Arsenio Erico

Arsenio Erico

Erico covered on El Gráfico in 1934.
Personal information
Full name	Arsenio Pastor Erico Martínez
Date of birth	(1915-03-30)30 March 1915
Place of birth	Asunción, Paraguay
Date of death	23 July 1977(1977-07-23) (aged 62)
Place of death	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s)	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1930–1933	Nacional	14	(17)
1933–1946	Independiente	325	(295)
1942	Nacional	1	(2)
1946–1947	Huracán	7	(0)
1947–1949	Nacional	9	(5)
International career
1933–1934	Paraguay	?	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Arsenio Pastor Erico Martínez (30 March 1915 – 23 July 1977) was a

Erico, born in Asunción, Paraguay, began his career in Club Nacional of Paraguay and made his debut in the club's first-team squad at the age of 15.^{[citation needed]} During the early 1930s, Erico was part of the Paraguayan Red Cross football team that was on tour in Argentina in order to gather funds for the Chaco War. Because of his good performances during the friendly matches in the mentioned tour, Club Atlético Independiente of Argentina signed him. He made his debut for Independiente on 5 May 1936 and began to demonstrate why he had acquired the nickname 'red jumper'. Before the 1938 FIFA World Cup Erico was offered an extravagant amount of money to play for the Argentina national football team but he rejected it, gaining the praise in the general Argentine public for remaining loyal to his country of origin. Soon after this, however, Erico caught an infection which led to a long period out on the sidelines. Then, in 1937, he broke his leg. After he recovered, however, he reminded everyone of his talent by taking Independiente to the league title in 1938 and 1939. Later, he joined Huracán where he only played 7 games in 1947 before retiring.

After retirement

After retiring from football, Erico decided to live in Argentina, although he often visited his country of origin. He had a brief career as a coach, managing the club where he started his career as a footballer, Nacional and also had a brief stint in Club Sol de América where he led the team to a second-place finish in the 1957 Paraguayan Primera División. In 1960, he got married with Aurelia Blanco. They had no children.

In 1970 Erico was honored in

In 1977 his left leg had to be cut off, and he finally died of a heart attack on 23 July 1977. While the match between River and Independiente (played the day following his death at Tomas Adolfo Duco Palace) was being played, the crowd acclaimed Erico singing "Se siente, se siente, Erico está presente (We feel it, we feel it, Erico is with us)".

Erico was buried in the Cemetery of Morón in Greater Buenos Aires. Independiente paid the costs of burial expenses and funeral.^[6]

Legacy

Erico was an inspiration to Argentine player

Club Nacional stadium is named after him, and sections of the Defensores del Chaco stadium in Paraguay and the Libertadores de América stadium in Avellaneda also carry Arsenio Erico's name.^[9] He died on 23 July 1977.

Career statistics

^[10]

Titles

Club

Independiente

• Primera División (2): 1938, 1939
• Copa Dr. Ibarguren (2): 1938, 1939
• Copa Adrián Escobar
  (1): 1939
• Copa Aldao (2): 1938, 1939

Nacional

• Paraguayan Primera División (1): 1942

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arsenio Erico.