Marià Gonzalvo
Encyclopedia
Mariano Gonzalvo Falcón (March 22, 1922 – April 7, 2007 http://www.sport.es/default.asp?idpublicacio_PK=44&idioma=CAS&idnoticia_PK=394784&idseccio_PK=803), also referred to as Gonzalvo III or – especially as of late – by the Catalan
rendition of his given name, Marià Gonzalvo, was a Spanish
footballer who spent most of his career at FC Barcelona
. Gonzalvo was regarded as one of the most talented midfielders in La Liga
during the 1940s and early 1950s. On 7 December 1962, Barcelona played a testimonial game against C.A. Peñarol
in his honour. He also played for both Spain
and the Catalan XI
. His two older brothers were also notable footballers. Juli Gonzalvo
, known as Gonzalvo I played for RCD Espanyol
while José Gonzalvo, known as Gonzalvo II, also played for CF Barcelona and Spain.
.
He began his career a youth with his local team in Mollet, before joining CE Europa
. He then signed for FC Barcelona
but initially was unable to establish himself in the first team. He spent the 1941-42 season at Real Zaragoza
, playing alongside his brother Juli
, and helped them gain promotion to La Liga
after they finished as runners-up in the Segunda División
. He returned to FC Barcelona
and made his Primera División
debut on December 13, 1942 in a 4-2 away defeat against Sevilla FC
. Over the next thirteen seasons he was a prominent member of a very successful Barcelona team, playing 331 games and scoring 56 goals in all competitions.
Together with a team that included, among others Antoni Ramallets
, Velasco
, Josep Escolà
, Joan Segarra
, Estanislao Basora
, César
, Ladislao Kubala
and his brother, José
, he helped Barcelona win five La Liga
titles and the Copa del Generalísimo three times in a row. In the 1951 Copa final he scored the third goal in 3-0 win over Real Sociedad
. Gonzalvo finished his career playing one season each at UE Lleida
and CD Condal
. The latter team were originally the reserve team
of FC Barcelona
but became a separate club during the 1950s. After winning promotion from the Segunda División
, they briefly played in La Liga
and were joined by the veteran Gonzalvo.
. He made his debut for Spain in a 1-0 defeat against Ireland on June 23, 1946 and went onto represent them at the 1950 World Cup
. Between 1947 and 1955 he also played three times for the Catalan XI
. His first game was a 3-1 win against Spain on October 10, 1947. On January 26, 1955 he played alongside Ladislao Kubala
, Estanislao Basora
and guest player Alfredo Di Stéfano
in a game against Bologna
at Les Corts
.
Real Zaragoza
Catalan language
Catalan is a Romance language, the national and only official language of Andorra and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian , as well as in the city of Alghero, on the Italian island...
rendition of his given name, Marià Gonzalvo, was a Spanish
Football in Spain
Football is the most popular sport in Spain. The Royal Spanish Football Federation is the national governing body and it organizes La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spain national football team, current champion of the FIFA World Cup...
footballer who spent most of his career at FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
. Gonzalvo was regarded as one of the most talented midfielders in La Liga
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...
during the 1940s and early 1950s. On 7 December 1962, Barcelona played a testimonial game against C.A. Peñarol
C.A. Peñarol
Club Atlético Peñarol also known as Carboneros, Aurinegros and familiarly as Manya, is an Uruguayan sports club based in the Peñarol barrio, Montevideo, best known for its professional football team. The team plays their home matches in Estadio Centenario, the largest stadium in the country, but...
in his honour. He also played for both Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
and the Catalan XI
Catalonia national football team
Catalonia national football team is the official football team of Catalonia. It is organized by the Catalonia Football Federation. The team has been referred to by various names including Selecció Catalana, Selecció de Barcelona and the Catalan XI...
. His two older brothers were also notable footballers. Juli Gonzalvo
Juli Gonzalvo
Julio Gonzalvo Falcón , also referred to as Julio Gonzalvo or Gonzalvo I, is a former Spanish/Catalan footballer. His two younger brothers were also notable footballers...
, known as Gonzalvo I played for RCD Espanyol
RCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
while José Gonzalvo, known as Gonzalvo II, also played for CF Barcelona and Spain.
Club career
Gonzalvo was born at Mollet del VallèsMollet del Vallès
Mollet del Vallès is a municipality in the comarca of the Vallès Oriental in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the valley of the Besòs river, and is an important communications hub from Barcelona towards the north: the AP-7 Motorway passes through the municipality, as do the RENFE railway lines...
.
He began his career a youth with his local team in Mollet, before joining CE Europa
CE Europa
Club Esportiu Europa is a Spanish/Catalan sports club, based in the Gràcia district of Barcelona. The club is best known for its football team who in 1928, along with city neighbours FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol, were founder members of La Liga. During the late 1990s they won the Copa Catalunya...
. He then signed for FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
but initially was unable to establish himself in the first team. He spent the 1941-42 season at 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...
, playing alongside his brother Juli
Juli Gonzalvo
Julio Gonzalvo Falcón , also referred to as Julio Gonzalvo or Gonzalvo I, is a former Spanish/Catalan footballer. His two younger brothers were also notable footballers...
, and helped them gain promotion to La Liga
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...
after they finished as runners-up in the Segunda División
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
. He returned to FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and made his 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...
debut on December 13, 1942 in a 4-2 away defeat against Sevilla FC
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
. Over the next thirteen seasons he was a prominent member of a very successful Barcelona team, playing 331 games and scoring 56 goals in all competitions.
Together with a team that included, among others Antoni Ramallets
Antoni Ramallets
Antoni Ramallets Simón is a retired Spanish football goalkeeper and manager.He spent most of his career at FC Barcelona, during the 1950s and early 1960s, winning the Zamora Trophy as the best goalkeeper in La Liga on five occasions, and 17 major club honours...
