Francisco Olazar Explained

Francisco Olazar
Fullname:Francisco Olazar
Birth Date:10 July 1885
Birth Place:Quilmes, Argentina
Death Place:Lomas de Zamora, Argentina
Position:Central midfielder
Youthclubs1:Club Mariano Moreno
Youthyears2:1908–1910
Youthclubs2:Racing Club
Years1:1910–1922
Clubs1:Racing Club
Nationalyears1:1916–1921
Nationalteam1:Argentina
Nationalcaps1:17
Nationalgoals1:1

Francisco Olazar (10 July 1885 – 21 September 1958) was an Argentine football player and coach. He played as a central midfielder.

At club level, Olazar spent his entire career playing for Racing Club, winning eight Primera División league titles and eight national cups. He also played for and managed the Argentina national team, being the manager at the 1930 FIFA World Cup.

He was regarded as one of the best Argentine centre-half of this time.[1]

Career

Player

Olazar was born in Quilmes. He first played at Mariano Moreno, a small club in Avellaneda, Greater Buenos Aires. In 1908, he joined Racing Club, where he started playing at youth level.[2]

Playing as a central midfielder, Olazar was an integral part of the Racing Club team that was known for their playing style and success,[3] winning seven consecutive Primera División titles from 1913 to 1919, a record that still stands.[4] He was one of the Racing Club's most notable players because of his technique and strength in recovering the ball. He also captained the team during the successful spell. He scored a total of 37 goals playing for Racing Club.

He played for the Argentina national team on 17 occasions, including appearances at the first two Copa América tournaments in 1916 and 1917.[5]

Manager

After retiring as a player, Olazar turned to coaching and managed the Argentina team that won the Copa América in 1929.[6] He was also the team's coach of the team that participated in the first FIFA World Cup in 1930, where he and technical director Juan José Tramutola managed La Albiceleste to second place behind hosts Uruguay.[7]

Honours

Player

Racing Club

1917, 1918

Manager

Argentina

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 8 March 2019 . 1927. Reportaje a Francisco Olazar . 13 September 2024 . El Gráfico . Spanish.
  2. Web site: Ídolos: Francisco Olázar . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230929002328/https://www.racingclub.com.ar/idolos/francisco-olazar/ . 29 September 2023 . 25 August 2024 . Racing Club - Sitio Oficial . es.
  3. Web site: Ferreira . Fernando . 10 July 2017 . Hace 122 años nacía Francisco Olazar . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220524145334/http://www.elprimergrande.com/noticia/122-anos-nacia-francisco-olazar-racing-club-el-primer-grande/ . 24 May 2022 . 11 September 2024 . El Primer Grande . Spanish.
  4. Web site: Racing Club 1913-1919. El único heptacampeón del fútbol argentino . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161219200330/https://www.xenen.com.ar/2016/05/13/racing-club-1913-1919-el-unico-heptacampeon-del-futbol-argentino/ . 19 December 2016 . 11 September 2024 . Xenen . Spanish.
  5. Web site: Francisco Olazar . 13 September 2024 . WorldFootball.net.
  6. Web site: Tabeira . Martín . 25 February 2011 . Southamerican Championship 1929 . 22 September 2024 . RSSSF.
  7. Web site: 30 May 2014 . 95 historias de la selección en los mundiales . El Gráfico . Spanish.