José Nasazzi

{{Infobox football biography

| name = José Nasazzi

| image = Jose nasazzi urug.jpg

| image_size = 150

| caption = Nasazzi with the Uruguay national team.

| fullname = José Nasazzi Yarza{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/na/jose-nasazzi-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418000039/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/na/jose-nasazzi-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 April 2020 |title=José Nasazzi Biography and Olympic Results |publisher=Sports-reference.com |access-date=21 December 2010}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1901|3|24}}

| birth_place = Montevideo, Uruguay

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1968|6|17|1901|5|24}}

| death_place = Montevideo, Uruguay

| height = {{Height|m=1.82}}

| position = Defender

| years1 = 1918–1920

| clubs1 = Lito

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 1921

| clubs2 = Roland Moor

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| years3 = 1922–1933

| clubs3 = Bella Vista

| caps3 = 322

| goals3 = 17

| years4 = 1933–1937

| clubs4 = Nacional

| caps4 = 58

| goals4 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 1923–1936

| nationalteam1 = Uruguay

| nationalcaps1 = 41

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 1942–1945

| managerclubs1 = Uruguay

| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's football}}

{{MedalCountry|{{URU}}}}

}}

José Nasazzi Yarza (24 March 1901 – 17 June 1968) was a Uruguayan footballer who played as a right-back or centre-back.{{cite web|title=José Nasazzi|url=http://www.auf.org.uy/jose-nasazzi-yarza/|access-date=23 June 2019}} He captained his country when they won the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930.

Career

File:Uruguay en el Sudamericano 1926, Los Sports, 1926-11-05 (191) 02.jpg

He was born in Bella Vista, Montevideo to Giuseppe, an Italian immigrant from Esino Lario (near Lecco), and María Jacinta Yarza from the Basque Country of Spain.{{cite web|url=http://www.nacionaldigital.com/biblioteca/Nasazzicue.htm|title=Ha muerto José Nasazzi, "el más grande capitán de la historia"|publisher=Club Nacional de Football|language=es|access-date=30 January 2010|archive-date=21 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120821031548/http://www.nacionaldigital.com/biblioteca/Nasazzicue.htm|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.corrieredellosport.it/calcio/coppa_america/2011/07/01-181416/Cavani,+che+cuore!+L%E2%80%99Uruguay+applaude|title=Cavani, che cuore! L'Uruguay applaude|publisher=Corriere dello Sport|language=it|access-date=2 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112032/http://www.corrieredellosport.it/calcio/coppa_america/2011/07/01-181416/Cavani,+che+cuore!+L%E2%80%99Uruguay+applaude|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}

Nasazzi is regarded by many as Uruguay's greatest ever football player.{{cite magazine |last= Chiesa|first= Carlo F.|date= 22 August 1999|language= it|title= We are the champions – I 150 fuoriclasse che hanno fatto la storia del calcio| trans-title= The 150 champions that made football's history|magazine= Calcio 2000|publisher= Action Group S.r.l.}} He was known as El Gran Mariscal ("The Great Marshal"), and had already won the gold medal at the 1924 and 1928 Olympic Games,{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/27662 |title=José Nasazzi |work=Olympedia |access-date=18 August 2021}} as well as the South American Championship in 1923, 1924, and 1926, by the time of the first World Cup. On individual level, he was selected as best player at FIFA World Cup 1930 and twice (1923 and 1935) at South American Championship (the predecessor of Copa America).

During the 1930 FIFA World Cup tournament, Uruguay's only serious rivals were their neighbors Argentina. After defeating Peru and Romania in the first round, Uruguay defeated Yugoslavia 6–1 in the semi-finals to set up a final against Argentina. Although his team were 2–1 behind at half-time, Nasazzi rallied his teammates in the second half, leading them to a 4–2 victory and making himself the first captain to lift the Jules Rimet Trophy.

Although Uruguay refused to defend their title in 1934, Nasazzi won the South American Championship again (in 1935), before retiring in 1936 with 41 international appearances. Throughout his career at Nacional, he played 110 matches and scored 10 goals, including friendlies.{{Cite web|url=https://atilio.uy/jugador:1267|title=Nasazzi, José}}

Nasazzi's Baton

Nasazzi's Baton is an unofficial title named after José similar to the Unofficial Football World Championship. It is said to have been held by Uruguay after the first World Cup, and subsequently to have been taken over by any team to beat the holders over 90 minutes in a full international match.{{cite web|url=http://www.nasazzi.com/|title=Le Baton de Nasazzi|access-date=29 July 2015|language=fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131126220515/http://www.nasazzi.com/|archive-date=26 November 2013|url-status=dead}}

Honours

=Club=

;Lito

Uruguayan Intermedia: 1917, 1920

;Roland Moor

Uruguayan 3era Extra: 1921

;Nacional

Primera División: 1933 – 1937; 1925: European Tour with Nacional; 1927: US Tour with Nacional;.

=International=

;Uruguay

FIFA World Cup: 1930
Football at the Summer Olympics: 1924, 1928
South American Championship: 1923, 1924, 1926, 1935

=Individual=

Best player at the South American Championship: 1923, 1935
FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 1930{{cite news |title=World Cup 2014: Fifa announces Golden Ball shortlist |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/28274011 |access-date=23 September 2020 |work=BBC Sport |date=12 July 2014}}
France Football's World Cup Top-100 1930–1990, 56th: 1994{{Cite web|title=France Football's World Cup Top-100 1930–1990|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/ff-wc100.html|access-date=17 December 2021|website=RSSSF}}
IFFHS South American Footballer of the Century, 26th: 1999{{Cite web|title=IFFHS' Century Elections|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/iffhs-century.html|access-date=17 December 2021|website=RSSSF}}
World Soccer's 100 Greatest Footballers of All Time, 75th: 1999{{Cite web|title=The Best x Players of the Century/All-Time|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/best-x-players-of-y.html|access-date=17 December 2021|website=RSSSF}}
RSSSF Uruguay All-Time Team: 1999{{Cite web|title=World All-|url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/natnallt.html|access-date=17 December 2021|website=RSSSF}}
Copa América Historical Dream Team: 2011
IFFHS Uruguayan Men's Dream Team{{cite web |url=https://www.iffhs.com/posts/2118 |title=IFFHS All-Time Uruguay Men's Dream Team |publisher=IFFHS |date=5 August 2021 |access-date=9 January 2023}}