Emilio Sagi Liñan
Encyclopedia
Emilio Sagi Liñán was a former footballer who played as a left-winger for FC Barcelona
, the Catalan XI
and Spain
during the 1920s and 1930s. He was the son of, Emilio Sagi Barba, the Catalan baritone
singer, and as a result, was widely referred to as Sagibarba. During his playing career he played 455 games and scored 134 goals for FC Barcelona
and is best remembered for forming a successful partnership with Paulino Alcántara
. Together with Josep Samitier
, Ricardo Zamora
, Félix Sesúmaga
and, later, Franz Platko
they were prominent members of the successful FC Barcelona team coached by Jack Greenwell. His younger brother, Luís Sagi Vela, followed in his fathers footsteps and also became a successful baritone
singer. His son, Victor Sagi, later ran one of the biggest advertising agencies in Spain
and in 1978 announced his candidacy for the presidency of FC Barcelona
. He withdrew before the election was held.
, where his father regularly toured and performed, but returned to Catalonia
when he was three. He was educated at the Colegio Condal and Colegio Bonanova and his childhood friends included Salvador Dalí
and Josep Samitier
. During holidays at the Catalan resort of Cadaqués
, the trio played football together. He also played football at school and as a junior with FC Catalònia, before joining FC Barcelona
in 1915.
and during the 1918–19 season he helped the team win the Championat de Catalunya. In 1919 he left FC Barcelona
to study in Terrassa
and after getting married he briefly retired from the game. However in 1922 he rejoined FC Barcelona
and embarked on a successful career which saw him win ten Championats de Catalunya, four Copa del Rey
and the inaugural La Liga
.
. However records from the era do not always include accurate statistics and he may have played and scored more. Together with Paulino Alcántara
, Josep Samitier
and Ricardo Zamora
he helped the Catalan XI win an inter-regional competition, the Copa Princep de Asturies, three times during the 1920s. He scored in the 1924 final, a 4–4 draw with a Castile XI, before helping the Catalan XI win the replay 3–2 . He also played once for Spain
, in a 4–2 win over Hungary
in 1926.
Catalan XI
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
, 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...
and 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...
during the 1920s and 1930s. He was the son of, Emilio Sagi Barba, the Catalan baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
singer, and as a result, was widely referred to as Sagibarba. During his playing career he played 455 games and scored 134 goals 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....
and is best remembered for forming a successful partnership with Paulino Alcántara
Paulino Alcántara
Paulino Alcántara Riestrá was a Filipino–Spanish footballer and manager. He spent most of his playing career at Barcelona and was the first Filipino and Asian player to play for a European club. He also played for Catalonia, the Philippines and Spain...
. Together with Josep Samitier
Josep Samitier
Josep Samitier Vilalta , also known as José Samitier , was a Spanish footballer, manager and scout who played for FC Barcelona, Madrid CF, OGC Nice, the Catalan XI and Spain...
, Ricardo Zamora
Ricardo Zamora
Ricard Zamora i Martínez was a Spanish footballer and manager. He played as a goalkeeper for, among others, RCD Espanyol, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. As an international he played for both the Catalan XI and Spain...
, Félix Sesúmaga
Félix Sesúmaga
Félix Sesúmaga Ugarte was a Spanish Basque footballer during the 1910s and the 1920s. Born in Lejona, Vizcaya, he played as a forward for Arenas Club de Getxo, FC Barcelona, Racing de Sama de Langreo, Athletic Bilbao and Spain...
and, later, Franz Platko
Franz Platko
Ferenc Plattkó also known Franz Platko Kopiletz, Francisco Platko , also known as Ferenc Platko or Francisco Platko, was a Hungarian footballer and manager...
they were prominent members of the successful FC Barcelona team coached by Jack Greenwell. His younger brother, Luís Sagi Vela, followed in his fathers footsteps and also became a successful baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
singer. His son, Victor Sagi, later ran one of the biggest advertising agencies in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and in 1978 announced his candidacy for the presidency 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....
. He withdrew before the election was held.
Childhood and Youth
Emilio was born in ArgentinaArgentina
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...
, where his father regularly toured and performed, but returned to Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
when he was three. He was educated at the Colegio Condal and Colegio Bonanova and his childhood friends included Salvador Dalí
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domènec Felip Jacint Dalí i Domènech, Marquis de Púbol , commonly known as Salvador Dalí , was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres,Spain....
and Josep Samitier
Josep Samitier
Josep Samitier Vilalta , also known as José Samitier , was a Spanish footballer, manager and scout who played for FC Barcelona, Madrid CF, OGC Nice, the Catalan XI and Spain...
. During holidays at the Catalan resort of Cadaqués
Cadaqués
Cadaqués is a town in the Alt Empordà comarca, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain. It is on a bay in the middle of the Cap de Creus peninsula, near Cap de Creus cape, on the Costa Brava of the Mediterranean...
, the trio played football together. He also played football at school and as a junior with FC Catalònia, before joining 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....
in 1915.
FC Barcelona
In 1917, as a 17 year old, Emilio made his senior debut with FC BarcelonaFC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and during the 1918–19 season he helped the team win the Championat de Catalunya. In 1919 he left 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....
to study in Terrassa
Terrassa
Terrassa is a city in the east central region of Catalonia, Spain, in the comarca of Vallès Occidental, of which it is the co-capital along with Sabadell, the historic capital....
and after getting married he briefly retired from the game. However in 1922 he rejoined 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 embarked on a successful career which saw him win ten Championats de Catalunya, four Copa del Rey
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 ....
and the inaugural 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...
.
International career
Between 1922 and 1936 he played at least 15 games and scored at least 5 goals for the Catalan XICatalonia 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...
. However records from the era do not always include accurate statistics and he may have played and scored more. Together with Paulino Alcántara
Paulino Alcántara
Paulino Alcántara Riestrá was a Filipino–Spanish footballer and manager. He spent most of his playing career at Barcelona and was the first Filipino and Asian player to play for a European club. He also played for Catalonia, the Philippines and Spain...
, Josep Samitier
Josep Samitier
Josep Samitier Vilalta , also known as José Samitier , was a Spanish footballer, manager and scout who played for FC Barcelona, Madrid CF, OGC Nice, the Catalan XI and Spain...
and Ricardo Zamora
Ricardo Zamora
Ricard Zamora i Martínez was a Spanish footballer and manager. He played as a goalkeeper for, among others, RCD Espanyol, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. As an international he played for both the Catalan XI and Spain...
he helped the Catalan XI win an inter-regional competition, the Copa Princep de Asturies, three times during the 1920s. He scored in the 1924 final, a 4–4 draw with a Castile XI, before helping the Catalan XI win the replay 3–2 . He also played once for 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...
, in a 4–2 win over Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
in 1926.
Honours
FC Barcelona- Spanish LeagueLa 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...
: 1929
- Spanish CupCopa 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 ....
: 1922, 1925, 1926, 1928
- Catalan Champions: 1918–19, 1921–22, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1925–26, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1929–30, 1930–31, 1931–32
Catalan XI
- Copa Príncep d'Astúries: 1922, 1924, 1926