Lolo Fernandez: A Footballing Genius – A Biography

Lolo Fernandez: Certainly one of Latin America’s Most Standard Footballers

All through his 12-yr profession with the Peruvian facet, between 1935 and 1947, Lolo Fernández was not a World Cup participant corresponding to Obdulio Varela of Uruguay and Brazil’s Leonidas da Silva. Regardless of all this, he’s nonetheless an inspirational chief within the historical past of Peru’s soccer. On the sphere, he did quite a bit to stimulate the lads’s soccer in the entire nation, probably the most soccer-crazed locations on the planet. He was very fashionable within the outback of Peru, from Trujillo and Ica to Puno and Cajamarca. His ardour for his homeland was mirrored in all sides of his life.

He started to play soccer earlier than it was an expert sport on Peruvian soil. Soccer — the world’s hottest sport— was imported by Britain’s expatriates within the second half of the nineteenth century and is named Peru’s nationwide pastime.

The oldest and strongest of three soccer-enjoying Fernández brothers, he — recognized affectionately as “Lolo”— is taken into account as one of many nation’s best athletes of all time, together with Edwin Vásquez Cam (Olympic gold medalist on the 1948 London Summer time Video games), Cecilia Tait Villacorta (among the many world’s prime volleyball gamers prior to now century), Juan Carlos “Johnny” Bello (winner of 12 Bolivarian titles within the early Nineteen Seventies), and Gabriela “Gaby” Pérez del Photo voltaic (silver medal in girls’s volleyball on the 1988 South Korea Video games).

Throughout Fernández’s tenure with the nationwide facet, the Andean republic gained one South American Cup (1939) and one Bolivarian Championship (1938). On the membership stage, he earned the Peruvian League Cup — nationwide competition— six occasions along with his membership Universitario de Deportes, having scored a membership-report of 157 targets — a report that is still distinctive. Additionally, he was the highest purpose-scorer within the nation’s prime division of soccer groups in 1932 (11 targets), 1933 (9), 1934 (9), 1939 (15), 1940 (15), 1942 (11), and 1945 (16). Moreover, he’s one in all finest-recognized Peruvians Olympians of all time. He holds the excellence of being the primary (and solely) prime participant from that nation to compete within the fashionable Olympiad.

Peru’s First Real High-Class Athlete

Since then, the apex of his profession got here within the late Nineteen Thirties when he was the hero of Peru’s South American Soccer Confederation Cup win, placing the Peruvian flag on the sporting map and making him probably the most thrilling gamers within the sport. A Lolo Fernández-impressed Peru defeated Uruguay within the gold-medal match, a shock to most followers and sportswriters on the American mainland (Campomar, 2014, Penguin). He had been known as up by England’s coach Jack Greenwell. Earlier than the championship, Peru’s sportsmen had by no means received a continental trophy (equal of the European Cup). Beforehand, this Cañete-born footballer was a member of the 1936 Peruvian Olympic soccer workforce, which competed within the Berlin Olympics. Curiously, Western Europe was the primary continent to acknowledge Fernández’s expertise. Though his homeland’s squad succumbed in a controversial sport towards Austria (a match they need to have received) in the course of the Males’s Olympic Video games Soccer Event— the unofficial world cup of soccer at that time— he was considered one of many South America’s most celebrated sportsmen (Hilton, 2011).

Again in Peru, he led his personal “soccer revolution” in Universitario de Deportes, successful many prime division cups, setting off a wave of explosive emotion in Lima, the nation’s capital. Actually, he was one of many first superstars of that membership. The nationwide squad and his membership had been his first loves. He may have performed overseas, however determined to play for the Peruvian facet and the Limean membership, one of many nation’s premier golf equipment (Newton, 2011).

Actually, Lolo Fernández was Peru’s first real prime-class sportsman on the earth of sports activities in a time when some Spanish-talking republics started to provide world-well-known opponents. Already, in 1928, Argentina’s fighter Victorio Avendaño had caught the general public’s consideration along with his Olympic gold medal within the Video games of the IX Olympiad in Holland’s capital metropolis of Amsterdam (Grasso, 2013). Two years later, the Soccer World Cup was received by the host nation Uruguay— known as the Celeste. In the meantime, the lads’s taking pictures contingent of Brazil picked up a complete of three medals on the 1920 Antwerp Olympics in tiny Belgium (Almanaque Mundial, 1976). Alternatively, on March 19, 1938, 4 Ecuadorans — Ricardo Planas, Carlos Luis Gilbert, Luis Alcivar Elizalde and Abel Gilbert— swept the gold medals on the Swimming South American Event (Almanaque Guayaquil, 2003).

