Francisco Mateo
Encyclopedia
Francisco "Paco" Mateo was a Spanish
-French
footballer who played as a professional for Valencia, Bordeaux and Strasbourg
. He also was a coach and manager for RC Strasbourg
.
, Morocco
and quickly attracted the attention of the biggest clubs in the Spanish mainland, joining Sevilla FC
and then FC Barcelona
before the outbreak of the Spanish civil war
. Mateo chose the Republican side, spending most of the war in Valencia. Towards the end of the conflict, he was imprisoned due to his political leanings but was released on the insistence of the Girondins de Bordeaux and was therefore able to emigrate to France shortly before the outbreak of World War II
.
In Bordeaux, Mateo played for the Girondins in a local league as the French Championship had been disbanded due to the war. He also met his wife, an Alsatian
who had been evacuated to south-west France in 1939. When the war was terminated, he accompanied his wife back to Alsace and quickly joined RC Strasbourg
where he plained until the end of the decade, reaching the final of the cup in 1947
.
After the end of his playing career, Mateo continued as a youth coach for RC Strasbourg where he taught the likes of Gilbert Gress, Gérard Hausser
, Albert Gemmrich
or Léonard Specht
. He was responsible for the first team between October 1970 and June 1971 but was not able to save Strasbourg from relegation. He died in 1979, shortly after Strasbourg's first and only championship crown.
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...
-French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
footballer who played as a professional for Valencia, Bordeaux and Strasbourg
RC Strasbourg
Racing Club de Strasbourg is a French association football club founded in 1906 and professional since 1933, based in the city of Strasbourg, in Alsace...
. He also was a coach and manager for RC Strasbourg
RC Strasbourg
Racing Club de Strasbourg is a French association football club founded in 1906 and professional since 1933, based in the city of Strasbourg, in Alsace...
.
Bio
Mateo started his career as a promising youngster playing for a Spanish club in TétouanTétouan
Tetouan is a city in northern Morocco. The Berber name means literally "the eyes" and figuratively "the water springs". Tetouan is one of the two major ports of Morocco on the Mediterranean Sea. It lies a few miles south of the Strait of Gibraltar, and about 40 mi E.S.E. of Tangier...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
and quickly attracted the attention of the biggest clubs in the Spanish mainland, joining 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...
and then 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....
before the outbreak of the Spanish civil war
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. Mateo chose the Republican side, spending most of the war in Valencia. Towards the end of the conflict, he was imprisoned due to his political leanings but was released on the insistence of the Girondins de Bordeaux and was therefore able to emigrate to France shortly before the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In Bordeaux, Mateo played for the Girondins in a local league as the French Championship had been disbanded due to the war. He also met his wife, an Alsatian
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
who had been evacuated to south-west France in 1939. When the war was terminated, he accompanied his wife back to Alsace and quickly joined RC Strasbourg
RC Strasbourg
Racing Club de Strasbourg is a French association football club founded in 1906 and professional since 1933, based in the city of Strasbourg, in Alsace...
where he plained until the end of the decade, reaching the final of the cup in 1947
Coupe de France Final 1947
The Coupe de France Final 1947 was a football match held at Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Colombes on May 11, 1947, that saw Lille OSC defeat RC Strasbourg 2-0 thanks to goals by Roger Vandooren and an own goals of Joseph Lang.-Match details:...
.
After the end of his playing career, Mateo continued as a youth coach for RC Strasbourg where he taught the likes of Gilbert Gress, Gérard Hausser
Gérard Hausser
Gérard Hausser is a former French footballer.During his career he played for RC Strasbourg , Karlsruher SC , and FC Metz...
, Albert Gemmrich
Albert Gemmrich
Albert Gemmrich is a retired football striker from France, who obtained 5 caps for the French national team.-References: *...
or Léonard Specht
Léonard Specht
Léonard Specht is a French former professional football player. He was also chairman of RC Strasbourg in 2009.-External links:**...
. He was responsible for the first team between October 1970 and June 1971 but was not able to save Strasbourg from relegation. He died in 1979, shortly after Strasbourg's first and only championship crown.