, Velasco
Juan Zambudio Velasco
Juan Zambudio Velasco, was a Spanish football goalkeeper. He played for Mollet and FC Barcelona. He retired playing in CE Sabadell FC....
, Josep Escolà
Josep Escolà
Josep Escolà Segalés , also referred to as José Escolà, was a Spanish Catalan footballer who spent most of his career at FC Barcelona. Escolà also played for both Spain and the Catalan XI...
, Joan Segarra
Joan Segarra
Joan Segarra Iracheta was a Catalan footballer, captain of the "Barça of the Five Trophies", one of the best teams that FC Barcelona have had in their history...
, Estanislao Basora
Estanislao Basora
Estanislao Basora Brunet is a former Spanish footballer who spent most of his career at FC Barcelona. In 1974, during the club’s 75th anniversary celebrations, he was included in their all-time best XI. Basora also played for both Spain and the Catalan XI...
, César
César Rodríguez Álvarez
César Rodríguez Álvarez , sometimes known as just César, was a Spanish football forward and manager....
, Ladislao Kubala
Ladislao Kubala
László Kubala Stecz , also referred to as Ladislav Kubala, Ladislao Kubala, was a footballer, who played as a forward with, among others, Ferencvárosi TC, ŠK Slovan Bratislava, Vasas SC, FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol. He also played for three different national teams, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and...
and his brother, José
Josep Gonzalvo
José Gonzalvo Falcón , sometimes referred to as Gonzalvo II or –especially as of late– by the Catalan rendition of his given name Josep Gonzalvo, was a former Spanish Catalan footballer and manager. Gonzalvo played for, among others, FC Barcelona, Spain and the Catalan XI...
, he helped Barcelona win five La Liga
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...
titles and the Copa del Generalísimo three times in a row. In the 1951 Copa final he scored the third goal in 3-0 win over Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football club based in the city of San Sebastián, Basque Country, founded on 7 September 1909...
. Gonzalvo finished his career playing one season each at UE Lleida
UE Lleida
Club Lleida Esportiu is a Spanish football team based in Lleida, Catalonia. Founded in 2011, it plays in Segunda División B, holding home games at Camp d'Esports, with a capacity of 13,500 seats.-History:...
and CD Condal
CD Condal
Club Deportivo Condal was a Spanish football club based in Barcelona, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Founded in 1934 and dissolved in 1970, it held home games at Camp de Les Corts, with a capacity of 25,000 spectators.-History:...
. The latter team were originally the reserve team
Reserve team
Large professional sports clubs often have far more players under contract than could possibly play in a match. As a result, many of these clubs create second teams composed of players who need playing time, but have little hope of playing on the first team. The players on this second team are...
of FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
but became a separate club during the 1950s. After winning promotion from the Segunda División
Segunda División
The Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
, they briefly played in La Liga
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 were joined by the veteran Gonzalvo.
International career
Between 1946 and 1954 Gonzalvo also played 16 times for SpainSpain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
. He made his debut for Spain in a 1-0 defeat against Ireland on June 23, 1946 and went onto represent them at the 1950 World Cup
1950 FIFA World Cup squads
Below are the squads for the 1950 FIFA World Cup tournament in Brazil. This was the first World Cup where the players' jerseys featured back numbers , though no teams had fixed numbers for each player...
. Between 1947 and 1955 he also played three times for the Catalan XI
Catalonia national football team
Catalonia national football team is the official football team of Catalonia. It is organized by the Catalonia Football Federation. The team has been referred to by various names including Selecció Catalana, Selecció de Barcelona and the Catalan XI...
. His first game was a 3-1 win against Spain on October 10, 1947. On January 26, 1955 he played alongside Ladislao Kubala
Ladislao Kubala
László Kubala Stecz , also referred to as Ladislav Kubala, Ladislao Kubala, was a footballer, who played as a forward with, among others, Ferencvárosi TC, ŠK Slovan Bratislava, Vasas SC, FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol. He also played for three different national teams, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and...
, Estanislao Basora
Estanislao Basora
Estanislao Basora Brunet is a former Spanish footballer who spent most of his career at FC Barcelona. In 1974, during the club’s 75th anniversary celebrations, he was included in their all-time best XI. Basora also played for both Spain and the Catalan XI...
and guest player 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...
in a game against Bologna
Bologna F.C. 1909
Bologna Football Club 1909, known simply as Bologna, is an Italian Football League club based in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, formed in 1993. The club are nicknamed the rossoblù because of the red and blue striped shirts they wear. Red and Blue are the official colours of the town.During its history...
at Les Corts
Camp de Les Corts
Camp de Les Corts , commonly referred to as Les Corts, was a sports stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was the home ground for FC Barcelona until the club moved to the Camp Nou in 1957....
.
Honours
FC Barcelona- Spanish ChampionsLa 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...
: 5- 1945, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1953
- Copa del Generalísimo: 3
- 1951, 1952, 1953
- Copa LatinaLatin CupThe Latin Cup was an international football tournament for club sides from the Latin European nations of France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. In 1949 the football federations came together and launched their own club competition...
: 1- 1949
- Copa de Oro Argentina/Copa Eva DuarteSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
: 4- 1945, 1949, 1952, 1953
- Copa Martini Rossi: 2
- 1952, 1953
Real Zaragoza
- Segunda DivisiónSegunda DivisiónThe Segunda División is the lower tier of the two professional football leagues in Spain. From the season 2008-09 onwards, the name of the league is Liga Adelante.-History:...
- Runners-up: 1942 1