Bernabé Ferreyra
Encyclopedia
Bernabé Ferreyra was an Argentine
association football forward. He was one of the first professional players in Argentine football
to reach great popularity, to the point that he had a movie biography.
. His senior career started in 1927 playing for Tigre
, when Argentine football was still amateur
. He scored 4 goals to El Porvenir
in his debut match. He was given on load to Huracán
for a tour to Brazil, where he played 8 matches scoring 11 goals.
Between 1930 and 1931, Tigre loaned him for free to Vélez Sársfield
, to play with the club during their Pan-American tour. He scored 38 goals with the team during the tour.
In 1932, Ferreyra was transferred from Tigre to River Plate
for a record transfer fee of 23,000 pounds. He kept this record for a total of 20 years – the longest unbroken time period for this record.
His first match with River was on March 13, 1932 facing Chacarita. River won 3–1 and Ferreyra scored 2 goals. Bernabé played a total of 185 matches for River, scoring 187 goals, with an average of 1,01 goal per game. He obtained 3 local leagues as player, all of them in River Plate
(1932, 1936 and 1937). In the 1932 league tournament, he was the top scorer with 43 goals. This also gave him the title of top scorer in South America.
Ferreyra's last match played was on May 11, 1939 against Newell's Old Boys
. The match ended 2–2 and Ferreyra did not score. He retired at the early age of 29 and never accepted being a coach.
Ferreyra, along Valeriano López
and Arthur Friedenreich
, are the only American professional footballers with an average of more than 1 goal
per match
. Bernabé totaled 206 goals in 197 games from the beginning of the professional era in 1931 to his retirement in 1939.
His fame and striking strength was such that the newspaper Crítica gave a prize to the first goalkeeper that played Ferreyra without receiving a goal.
on May 25, 1931, facing Uruguay
in a Copa Lipton
match, although he did not play well and received bad criticism by journalists.
His run at national team was brief and he did not participate in any FIFA World Cup
s.
, Santa Fe Province
. He married Juanita in 1936 and had two children, Bernabé Daniel and Carlos Alberto.
Throughout his career he was known as "El Mortero de Rufino", due to his capacity as a striker and his strong kick. He was also known as La Fiera (Spanish for "The Wild Animal").
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
association football forward. He was one of the first professional players in Argentine football
Football in Argentina
Football in Argentina is the most popular sport, the one with the most players and is the most popular recreational sport, played from childhood into old age...
to reach great popularity, to the point that he had a movie biography.
Club
Bernabé Ferreyra debuted at 14 in Jorge Newbery, a local club from his home town. At the age of 18 he went to BAP, a club of Junín, Buenos Aires ProvinceBuenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
. His senior career started in 1927 playing for Tigre
Club Atlético Tigre
Club Atlético Tigre is a football club from Victoria, San Fernando Partido, Buenos Aires, Argentina. At the end of the 2006-2007 season the club was promoted to the Primera Division Argentina...
, when Argentine football was still amateur
Amateur Era in Argentine football
The amateur era in Argentine football lasted between 1891 and 1931.-History:The first league tournament outside the United Kingdom took place in Argentina in 1891, it was dominated by British expatriate players and teams. The Scottish influence is evident in the names of the league's first winners...
. He scored 4 goals to El Porvenir
Club El Porvenir
Club El Porvenir is an Argentine football club, located in the Gerli neighborhood, which is part of the district of Lanús Partido in the Gran Buenos Aires....
in his debut match. He was given on load to Huracán
Club Atlético Huracán
Club Atlético Huracán is a sports club from the Parque Patricios neighbourhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The football team currently plays in the Primera B Nacional, the second level of the Argentine football league system. Huracán home stadium is the Estadio Tomás Adolfo Ducó.Huracán was...
for a tour to Brazil, where he played 8 matches scoring 11 goals.
Between 1930 and 1931, Tigre loaned him for free to Vélez Sársfield
Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield
Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield is a sports club based in the Liniers neighborhood of western Buenos Aires, Argentina. Vélez is best known for its football team, that plays in the Argentine Primera División, the top level of the Argentine league system...
, to play with the club during their Pan-American tour. He scored 38 goals with the team during the tour.
In 1932, Ferreyra was transferred from Tigre to River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate is an Argentine sports club based in the Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently competes in Nacional B, the second tier of Argentine football....
for a record transfer fee of 23,000 pounds. He kept this record for a total of 20 years – the longest unbroken time period for this record.
His first match with River was on March 13, 1932 facing Chacarita. River won 3–1 and Ferreyra scored 2 goals. Bernabé played a total of 185 matches for River, scoring 187 goals, with an average of 1,01 goal per game. He obtained 3 local leagues as player, all of them in River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate is an Argentine sports club based in the Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently competes in Nacional B, the second tier of Argentine football....
(1932, 1936 and 1937). In the 1932 league tournament, he was the top scorer with 43 goals. This also gave him the title of top scorer in South America.
Ferreyra's last match played was on May 11, 1939 against Newell's Old Boys
Newell's Old Boys
Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys is an Argentine sports club based in Rosario. The club was founded on November 3, 1903, and is named after Isaac Newell, one of the pioneers of Argentine football...
. The match ended 2–2 and Ferreyra did not score. He retired at the early age of 29 and never accepted being a coach.
Ferreyra, along Valeriano López
Valeriano López
Valeriano López Mendiola was a football forward from Peru, nicknamed Tanque de Casma...
and Arthur Friedenreich
Arthur Friedenreich
Arthur Friedenreich was a Brazilian football player. Nicknamed The Tiger, he was arguably the sport's first outstanding black player.-Biography:...
, are the only American professional footballers with an average of more than 1 goal
Goal (sport)
Goal refers to a method of scoring in many sports. It can also refer to the physical structure or area of the playing surface where scoring occurs....
per match
Match
A match is a tool for starting a fire under controlled conditions. A typical modern match is made of a small wooden stick or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by frictional heat generated by striking the match against a suitable surface...
. Bernabé totaled 206 goals in 197 games from the beginning of the professional era in 1931 to his retirement in 1939.
His fame and striking strength was such that the newspaper Crítica gave a prize to the first goalkeeper that played Ferreyra without receiving a goal.
National team
Ferreyra debuted in Argentina national football teamArgentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
on May 25, 1931, facing Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
in a Copa Lipton
Copa Lipton
Copa Lipton or Copa de Caridad Lipton was a football trophy contested between Argentina and Uruguay. It has been contested 29 times between 1905 and 1992.-Origin:...
match, although he did not play well and received bad criticism by journalists.
His run at national team was brief and he did not participate in any FIFA 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...
s.
Personal life
Ferreyra was born in the city of RufinoRufino, Santa Fe
Rufino is a city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It has 18,372 inhabitants as per the . It lies on the southwest of the province, from the provincial capital Santa Fe, near the borders with Córdoba and Buenos Aires , on the intersection of National Routes 33 and 7.The town was founded by...
, Santa Fe Province
Santa Fe Province
The Invincible Province of Santa Fe, in Spanish Provincia Invencible de Santa Fe , is a province of Argentina, located in the center-east of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the north clockwise Chaco , Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Santiago del Estero...
. He married Juanita in 1936 and had two children, Bernabé Daniel and Carlos Alberto.
Throughout his career he was known as "El Mortero de Rufino", due to his capacity as a striker and his strong kick. He was also known as La Fiera (Spanish for "The Wild Animal").
Quotes
In words of some teammates and famous players and Bernabé Ferreyra himself:External links
- At River Plate
- Futbol Factory profile (archived)