Ramón Grosso Explained

Ramón Grosso
Fullname:Ramón Moreno Grosso
Birth Date:8 December 1943
Birth Place:Madrid, Spain
Death Place:Madrid, Spain
Height:1.76 m
Position:Forward
Youthclubs1:Santo Domingo el Sabio
Youthyears2:1959–1963
Youthclubs2:Real Madrid
Years1:1963–1964
Caps1:15
Goals1:13
Years2:1964
Clubs2:Atlético Madrid (loan)
Caps2:12
Goals2:3
Years3:1964–1976
Caps3:265
Goals3:54
Totalcaps:292
Totalgoals:70
Nationalyears1:1963–1964
Nationalcaps1:9
Nationalgoals1:9
Nationalyears2:1964
Nationalcaps2:1
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:1967–1970
Nationalcaps3:14
Nationalgoals3:1
Manageryears1:1987
Managerclubs1:Real Madrid B
Manageryears2:1991
Managerclubs2:Real Madrid (interim)
Manageryears3:1997
Managerclubs3:Real Madrid B

Ramón Moreno Grosso (8 December 1943 – 13 February 2002) was a Spanish football forward and manager.

He spent 12 La Liga seasons with Real Madrid, appearing in 366 competitive matches (75 goals scored) and winning 11 major titles, including the 1966 European Cup.[1]

Club career

Born in Madrid, Grosso reached Real Madrid's youth system at the age of 15. He returned after a short loan at neighbouring Atlético Madrid where he was instrumental in avoiding relegation from La Liga in the 1963–64 season, going on to remain 12 years at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.[2] [1]

Even though his teammates included the likes of Amancio Amaro, Francisco Gento or Ferenc Puskás, Grosso was team top scorer in his first two seasons, scoring 17 goals from 28 appearances in 1964–65 and 11 in 29 in the following. He made his debut in the European Cup on 23 September 1964, scoring in the 5–2 away win over Boldklubben 1909.[2] [3]

In the following years, Grosso played in several positions for Real Madrid, even being placed as goalkeeper in the Ramón de Carranza Trophy match against Boca Juniors. For his "team-first" approach he was eventually dubbed Obrero (worker),[2] and he left his main club in June 1976 at the age of 32, retiring from football subsequently.[4]

Grosso continued to work with Real in the following decades, as a manager: he started in the youth sides, then worked as head coach with Real Madrid Castilla in two separate Segunda División campaigns (23 games in 1986–87 and one in 1996–97, suffering relegation in the latter), and finally as assistant to the main squad;[5] on 24 March 1991, following the dismissal of Alfredo Di Stéfano and before the appointment of Radomir Antić, he acted as interim to the latter in a 1–1 home draw with Real Oviedo.[6]

International career

Grosso won 14 caps for Spain in three years. His debut occurred on 1 February 1967 in a 0–0 draw against Turkey at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium for the UEFA Euro 1968 qualifiers,[7] and he scored in the second contest between the two teams, a 2–0 victory in Bilbao.[8] [2]

International goals

! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
1. 31 May 1967 San Mamés, Bilbao, Spain 1–0 2–0 Euro 1968 qualifying

Death

After a long battle with cancer, Grosso died on 13 February 2002 in his hometown of Madrid, aged 58. He was survived by his wife Amparo and five children, including the oldest María Ángela, who married Real Madrid player Paco Llorente.[2] [9] [10]

Honours

Real Madrid

1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1975–76[7]

1969–70, 1973–74, 1974–75[7]

1965–66[7]

Notes and References

  1. News: De Grosso a Llorente, abuelo y nieto, dos Metropolitanos, 55 años después. From Grosso to Llorente, grandfather and grandson, two Metropolitano, 55 years later. Mundo Deportivo. es. 20 June 2019. 19 January 2022.
  2. Web site: Ramón Moreno Grosso. Real Madrid Fans. es. 10 January 2013.
  3. Web site: Real Madrid CF – All the players in European Cups. RSSSF. Emilio. Pla Díaz. 26 February 2015.
  4. News: Apretado programa de pretemporada para Real y Atlético de Madrid. Tight preseason schedule for Real and Atlético Madrid. El País. es. 6 August 1976. 19 January 2022.
  5. Web site: Todos coinciden: "Era un tipazo". All agree: "He was one hell of a guy". Real Madrid CF. es. 20 December 2008. 10 January 2013.
  6. News: Ya nadie respeta al Real Madrid. Nobody respects Real Madrid anymore. Mundo Deportivo. Carlos. Carbajosa. es. 25 March 1991. 21 June 2016.
  7. News: Grosso fallece a causa de una larga enfermedad. Grosso dies of long illness. El Mundo. es. 13 February 2002. 19 January 2022.
  8. News: Medio siglo después, España volverá a San Mamés. Half a century later, Spain will return to San Mamés. El Correo. es. 15 October 2019. 19 January 2022.
  9. News: Reacciones a la muerte de Grosso. Reactions to death of Grosso. El Mundo. es. 13 February 2002. 10 January 2013.
  10. News: En el nombre del padre, del hijo y de los nietos. In the name of the father, the son and the grandsons. El País. Alfredo. Relaño. es. 14 March 2021. 19 January 2022.