Arsenio Erico

Erico covered onEl Gráfico in 1934.
Personal information
Full name	Arsenio Pastor Erico Martínez
Date of birth	(1915-03-30)30 March 1915
Place of birth	Asunción, Paraguay
Date of death	23 July 1977(1977-07-23) (aged 62)
Place of death	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1930–1933	Nacional	14	(17)
1933–1946	Independiente	325	(295)
1942	Nacional	1	(2)
1946–1947	Huracán	7	(0)
1947–1949	Nacional	9	(5)
Total		356	(319)
International career
1933–1934	Paraguay	?	(1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Arsenio Pastor Erico Martínez (30 March 1915 – 23 July 1977) was a Paraguayanfootballstriker. He is theall-time highest goalscorer in theArgentine first division with 295 goals.^[1] Previously it had been affirmed that Erico's record was 293 goals, sharing the record withÁngel Labruna.^[2][3] All the goals in Erico's career in Primera División were scored playing forIndependiente. Erico is also considered the best Paraguayan footballer of all time and for some is the best player in history, includingAlfredo Di Stéfano.^[4] A striker noted for his technique, finishing and aerial ability, Erico was regarded one of the finest players of the 1930s and one of greatest players to have played in the Argentinean league.^[5]

Erico, born inAsunción,Paraguay, began his career inClub Nacional of Paraguay and made his debut in the club's first-team squad at the age of 15.^{[citation needed]}During the early 1930s, Erico was part of the Paraguayan Red Cross football team that was on tour in Argentina in order to gather funds for theChaco War. Because of his good performances during the friendly matches in the mentioned tour, Club Atlético Independiente of Argentina signed him. He made his debut for Independiente on 5 May 1936 and began to demonstrate why he had acquired the nickname 'red jumper'. Before the 1938 FIFA World Cup Erico was offered an extravagant amount of money to play for theArgentina national football team but he rejected it, gaining the praise in the general Argentine public for remaining loyal to his country of origin. Soon after this, however, Erico caught an infection which led to a long period out on the sidelines. Then, in 1937, he broke his leg. After he recovered, however, he reminded everyone of his talent by taking Independiente to the league title in 1938 and 1939. Later, he joined Huracán where he only played 7 games in 1947 before retiring.

After retiring from football, Erico decided to live in Argentina, although he often visited his country of origin. He had a brief career as a coach, managing the club where he started his career as a footballer,Nacional and also had a brief stint inClub Sol de América where he led the team to a second-place finish in the 1957Paraguayan Primera División. In 1960, he got married with Aurelia Blanco. They had no children.

In 1970 Erico was honored inAsunción, Paraguay during a friendly match betweenArgentina andParaguay national sides in theEstadio Defensores del Chaco that was at its full capacity.

In 1977 his left leg had to be cut off, and he finally died of a heart attack on 23 July 1977. While the match between River and Independiente (played the day following his death atTomas Adolfo Duco Palace) was being played, the crowd acclaimed Erico singing "Se siente, se siente, Erico está presente (We feel it, we feel it, Erico is with us)".

Erico was buried in the Cemetery of Morón inGreater Buenos Aires. Independiente paid the costs of burial expenses and funeral.^[6]

Erico was an inspiration to Argentine playerAlfredo Di Stéfano, who considered him one of the greatest players ever. Other figures likeBrazilian strikerLeônidas da Silva and ParaguayanDelfín Benítez Cáceres also consider Erico as one of the best players in history.^[7] Argentine strikerFrancisco Varallo remembers Erico as a "phenomenon" that would excel in scoring headers due to his high jumps.^[8]

Club Nacional stadium is named after him, and sections of theDefensores del Chaco stadium in Paraguay and theLibertadores de América stadium inAvellaneda also carry Arsenio Erico's name.^[9] He died on 23 July 1977.

^[10]

Independiente

• Primera División (2):1938,1939
• Copa Dr. Ibarguren (2):1938,1939
• Copa Adrián Escobar (1): 1939
• Copa Aldao (2):1938,1939

Nacional

• Paraguayan Primera División (1):1942

• Cajigal, R. (1970).Arsenio Erico (in Spanish). Vol. 14 of the Galería de paraguayos ilustres. Asunción: Editorial Don Bosco.
• Meza Vera, R. (1978).Arsenio Erico: El Paraguayo de Oro (in Spanish). Asunción: Imprenta Comuneros.
• Bogado, C.; Ramírez Santacruz, G. (2006).Arsenio Erico, el ángel que jugó para los diablos: historia del mejor futbolista de todos los tiempos (in Spanish). Asunción: Arandurã Editorial.
• Barraza, J. (2010).Erico Para Siempre (in Spanish). Asunción: Editorial El Lector.ISBN 979-7000051309.

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• 1915 births
• 1977 deaths
• Paraguayan men's footballers
• Club Nacional footballers
• Club Atlético Independiente footballers
• Club Atlético Huracán footballers
• Argentine Primera División players
• Expatriate men's footballers in Argentina
• Paraguayan expatriate men's footballers
• Paraguayan football managers
• Men's association football forwards
• Footballers from Asunción
• 20th-century Paraguayan sportsmen

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