The Life and Occasions of Lolo Fernández

Teodoro Oswaldo Fernández Meyzán was born on Might 20, 1913 in San Vicente, Cañete, close to Lima, Peru’s capital. He was the seventh of eight youngsters born to Tomas Fernández Cisneros, a farm administrator, and his spouse, the previous Raymunda Meyzan.

Cañete covers an space of 4,577 km2 — the scale of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It lies round 140 km from Lima. This Connecticut-measurement territory is blessed with a fertile land and is properly-acknowledged for its African-Peruvian tradition, delicacies, fruits and birthplace of notable folks corresponding to Héctor Chumpitaz (footballer), Caitro Soto (musician), Enrique Verastegui (author), and Rolando Campos (singer).

Fernández spent his early childhood on a farm in Cañete. Like many Peruvian youngsters, he turned fascinated with the sport of soccer at an early age. However not everybody applauded that zeal, amongst them his father.

He invested his life on this sport since he performed for his hometown membership Huracán of Hualcará within the early Nineteen Twenties. The then little-recognized participant was the primary to reach to the stadium and the final to depart. In his land, he skilled with a whole lot of depth. The train and contemporary air made him really feel higher.

Throughout his first look, he led his membership to a victory over Alianza San Vicente in a neighborhood occasion in his native Cañete. His debut couldn’t have been higher: he scored the successful purpose. The date was August 30, 1923. On that event, his play (with out being paid a wage) impressed his workforce-mates early on. He was celebrated all through Cañete, whose persons are hooked on soccer and different Olympic sports activities as canoeing, boxing, and observe-and-area.

Towards the top of the Nineteen Twenties, he was allowed to depart his residence and went to Lima to stay along with his elder brother, Arturo Fernández, who had performed for Universitario de Deportes after being a member of Ciclista Lima. On this context, Lolo, as he was extra typically recognized, was launched to Universitario by Arturo.

Within the Peruvian place, his private life underwent some important adjustments. Unanimously elected participant by the membership’s chairman Placido Galindo, Fernández signed a contract for 120 soles a month. Relations between he and his new membership have been glorious and pleasant since that day.

He kicked off his profession with the Lima-based mostly membership when he made his official debut on November 29, 1931 throughout a pleasant match towards Deportes Magallanes of Chile. Some younger athletes would have been intimidated in such scenario, however not Lolo. The Lima-based mostly membership, with a younger facet, was the winner. The Peruvian victory was due largely to Fernández’s management. He scored the winner towards Magallanes in a 1-0 win. Steadily, his expertise was acknowledged by consultants, coaches, and sportswriters in his homeland nation. As a participant, he was with out peer in his technology.

An Athlete In Troubled Occasions

Like many Latino champions corresponding to Alberto Spencer of Ecuador (soccer),Mateo Flores of Guatemala (observe-and-area) and Chino Meléndez of Nicaragua (baseball), Lolo Fernández lived in a rustic tormented by political violence, poverty, and financial difficulties. Regardless of these hurdles, he emerged as one in all Latin America’s prime athletes within the first half of the twentieth century.

Within the Nineteen Thirties, his native nation had a report of brief-lived governments and eight conservative rulers. By 1933, Peru’s navy warlord Luis Sánchez Cerro was killed. On the identical time, opposition-led demonstrations broke out in Lima in response to an electoral defeat (Loveman, 1999).

In the course of the world monetary disaster, the economic system fell into chaos, which was susceptible as a result of nation’s dependence on minerals and agricultural merchandise.

On account of these and different causes, the nation’s sport actions had been all however ignored by the governments. Underneath this environment, Peru was one of many final international locations to make its worldwide debut within the Soccer South American Championship (generally known as the Copa America later), having competed for the primary within the XI Cup in 1927.Equally, their athletes couldn’t attend the Summer time Olympics between 1900 and 1932. However that wasn’t all. Upon competing in Nice Britain in 1948, this Spanish-talking republic didn’t have Olympic illustration till 1956, regardless of having Pan American gold medalists —among them Julia Sánchez Deza and Edwin Vásquez— and continental champs.

