white 'lung'] (in Spanish). Real Madrid CF. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  2. Colino, Carmen (8 November 2014). "Hoy se cumplen cincuenta años del debut de Pirri de blanco" [Fifty years from Pirri white debut]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  3. Pina, Nivardo (29 November 1964). "R. Madrid, 2 – D. Coruña, 0". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  4. "Real Madrid CF – All the players in European Cups". RSSSF. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  5. Relaño, Alfredo (1 June 2014). "El Madrid se retrata de 'ye-yé'" [Madrid go ‘ye-yé’]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  6. "Primer gol de Pirri en el Puebla" [First Pirri goal in Puebla]. El País (in Spanish). 30 September 1980. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  7. "Pirri se retira definitivamente del fútbol" [Pirri retires from football for good]. El País (in Spanish). 13 August 1982. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  8. Sámano, José (28 September 1994). "Valdano: "El equipo salvó situaciones límite"" [Valdano: "The team saved incredible match balls"]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  9. "El Madrid entrega a Pirri el cargo de 'manager' que había ofrecido a Valdano" [Madrid hand to Pirri manager job it had offered to Valdano]. El País (in Spanish). 30 December 1999. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  10. Pla Díaz, Emilio. "José Martínez, 'Pirri' – International Matches". RSSSF. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
  11. "Pirri". European Football. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  12. "Benito y Pirri son los únicos que tienen tan alta condecoración" [Benito and Pirri are the only ones so highly decorated]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 20 September 2007. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  13. Sánchez-Flor, Ulises (18 November 2007). "Así gano Pirri la Laureada" [How Pirri won the Laureada]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  14. "La virtud de la paciencia por José Martínez Sánchez "Pirri"" [The virtue of patience by José Martínez Sánchez «Pirri»]. La Razón (in Spanish). 12 August 2011. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  15. "Pirri cumple 71 años" [Pirri celebrates 71st birthday]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 11 March 2016. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  16. Casado, Edu (20 October 2014). "Qué fue de… Pirri: el pundonor y la entrega en el Real Madrid" [What happened to… Pirri: heart and commitment in Real Madrid]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 September 2017.
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