Livio Bendaña (footballer, born 1935)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Livio Bendaña

| fullname = Livio Bendaña Espinoza

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1935|9|22}}

| birth_place = Diriamba, Nicaragua

| height =

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Excelsior Mayor del IPD

| years1 = 1950–1954

| years2 = 1956

| years3 = 1958

| years4 = 1959

| years5 =

| years6 = 1963–1966

| years7 = 1966

| years8 =

| years9 =

| clubs1 = Diriangén

| clubs2 = Puebla

| clubs3 = UNAN de León

| clubs4 = Diriangén

| clubs5 = Motagua

| clubs6 = Diriangén

| clubs7 = Antiguo ISA

| clubs8 = MIlca de Managua

| clubs9 = Santa Cecilia

| caps1 =

| caps2 =

| goals1 =

| goals2 =

| manageryears1 = 1967–1970

| manageryears2 = 1966–1972

| managerclubs1 = Nicaragua

| managerclubs2 = Diriangén

| nationalyears1 = 1952–1967

| nationalteam1 = Nicaragua

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| pcupdate =

| ntupdate =

}}

Livio Bendaña Espinoza (born September 22, 1935 in Diriamba, Nicaragua) is a former Nicaraguan footballer and coach.

Club career

Born in Diriamba, Bendaña joined local side Diriangén in 1950 and played his first game in 1952, aged 16. His father sent him to join a US military school instead of him moving to Costa Rican team Saprissa[http://www.laprensa.com.ni/2012/01/28/play/88729-nica-a-prueba-madrid Nica a prueba con el Madrid] - La Prensa {{in lang|es}} and on his return in 1956 he went to Mexico to play for Universidad Puebla. He joined Nicaraguan side UNAN de León in 1958 and had further spells at Diriangén and in Honduras with F.C. Motagua.[http://archivo.elnuevodiario.com.ni/2000/octubre/01-octubre-2000/deportes/deportes7.html Livio Bendaña Espinoza (Biography)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928112331/http://archivo.elnuevodiario.com.ni/2000/octubre/01-octubre-2000/deportes/deportes7.html |date=2011-09-28 }} - El Nuevo Diario {{in lang|es}}

International career

Nicknamed Pichichi, he played for the national team from 1952 through 1967.[http://archivo.laprensa.com.ni/archivo/2007/abril/02/suplementos/deportivo/183106_print.shtml Livio “Pichichi” Bendaña] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404121406/http://archivo.laprensa.com.ni/archivo/2007/abril/02/suplementos/deportivo/183106_print.shtml |date=2012-04-04 }} - La Prensa {{in lang|es}}

Personal life

His son, Livio José Bendaña, also became a striker with the national team in the 1980s and 1990s.[http://archivo.laprensa.com.ni/archivo/2007/septiembre/17/suplementos/deportivo/214427.shtml Los cuatro fantásticos] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215174951/http://archivo.laprensa.com.ni/archivo/2007/septiembre/17/suplementos/deportivo/214427.shtml |date=2013-12-15 }} - El Nuevo Diario {{in lang|es}}