Western Europe: From Spain to Nice Britain

As friends of honor, Fernández and different gamers from Universitario performed for Alianza Lima throughout a tour of Chile in 1933, accumulating wins over Colo Colo, Audax Italiano, Magallanes, and Wanderers. Lolo additionally performed as a particular visitor for some international golf equipment such Racing Membership,Membership Atlético Banfield, and Colo Colo.

Between 1933 and 1934, Fernández went as a member of a Peruvian-Chilean contingent —composed of sportsmen from Alianza Lima, Colo Colo, Atlético Chalaco and Universitario– to Western Europe, the place he performed 33 males’s soccer matches (compiling 11 wins, 11 attracts and 11 losses) towards first-class squads from Spain, Germany and the UK, together with Bayern Munich, Newcastle and Barcelona— his first time exterior of Latin America (Witzig, 2006). Right here, he earned the respect of followers and rivals. Lolo’s efficiency on the European tour was spectacular: regardless of his lack of worldwide expertise, he gathered a report of 48 targets!

Berlin: 1936 Summer time Olympics

After many obstacles, the Peruvian Olympic workforce, that included future South American champion Lolo, made a short however historic journey to Germany to attend the 1936 Summer time Video games. It was the primary time in Olympic historical past that Peru had despatched an athletic contingent to the Summer time Video games. The nation’s sports activities officers introduced an all-male workforce to Berlin, with Peruvians competing in aquatics, athletics, diving, basketball, biking, fencing, fashionable pentathlon, taking pictures, and soccer.

There have been 22 soccer gamers and so they have been Juan Valdivieso Padilla, Alejandro Villanueva, José Morales, Adelfo Magallanes, Víctor Lavalle, Enrique Landa, Eulogio García, Carlos Tovar, Orestes Jordán, Teodoro Fernández, Arturo Fernández, Andrés Alvarez, Arturo Paredes, Segundo Castillo, Teodoro Alcalde, Jorge Alcalde, Miguel Pacheco, Carlos Portal, Raúl Chappel, Pedro Ibañez, Guillermo Pardo, and Víctor Marchena. These gamers made up the nation’s largest delegation in Berlin.

The Lolo’s squad was the primary Peruvian workforce within the Olympic workforce sports activities historical past. Scoring 5 targets in a 7-2 victory over the Nordic nation of Finland, Fernández performed one in all his most memorable matches (Campomar, 2014). No doubt, he was a genius on the sphere. Subsequently, they beat Austria (it anticipated to complete within the prime 4 in these Video games). Nevertheless it wasn’t a transparent-minimize victory for the Latin American republic (Witzig, 2006).

Within the second time, Peru got here again and received its match 4-2 after shedding to Austria 2-0 within the first time in probably the most controversial video games within the historical past of soccer (Mandell, 1971). Nonetheless, the Austrian delegation refused to acknowledge this triumph (Risolo, 2010). They mentioned that Europe’s footballers have been threatened by Peru’s attackers in the course of the Olympic match (Murray & Murray, 1998).

Underneath stress from Austria, the Worldwide Federation of Affiliation Soccer (FIFA) pledged to carry different match (Campomar, 2014).

However the Peruvian dictatorship did not permit their countrymen to compete once more. In an try to attempt to acquire recognition inside Peru, the nation’s strongman Oscar Raimundo Benavides pressured the Peruvian Olympic Committee to comply with withdraw its delegation from the 1936 Berlin Video games (Walters, 2012). Regardless of every part, Fernández was the second prime scorer within the Olympic match with 5 targets, alongside Norway’s sportsman Arne Brustad. A yr earlier, Lolo earned his first cap for Peru.

The match was received by Italy and was adopted by Austria (silver medal), Poland (bronze), Norway (4th), Nice Britain (fifth),Germany (sixth), Peru (seventh), Japan (eighth), Sweden (ninth), USA (tenth), Taiwan (eleventh), Egypt (twelfth), Hungary (thirteenth), Turkey (14th), Finland (fifteenth) and Luxembourg (final).

When the Olympian delegation arrived again in Lima, they have been declared “nationwide heroes” (El Comercio, 2009). Within the subsequent yr, he married Elvira Fernández Meyer and had two youngsters: Marina and Teodoro.

