Paulino Alcántara: Biography, Facts and Career

Paulino Alcántara Riestrá (7 October 1896 – 13 February 1964) was a Spanish and Filipino professional footballer and manager who played as a forward. Born in the Philippines, he played for Catalonia, Philippines and Spain national teams. Alcántara made his debut for Barcelona at the age of 15, and remains the youngest player to play or score for the club. He scored 395 goals in 399 matches, a club record that stood for 87 years. He also won a total of 19 trophies including 10 Spanish Catalan League, 5 Copa del Rey, 2 Pyrenees Cup and 2 Philippine League championship titles during his 15 year career. After retiring as a player in 1927 at the age of 31, he became a doctor and served as club director of Barcelona between 1931 and 1934. He also entered politics becoming a member of a conservative fascist political group and participated in the Spanish Civil War in 1936 as a soldier in the Spanish Army. In 1951, he became a coach and managed Spain for three games, and he also became the President of the FC Barcelona Player Association in 1959. In 2007, Alcántara was officially recognized by FIFA as one of the greatest football strikers in the 20th century and in the history of football, and the best Asian male footballer of all time.

Quick facts about Paulino Alcántara

• Full name: Paulino Alcántara
• Born: 1896-10-07
• Nationality: Spain
• Known as: Athlete
• Wikidata ID: Q277365

Profile compiled from public Wikipedia and Wikidata data. Details can change over time.