Hugo Gatti
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Hugo Orlando Gatti | ||
Date of birth | 19 August 1944 | ||
Place of birth | Carlos Tejedor, Argentina | ||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
Youth career | |||
1960–1961 | Atlanta | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1962–1964 | Atlanta | 38 | (0) |
1964–1968 | River Plate | 77 | (0) |
1969–1974 | Gimnasia La Plata | 224 | (0) |
1974–1975 | Unión Santa Fe | 45 | (0) |
1976–1988 | Boca Juniors | 381 | (1) |
Total | 765 | (1) | |
International career | |||
1966–1977 | Argentina | 18 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Hugo Orlando Gatti (born 19 August 1944) is an Argentine former professional football goalkeeper who played in the Argentine Primera División for 26 seasons[1] and set a record of 765 league and 52 international appearances, totaling 817 games played. Gatti is the player with most appearances in the Argentine league ever.[2][3]
During his career, Gatti won three Primera División titles, two Copa Libertadores tournaments, and one Intercontinental Cup, all with Boca Juniors, and played professionally until the age of 44.
Gatti, nicknamed El Loco (The Madman) was recognized for his charisma, his innovative playing style for his position and his eccentricity. He developed himself into a goalkeeper who relied on positional play rather than on his reflexes. He would frequently leave the
Gatti was voted
Early life
Born in
Club career
Early career
In 1960, at the age of 16, Gatti attended a
Gatti played 38 matches for Atlanta, and after that he was acquired by River Plate. He played 77 matches for River between 1964 and 1968, alternating as the first choice goalkeeper with Amadeo Carrizo, until he was transferred to Gimnasia y Esgrima, for which he appeared in 244 league matches between 1969 and 1974. In 1975, he joined Unión de Santa Fe, which put on an impressive season with coach Juan Carlos Lorenzo.
Boca Juniors
Although Gatti was already famous prior to his arrival to Boca Juniors, it was in that club where he became legendary, and it is Boca Juniors the club he is historically most associated with. Gatti played a total 381 league matches and 47 Copa Libertadores matches[8] for the Xeneizes from 1976 until his retirement in 1988. He is the goalkeeper with the most appearances in Boca Juniors history and the second overall player behind Roberto Mouzo, who played in 396 league matches.[9]
His debut with Boca occurred on 15 February 1976. In 1976, he won the double of the Metropolitano and the Copa Libertadores. In the Copa Libertadores final, he saved a crucial penalty kick by Cruzeiro player Vanderlei.[10][11] The following year, Boca won the Copa Libertadores again, and then beat Borussia Mönchengladbach in the final of the Intercontinental Cup. He won his third Metropolitano in 1981.
The 1980s were a difficult time for Boca, and Gatti had periods of inactivity during those years. His last match was on 11 September 1988, a day in which an error by him cost him and Boca the result. He was made a reserve after that, and he would never play an official match again.
On 24 January 1984, a friendly match between Boca Juniors and Gimnasia y Esgrima was played as a tribute to him.[12]
International career
With the
His last international match was on 5 June 1977.[15]
Post-retirement career
Gatti has continued to be involved in football since his retirement as a player, writing columns and opinions that have been controversial at times. As of 2010, he lives in Spain and collaborates with several media outlets, notably "Punto Pelota" now "El Chiringuito de Jugones". Additionally, as of 2012, he collaborates with several football shows in Argentina.
His son Lucas Gatti, born in 1978, was also a professional footballer and played as a midfielder for Argentinos Juniors, Dundee F.C. and CD Badajoz.[16]
Rivalry
For his Boca Juniors career, he was the counterpart of Ubaldo Fillol, another great Argentine goalkeeper who played in the nemesis team, River Plate. Fillol was always the image of professionalism and seriousness; "Madman" Gatti, on the other hand, looked eccentric and unorthodox.
Honours
Boca Juniors
- Argentine Primera División: 1976 Metropolitano, 1976 Nacional, 1981 Metropolitano,
- Copa Libertadores: 1977, 1978
- Intercontinental Cup: 1977
Individual
- Argentine Footballer of the Year: 1982
- IFFHS Argentina All Times Dream Team (Team C): 2021[17]
Records
References and notes
- ^ a b c d (in Spanish)Hugo Orlando Gatti bio Archived 8 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine – Redargentina.com – educar.org
- ^ a b El abuelo y tapicero que se convertirá en el jugador con más partidos en el fútbol argentino Archived 10 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine, La Nación, 5 November 2014
- ^ a b A 30 AÑOS DEL RÉCORD INALCANZABLE DE HUGO GATTI Archived 10 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Deportea
- ^ "Revolution between the Latin American Goalposts"[dead link] – fifa.com – FIFA, 10 January 2000.
- ^ IFFHS' Century Elections – rsssf.org – by Karel Stokkermans, RSSSF.
- IFFHS. Retrieved November 2006.
- ^ (in Spanish) Hugo Orlando Gatti: "El achique de Dios" – mediapunta.es – Sociedad Media Punta Ediciones, S.L., Madrid
- ^ Statistics of players in the Copa Libertadores – RSSSF
- ^ "Profile of Hugo Gatti – one of the all-time greats"
- ^ (in Portuguese) "Gatti, El loco" Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine – papodebola.com.br
- ^ (in Spanish) "Futbol Argentino: Los grandes del arco" – clarin.com – Grupo Clarín
- ^ Club Atlético Boca Juniors – All Results 1977–2001 – RSSSF
- ^ HUGO GATTI : Cuando el arte ataque
- ^ "Goalkeeping greats" – goalkeepersaredifferent.com
- ^ "Notable dates in Boca Juniors history". Archived from the original on 18 June 2006. Retrieved 13 October 2006.
- ^ "Lucas Gatti named Bromley U23's manager". Bromley Football Club. 25 July 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ "IFFHS ALL TIME ARGENTINA MEN'S DREAM TEAM". 26 August 2021.
External links
- Hugo Orlando Gatti's biography – informexeneize.com (in Spanish)
- "Hugo Orlando Gatti: El achique de Dios" – mediapunta.es (in Spanish)
- Hugo Gatti – palmares, photo gallery, video, wallpapers at the Wayback Machine (archived 14 October 2006) (in Spanish)
- Futbol Factory profile at the Wayback Machine (archived 20 October 2007) (in Spanish)