Lolo and the First Bolivarian Video games

Regardless of lacking the XI Olympiad within the German capital of Berlin, Fernández labored relentlessly to participate within the Olympic-sort Bolivarian Video games. The First Bolivarian Sports activities Video games (one of many oldest multi-sport video games of its form) have been held in Colombia’s capital of Bogota in 1938. At that yr, all Limeans have been anxious to see a nationwide victory. Luckily, there have been excellent news. Fernández captained the Bolivarian winners by capturing the gold medal, offering a second of take pleasure in for Peru’s inhabitants.

The 1938 males’s squad was the heavy gold medal favourite on Colombian soil. The victory was scored over squads from Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, and the host nation. This accomplishment was better than any beforehand achieved by the nationwide squads. Ecuador was bronze and Bolivia received the silver medal.

Earlier than and after the occasion, Fernández —his first worldwide title exterior his personal land— introduced his power and fervour to the nationwide workforce.

Peru kicked off its marketing campaign at Bogota’s Universitario Stadium,on August 8, once they beat Colombia 4-2 with targets of Pedro Ibañez (2), Lolo (1) and Teodoro Alcalde (1). In its second Bolivarian match, the Andean nation slaughtered Ecuador 9-1 in a spectacular present of football— greatest margin of victory within the historical past of Peru’s soccer workforce. One of the best participant was Alcalde (4 targets). On August 14, Peru blanked Bolivia 3-0. Lolo was the pivot of that sport with two targets. This exceptional athlete knew what he wanted to do to win the match.

On August 17,Venezuela was eradicated from the Video games after shedding to Peru 2-1. Earlier than the Peruvian delegation left the stadium, they obtained a standing ovation.

Why one in all Latin America’s Biggest Gamers By no means Play within the FIFA World Cup?

Amongst Latin America’s best gamers in the course of the first half of the twentieth century, Fernández was the one one by no means to have appeared in a World Cup. There are completely different the explanation why he couldn’t compete within the world sporting occasion within the late Nineteen Thirties and the Nineteen Forties. In 1938, the III World Cup was overshadowed by an Argentina-led boycott that was adopted by virtually all South American republics ( Reyna & Woitalla,2004). Formally, Peru didn’t take part within the worldwide boycott, but it surely declined to ship a delegation. SA boycotted that Cup in response to “Eurocentric coverage” of FIFA. Europeans had hosted the final occasion and the subsequent was scheduled to be held in France in that yr. Within the following decade, the world of sports activities was onerous hit by World Conflict II and the worldwide occasions have been canceled.

Lima: 1939 South American Championship

The yr of 1939 noticed a brand new hero in Latin America’s sport. A son of Cañete attracted admiration when he led Peru to win the (XV) South American Championship for the primary time following a win towards Uruguay, one of many powerhouses on the earth of soccer for the reason that 1910s. 4 years in the past, the nationwide facet did not make the semis within the regional occasion at residence. In 1937, Peru completed on the backside of the six-workforce match.

The 1939 nationwide facet claimed the primary place to defeat Uruguay 2-1 within the finals. It was a proud day for Peru. The nation, below British coach Greenwell was a house grown champion (Campomar, 2014, Penguin). On paper, Uruguay’s background made it a powerful opponent —three World Championships from 1924 to 1930, together with two golds within the fashionable Olympics.

It was gratifying to see the progress that had made the nationwide facet, who have been underdogs from the beginning. Due to this win, Peru turned the 4 nation within the continent to win that occasion (after Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina), properly forward of Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, and Paraguay.

Fernández was the hero within the Continental Cup on his residence soil— his second main worldwide trophy. In addition to successful the Most Invaluable Participant trophy, the Cañete-born striker was the highest scorer.

The continental winners have been Juan Humberto Valdivieso, Jorge Alcalde, Carlos Tovar, Teodoro Alcalde, César Socarraz, Alberto Baldovino, Pedro Reyes, Víctor Bielich, Juan Quispe, Segundo Castillo, Enrique Perales, Raúl Chapel, Pablo Pasache, Lolo Fernández, Adolfo Magallanes, Jorge Parró, Juan Honores, Pedro Ibañez, Arturo Fernández, Arturo Paredes, Rafael León and Feder Larios.

South American Championships

Again within the Nineteen Forties, Fernández, who was nicknamed “the Cannoneer” by the native media as a result of his aggressive type of play, was member of Peru’s nationwide squad that competed in three South American championships. However he was much less profitable in these competitions.

