José Cardona
Encyclopedia
José Enrique Gutiérrez Cardona, more commonly known as Cardona or Indio Cardona or Coneja Cardona, is a retired professional football player born on February 27, 1939 in Potrerillos, Honduras
.
In 1957 Cardona was National Football Champion and Top Scorer. A year later, he was transferred to Portuguese club Lusitano de Ebora.
In 1959 he was acquired by Valencia CF
but because its maximum number of allowed foreign players was full, Cardona was lent to Spanish club Elche, who a year later was promoted to the top flight
of the Spanish League for the first time in their history. He made his debut on September 13, 1959 against Real Oviedo
, and stayed for 5 seasons, playing 89 games and scoring 24 goals in first division.
In the season 1959, Cardona was the top scorer in Spanish second division with 22 goals (the same number of goals made by first division top scorer Alfredo Di Stéfano
that season).
In 1964 he transferred to Atlético Madrid, who that season came second in the league championship
and won the Copa del Generalísimo
(now known as La Copa del Rey). Cardona scoring the winning goal in the final against Real Zaragoza
.
The following year he played 10 times in Atlético's championship-winning season. He retired at the end of the 1968–69 season, by which time he had played a total of 141 games in Primera división
, scoring 44 goals.
Cardona playing with Valencia C.F. scored the first goal in the first nightly game in the Estadio Azteca
in Mexico City
against Necaxa
on June 5, 1966. The final score was 3-1 in favor of Valencia C.F.
, but never qualified for a World Cup
finals.
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
.
In 1957 Cardona was National Football Champion and Top Scorer. A year later, he was transferred to Portuguese club Lusitano de Ebora.
In 1959 he was acquired by Valencia CF
Valencia CF
Valencia Club de Fútbol is a Spanish football club based in Valencia, Spain. They play in La Liga and are one of the most successful and biggest clubs in Spanish Football and European Football. Valencia have won six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies, two Fairs Cups which was the...
but because its maximum number of allowed foreign players was full, Cardona was lent to Spanish club Elche, who a year later was promoted to the top flight
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
of the Spanish League for the first time in their history. He made his debut on September 13, 1959 against Real Oviedo
Real Oviedo
Real Oviedo is a Spanish football club based in Oviedo, in the autonomous community of Asturias. Founded on 26 March 1926, it currently plays in Segunda División B - Group 2....
, and stayed for 5 seasons, playing 89 games and scoring 24 goals in first division.
In the season 1959, Cardona was the top scorer in Spanish second division with 22 goals (the same number of goals made by first division top scorer Alfredo Di Stéfano
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé, born into a family of Italian immigrants from Capri, is a former Argentinian footballer and coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time...
that season).
In 1964 he transferred to Atlético Madrid, who that season came second in the league championship
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
and won the Copa del Generalísimo
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
(now known as La Copa del Rey). Cardona scoring the winning goal in the final against Real Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
.
The following year he played 10 times in Atlético's championship-winning season. He retired at the end of the 1968–69 season, by which time he had played a total of 141 games in Primera división
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
, scoring 44 goals.
Cardona playing with Valencia C.F. scored the first goal in the first nightly game in the Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca
Estadio Azteca is a stadium in Santa Ursula, Mexico City, Mexico. It is the official home stadium of the Mexico national football team and the Mexican team Club América.The stadium was the venue for football soccer in the 1968 Summer Olympics....
in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
against Necaxa
Necaxa
Necaxa is a Mexican football club and is based in the city of Aguascalientes. it plays in the Estadio Victoria. Necaxa is ranked seventh overall and 1st in ranking in Mexican football within the IFFHS Central and North America's Clubs of the Century in the CONCACAF behind CD Saprissa San Juan de...
on June 5, 1966. The final score was 3-1 in favor of Valencia C.F.
International career
Cardona played internationally with HondurasHonduras national football team
The Honduran national football team, nicknamed Los Catrachos, La Bicolor or La H, is the national team of Honduras and is controlled by the Federación Nacional Autónoma de Fútbol de Honduras...
, but never qualified for a World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
finals.
Honors
- 1 Liga españolaLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
(Atlético, season 65-66) - 1 Copa del ReyCopa del ReyThe Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
(Atlético, 1965)