Saturnino Arrúa

{{short description|Paraguayan footballer and coach (born 1949)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Saturnino Arrúa

| image =

| fullname = Saturnino Arrúa Molinas

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|4|7|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Itá, Paraguay

| position = Attacking Midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = San Rafael

| years1 = 1963

| years2 = 1964–1973

| years3 = 1973–1979

| years4 = 1979–1981

| years5 = 1981–1982

| clubs1 = Sportivo Iteño

| clubs2 = Cerro Porteño

| clubs3 = Real Zaragoza

| clubs4 = Cerro Porteño

| clubs5 = América de Cali

| caps1 =

| caps2 =

| caps3 = 147

| caps4 =

| caps5 = 14

| goals1 =

| goals2 =

| goals3 = 71

| goals4 =

| goals5 = 4

| nationalyears1 = 1969–1980

| nationalteam1 = Paraguay

| nationalcaps1 = 27

| nationalgoals1 = 13

}}

Saturnino 'Nino' Arrúa Molinas (born 7 April 1949) is a Paraguayan retired footballer who played as an attacking midfielder, and a current coach.

Considered one of the greatest footballers to ever come out of his nation, his 22-year professional career was closely associated with Cerro Porteño and Real Zaragoza.[http://www.ultimahora.com/notas/332139-Saturnino-Arrua-Un-gran-y-magnifico-10 Saturnino Arrúa – Un gran y magnífico "10" (Saturnino Arrúa – Great and magnificent "10")]; Última Hora, 19 June 2010 {{in lang|es}}

Club career

Born in Itá near Asunción, Arrúa made his senior debuts at only 14, with local Sportivo Iteño. He was signed shortly after by Cerro Porteño, going on to win four national championships four times during his spell as well as being crowned the league's top scorer on three occasions.

In 1973 Arrúa moved to Spain and joined Real Zaragoza, remaining six seasons with the club, five of them in La Liga. He scored 17 goals in only 26 games in his first campaign for a final third-place and, during parts of his stint in Aragon, formed an efficient attacking partnership with countrymen Carlos Diarte and Felipe Ocampos which was dubbed Zaraguayos.[http://www.apiedepista.es/el-zaragoza-de-los-zaraguayos/ El Zaragoza de los ‘zaraguayos’ (Zaragoza of the ‘zaraguayos’)] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130628021106/http://www.apiedepista.es/el-zaragoza-de-los-zaraguayos/ |date=28 June 2013 }}; A Pie de Pista, 7 April 2013 {{in lang|es}}

From 1979 until his retirement six years later Arrúa played mainly with former side Cerro Porteño – this was interspersed with a spell in Colombia with América de Cali. Subsequently, he worked as a manager, with Club 12 de Octubre, Club Atlético 3 de Febrero and Cerro.[http://archivo.abc.com.py/2009-06-02/articulos/527440/saturnino-arrua-carga-una-pesada-mochila Saturnino Arrúa carga una “pesada mochila” (Saturnino Arrúa carries “heavy pack”)]; ABC, 2 June 2009 {{in lang|es}}[http://www.ultimahora.com/notas/265612-Tras-la-renuncia-de-Lanata,-Arrúa-vuelve-a-dirigir-al-12 Tras la renuncia de Lanata, Arrúa vuelve a dirigir al "12" (After stepping down of Lanata, Arrúa back in helm of "12")]; Última Hora, 19 October 2009 {{in lang|es}}

International career

Arrúa gained 27 caps for Paraguay between 1969 and 1980, scoring 13 goals.[https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/para-recintlp.html Appearances for Paraguay National Team]; at RSSSF