Between February 2 and March 4, 1941, the Peruvian contingent participated within the worldwide competitors in Santiago (Chile). It was acknowledged because the unofficial SA Cup. Peru’s 22-man roster included: Gerardo Arce, Manuel Vallejos, Vicente Arce, César Socarraz, Teodoro Fernández, Juan Quispe, Alejandro González, Leopoldo Quiñones, Juan Honores, Carlos Portal, Marcial Hurtado, Enrique Perales, Guillermo Janneau, Roberto Morales, Orestes Jordán, Pedro Magán, Adolfo Magallanes, Máximo Lobatón, and Pedro Luna.

The lads’s soccer match was marked by the presence of prime-class athletes corresponding to Lolo of Peru, Obdulio Varela of Uruguay, Sergio Livingstone from Chile, and Juan Andrés Marvezzi of Argentina.

The Bolivarian champions did not carry residence any medals, however Fernández scored three targets and was ranked second to Marvezzi because the match’s most prolific scorer (sharing the respect with José Manuel Moreno from Argentina). His homeland’s squad positioned fourth within the general classification, forward of Ecuador,within the 5-workforce match, an occasion sponsored by the Chilean rule.

On February 9, the Peruvians have been defeated by the host nation by a slim margin (1-0). Shortly thereafter, Argentina received its match towards Peru 2-1. The Argentine workforce was a robust squad within the Americas and had gained two awards in 1937: The Soccer Pan American Cup in Dallas, Texas (U.S) and SA match (as a bunch nation). On February 23, the squad’s star striker Lolo eradicated Ecuador 4-0 and obtained their first factors. Fernández scored three targets. Three days later, his homeland’s workforce, nevertheless, couldn’t win their final sport. Uruguay received 2-0.The win helped avenge Uruguay’s 1939 loss to Peru.

By 1942, Fernández departed for Uruguay to attend the Latin American match (between January 10 and February 7), a yr the place Brazil was awarded the 1942 World Cup, however the occasion was cancelled. The lads’s soccer of Peru positioned a disappointing fifth on Uruguayan soil. The nationwide facet was represented by 22 gamers: Juan Quispe, Antonio Zegarra, Diego Agurto, Juan Soriano, Antonio Biffi, Leopoldo Quiñones, Alberto Delgado, Carlos Portal, Lolo Fernández, Enrique Perales, Luis Guzmán, Pablo Pasache, Teobaldo Guzmán, Tulio Obando, Juan Honores, Roberto Morales, Marcial Hurtado, Pedro Magán, Orestes Jordán, Adolfo Magallanes, Máximo Lobatón, and Pedro Luna.

Following a gap draw with Paraguay (1-1) on the XVIII South American Cup on January 18, Peru suffered defeats towards Brazil (2-1) and Argentina (3-1).Over that point, the Brazilian facet was a powerful rival with a bronze medal within the 1938 world occasion after his worldwide star Leonidas da Silva (generally known as the “Black Diamond”) led Brazil to its first wins in a World Cup.

On January 28, the Peruvians dispatched Ecuador 2-1 at Montevideo’s Centenario Stadium, which is the nation’s image of sport. Within the subsequent days, that they had drawn 0-0 with Chile after a 3-0 loss to Uruguay within the 65,000-seater Centenario Stadium, probably the most well-known of all soccer stadiums across the globe. The Celeste —Spanish for sky blue as a result of coloration of squad’s shirt— was all however unbeatable and it was seven-time winner of the SA Cup (1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926 & 1935) (Guevara & Chaname, 1998).

Lolo and his fellow sportsmen didn’t return to the regional championships till 1947. The Andean republic missed the subsequent two worldwide competitions (1945 & 1946).

In 1947, the Peruvian Soccer Federation despatched a Lolo Fernández-led workforce to Guayaquil (Ecuador) to take part within the worldwide meet. He and his fellow countrymen had drawn with Paraguay (2-2) and Ecuador (0-0), however there have been two losses to Chile (2-1) and Argentina (3-2).

In entrance of over 20,000 individuals, on December 20, 1947, Fernández performed his final match on international soil at Guayaquil’s George Capwell when Peru made a tie of 0-0 with the host nation. He was on Peru’s South American Cup roster on the age of 34. Afterward, Colombia —gold in males’s soccer on the 1946 Central American and Caribbean Video games— was outclassed by a Peruvian facet with out its star Lolo (5-1).

