Spencer (Spanish footballer) explained

Spencer
Fullname:Enrique Gómez Muñoz
Birth Date:20 July 1898
Birth Place:Seville, Spain
Position:Forward
Years1:1913–1926
Clubs1:Sevilla
Nationalyears1:1923
Nationalteam1:Spain
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:1922–1924
Nationalteam2:Andalusia
Nationalcaps2:4
Nationalgoals2:1

Enrique Gómez Muñoz (20 July 1898 – 14 March 1926), known as Spencer, was a Spanish footballer who played as a forward.

Club career

Born in Seville, Andalusia, Spencer spent the vast majority of his career at hometown club Sevilla FC, whom he joined in 1913 at the age of 15. In the 1914–15 season he changed his football nickname, which until then was Enrique, to Spencer, to mislead his father, who wanted him to stop playing football to concentrate on studies.[1]

Spencer also represented Real Oviedo, after being relocated to the city to perform his military service.[2]

International career

On 16 December 1923, in only the 12th fixture of their existence, Spencer received his only cap for the Spanish national team, a 3–0 friendly win over neighbours Portugal. The match took place in his native city, and he along with Herminio became the first Sevilla players to feature in international football.[3]

Being a Sevilla FC player he was eligible to play for the Andalusia national team, making his debut in the team's first-ever game on 19 November 1922, a quarter-final match of the 1922-23 Prince of Asturias Cup against the Valencian Community team, which ended in a 2–1 win. Both he and Herminio represented Andalusia in the 1923-24 edition, and both of them scored a goal in the tournament, Spencer netted the winner against the Valencian team in a 3–2 win in the quarter-finals, while Herminio netted the consolation goal against a Castille/Madrid XI in a 1–2 loss in the semi-finals.[4]

Death

Due to complications from surgery for appendicitis, Spencer died on 14 March 1926 aged 27. Later that day, a minute's silence was observed before Sevilla's home match against Real Madrid in that year's Copa del Rey. After the game, players from both teams carried his casket to the cemetery, with thousands of fans in attendance.[5]

Notes and References

  1. News: Enrique Gómez Muñoz, 'Spencer': una apendicitis se llevó el arte de Triana. Enrique Gómez Muñoz, ‘Spencer': appendicitis took away the Triana art. Perarnau Magazine. Spanish. 21 February 2013. 16 June 2022. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150210123250/http://www.martiperarnau.com/historias/santoral/enrique-gomez-munoz-spencer-una-apendicitis-se-llevo-el-arte-de-triana/. 10 February 2015.
  2. News: Spencer. Palanganas. Spanish. 3 June 2015.
  3. News: España ha batido por tercera vez a Portugal, por 3 a 0. Spain have beaten Portugal for the third time, 3 goals to nil. Mundo Deportivo. Spanish. 17 December 1923. 29 May 2015.
  4. Web site: La Copa Príncipe de Asturias . The Prince of Asturias Cup . es . . Vicente Martínez Calatrava . 17 August 2009 . 5 June 2022.
  5. News: El R. Madrid bate de extrema justeza al Sevilla por 1 a 0. R. Madrid rightfully beat Sevilla 1 goal to nil. Mundo Deportivo. Spanish. 15 March 1926. 29 May 2015.