Ricardo Zamora

Ricardo Zamora Martínez (21 January 1901 – 8 September 1978) was a Spanish footballer and manager.

He played as a goalkeeper for, among others, RCD Espanyol, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid.

As an international he played for both the Catalan XI and Spain.

As a manager, he won two La Liga titles with Atlético Madrid (then Atlético Aviación) and briefly managed Spain.

Born in Barcelona, Spain, Zamora began his career as a junior with Universitari SC before signing for Espanyol in 1916, at the age of fifteen, after playing a series of friendly matches with the club.

He made his debut for the club on 23 April 1916 against Madrid FC (now Real Madrid CF), keeping a clean sheet in a goalless draw.

He then helped Espanyol win the Campionat de Catalunya in 1918.

Zamora never had the support of his parents to play football because they wanted him to focus on studying medicine like his father, but his teammates such as Pakán encouraged him to keep playing.

But even so, in 1919, he decided to resume his studies, at the will of his family, so he abandoned the ranks of Espanyol.

However, he resumed the activity shortly after due to a large offer from local rivals FC Barcelona, which he accepted despite his family's opposition and an argument with Espanyol's board.

Between 1919 and 1922 Zamora was a prominent member of the legendary FC Barcelona team, coached by Jack Greenwell, that also included his close friend Josep Samitier, Sagibarba, Paulino Alcántara and Félix Sesúmaga.

During his time at Barcelona, he helped the team win the Campionat de Catalunya three times and the Copa del Rey twice in 1920 and 1922, keeping a clean-sheet in the 1920 final in a 2–0 win over Pichichi's Athletic Bilbao.

In 1920 together with Josep Samitier, Félix Sesúmaga, Pichichi and José María Belauste, Zamora was a member of the first ever Spanish national squad.

The squad, coached by Francisco Bru, won the silver medal at the 1920 Olympic Games.

After three successful seasons at Barça he returned to Espanyol in 1922.

Together with Paulino Alcántara, Sagibarba and Josep Samitier, he helped the Catalan XI win two tournaments of the Prince of Asturias Cup, an official inter-regional competition organized by the RFEF, winning in 1923-24 and 1926.

Zamora, nicknamed El Divino, was noted for wearing a cloth cap and a white polo-neck jumper on the field, a look later copied by several of his contemporaries.

He claimed it was to protect him from both the sun and his opponents.

As a goalkeeper, he was primarily known for his athleticism, quick reflexes, shot-stopping abilities, large frame, and bravery in goal.

On 2 February 1929, he made his La Liga debut with Espanyol during the competition's inaugural season.

In the same year, under the management of Jack Greenwell and together with Ricardo Saprissa, he helped the club win both the Campionat de Catalunya and their first ever Copa del Rey in 1929, after beating the likes of Atlético Madrid in the quarter-finals, the soon-to-be La Liga champions Barcelona in the semi-finals and Real Madrid 2–1 in the final.

Zamora subsequently made 46 official appearances for Spain, including in the infamous game against England on 15 May 1929, in which England took a 2-0 lead within 20 minutes following mistakes from him, who had injured his sternum early on, but despite that he carried on playing and Spain won the game 4–3, becoming the first team from outside the British Isles to defeat England.

In 1929 while playing for Spain against England, he carried on playing despite breaking his sternum.

Spain won the game 4–3, becoming the first team from outside the British Isles to defeat England.

After playing 26 La Liga games for Espanyol, he joined Real Madrid in 1930.

In 1930 Zamora signed for Real Madrid.

He was one of several new arrivals, and among the others was Jacinto Quincoces.

During the 1931–32 season they helped the club win La Liga for the first time.

The following season Zamora and Quincoces were joined at the club by Josep Samitier and the trio helped Real retain the title.

In 1934 Francisco Bru took over as the Real coach and he guided Zamora and company to victory in two Copa de España finals.

In the 1934 final they beat a Valencia CF team coached by Jack Greenwell 2–1.

Zamora also represented Spain at the 1934 World Cup.

Zamora was also Spain's most capped player for 45 years until being surpassed by José Ángel Iribar.

Zamora also played at least 13 games for the Catalan XI.

However, records from the era do not always include accurate statistics and he may have played more.

The 1936 final saw Real Madrid meet FC Barcelona for the first time in a cup final, and despite playing with ten men for most of the game, the Madrid club beat Barça 2–1 at the Mestalla.

Barça's attempts to equalize in the final minutes were thwarted by Zamora's spectacular save from Josep Escolà.

Zamora is also remembered for a spectacular last-minute save he made in the 1936 Copa del Rey final while playing for Real Madrid against FC Barcelona.

Regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of his generation, along with Gianpiero Combi and František Plánička, as well as one of the greatest of all time, in 1999, the IFFHS elected Zamora as the best Spanish goalkeeper – as well as the fourth best in Europe and fifth best overall – of the twentieth century; in the same year, he was voted one of the greatest players of the 20th century by World Soccer magazine.

The award for the best goalkeeper in La Liga, the Ricardo Zamora Trophy, is named in his honour.