Within the 8-workforce match, the lads’s facet ranked fifth, behind Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay,and Chile. The nation’s roster included 22 athletes: Guillermo Valdivieso, Rafael Asca, Carlos Torres, Guillermo Barbadillo, Luis Suárez, Félix Castillo, René Rosasco, Juan Castillo, Marín Reyna, Andrés da Silva, Domingo Raffo, Lolo Fernández, Enrique Perales, Carlos Gómez Sánchez, Lorenzo Pacheco, Máximo Mosquera, Alejandro González, Ernesto Morales, Luis Guzmán, Eliseo Morales, Cornelio Heredia, and Valeriano López.

Within the wake of taking part on Ecuadoran soil, Fernández now not competed within the continental occasions.

Six Nationwide Championships From 1934 to 1949

Earlier than embarking on a seven-month tour of Europe, Fernández was essentially the most excellent participant within the 1932 Nationwide Cup with 11 targets. However that wasn’t sufficient to win the occasion. A complete of eight golf equipment despatched delegations: Alianza Lima, Sports activities Tabaco, Ciclista Lima, Sportive Union, Sport Progreso, Tarapacá Ferrocarril, Circolo Sportivo Italiano and Universitario.

Soccer turned a nationwide stage when the home match started within the Nineteen Twenties, making it one of many oldest occasions within the historical past of Peruvian sport.

By 1933, Universitario’s beginner facet once more made the ultimate, however was runner-up and their star was prime scorer for the second time in a row. Regardless of the loss, he had captured the eye of the spectators as no different sportsman when he produced 9 targets within the males’s soccer nationwide league.

After successful expertise in European international locations, Fernández and his fellow Peruvian athletes moved again to Lima to attend the 1934 home league. The youthful Universitario facet reached the rostrum within the nation’s prime soccer division (Almanaque Mundial, 1977). Alianza Lima was extraordinary overwhelmed by the Limean squad, starting one in all South America’s best derbies. AL and Lolo’s membership are arch rivals and matches between two golf equipment are known as “El Clásico” (Newton, 2011). Throughout that yr, Fernández started to make a reputation for himself within the historical past of Peru’s soccer as he was the match’s prime scorer.

The 1935 occasion was an occasion with 5 soccer golf equipment. It produced a shock winner: Sport Boys. Fernández’s squad positioned third.

By 1938, Universitario received the bronze medal. Within the subsequent yr, the Limean facet turned one of many first golf equipment of Peru to nominate a international supervisor: Jack Greenwell of the UK. Underneath Geenwel’s steering, Fernández and his fellow mates earned the nationwide soccer league title with 9 wins, three attracts and two losses —improving on their third place end prior to now cup (Almanaque Mundial, 1977). Extraordinary, the Cañete-born athlete was the match’s dominant participant in 1939 (Witzig, 2006).

Within the wake of Fernández’s participation within the South American Cup, Universitario got here near a second successive match in 1940.

In 1941, the Lima-based mostly membership obtained the Peruvian trophy, after a sequence of residence-and-residence soccer matches. The Limean squad confirmed why it was probably the most highly effective golf equipment on residence soil. Within the finals, there have been wins over Atlético Chalaco (1-0) and Alianza Lima (3-1). The championship had been postponed for some time due to Peru’s participation within the South American Cup.

Within the mid-Nineteen Forties, Universitario got here the eye once they received again-to-again nationwide championships (Witzig, 2006). After breaking his personal private report of 15 targets in 1939, Lolo picked up a complete of 16 targets in 1945. Curiously, these titles may be attributed to the Fernández household: Arturo, Eduardo and Lolo have been members of that workforce.

Assembling probably the most highly effective groups within the historical past of Peru’s soccer, Lima’s membership earned the trophy in 1946. The important thing to the Peruvian membership was the trio of Victor Espinoza, Eduardo and Lolo Fernández. Underneath a brand new system of qualifying matches, the Limean facet obtained 11 wins.

Towards the top of his profession, Lolo and his membership recaptured the trophy: it defeated Atlético Chalaco 4-3 to assert the primary place within the Peruvian Championship in 1949 (Almanaque Mundial, 1977). In that yr, the membership celebrated its twenty fifth anniversary.

A Universitario Icon

In distinction to gamers from different components of the world, Fernández was not a world participant, being one of many few footballers who had stayed with one membership (Universitario) his whole athletic profession regardless of a number of presents from prime golf equipment (together with Racing membership of Argentina, Peñarol of Uruguay and Colo Colo of Chile). He refused, citing his sturdy connections to Universitario. This membership is without doubt one of the most-supported squads in Peru. Curiously, Lolo stays Universitario’s all-time goalscorer with 157 targets.

Fernández, on the age of 40, retired from the world of soccer within the early Fifties throughout a sequence of exhibition matches in a stadium constructed by the nation’s head of state Manuel Odría. On August, 30, 1953, his workforce had a sensational victory over his conventional rival Alianza Lima (4-2). Right here, Lolo scored a hat-trick, among the many most notable of his greater than 157 targets throughout his profession with the Lima-based mostly membership.

Earlier than an viewers of some 30,000 spectators, Fernández performed solely six minutes with Universitario throughout a sport towards Centro Iqueño, the darkest day for Peru’s soccer. His presence was symbolic in a memorable occasion at Lima’s nationwide stadium. He left the nationwide stadium to a roaring ovation.

After retiring from soccer, he labored principally with prime junior soccer groups from Universitario.

After a battle with Alzheimer, on September 17, 1996, Lolo Fernández died in a Lima hospital on the age of 83. It was an important loss to South America’s sport.

Rivaled solely by Teófilo Cubillas, he has been the recipient of quite a few honors and awards each inside and outdoors Peru, together with a museum. The nation’s legendary Olympian was immortalized by Lorenzo Humberto Soto Mayor, who wrote a tune entitle “Lolo Fernández”, a tribute to the Peruvian footballer. On October 27, 1952, the nation’s ruler Odría conferred him the Sports activities Laurels, the very best sports activities award of Peru. Within the early Fifties, the Universitario stadium was renamed in his honor (Witzig, 2006). Inside Latin America, a number of sports activities-oriented magazines and Spanish-language newspapers have devoted many pages to Lolo.

Lolo Fernández died within the mid-Nineteen Nineties, however the legacy of this Olympic carries on. He was so superior for his time and place. A man that all the time labored with love for his homeland nation of Peru and a private hero of mine.

Additional Studying

(1)- Almanaque Deportivo Mundial 1977, Editorial América, Ciudad de Panamá, 1976 (Spanish)

(2)- Almanaque Deportivo Mundial 1976, Editorial América, Ciudad de Panamá, 1975 (Spanish)

(3)- Almanaque Guayaquil Complete 2003, Editarsa, Guayaquil, 2002 (Spanish)

(4)- Campomar, Andreas. ¡Golazo!: A Historical past of Latin American Soccer, Quercus, 2014

(5)- —————- Golazo!: The Stunning Recreation From the Aztecs to the World Cup: The Full Historical past of How Soccer Formed Latin America, Penguin, 2014

(6)- Dunmore, Tom. Historic Dictionary of Soccer, Scarecrow Press, 2011

(7)- “Fuimos Heroes”. 170 Años Suplemento Especial, El Comercio, 4 de mayo del 2009 (Spanish)

(8)- Grasso, John. Historic Dictionary of Boxing, Scarecrow Press, 2013

(9)- Guevara Onofre, Alejandro & Chaname Orbe, Raúl. Enciclopedia Mundototal 1999, Editorial San Marcos, 1998 (Spanish)

(10)- Hill, Christopher. Hitler’s Olympics: The Berlin Olympic Video games,The Historical past Press, 2011

(11)- Loveman, Brian. For la Patria: Politics and the Armed Forces in Latin America, Rowman & Littlefield, 1999

(12)- Mandell, Richard D. The Nazi Olympics, College of Illinois Press, 1971

(13)- Murray, Invoice & Murray, William. The World’s Recreation. A Historical past of Soccer, College of Illinois Press, 1998

(14)- Newton, Paula. Viva Journey Guides Machu Picchu and Cusco, Viva Publishing Community, 2011

(15)- Parrish, Charles & Nauright, John. Soccer Across the World, ABC-CLIO, 2014

(16)- Risolo, Donn. Soccer Tales: Anecdotes, Oddities, Lore, and Wonderful Feats, College of Nebraska, 2010

(17)- Reyna, Claudio & Woitalla, Michael. Extra Than Targets: The Journey From Yard Video games To World Cup Competitors, Human Kinetics, 2004

(18)- Walters, Man. Berlin Video games: How Hitler Stole the Olympic Dream, Hachette UK, 2012

(19)- Witzig, Richard. The International Artwork of Soccer, CusiBoy Publishing, 2006