| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | July 18, 1892 | ||
| Place of birth | São Paulo, Brazil | ||
| Date of death | September 6, 1969 (aged 77) | ||
| Place of death | São Paulo, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1909 | SC Germania | ||
| 1910 | Ypiranga | ||
| 1911 | SC Germania | ||
| 1912 | Mackenzie College | ||
| 1913–1915 | Ypiranga | ||
| 1916 | Paulistano | ||
| 1917 | Ypiranga | ||
| 1918–1929 | Paulistano | ||
| 1930–1933 | São Paulo | ||
| 1933 | Atlético Mineiro | ||
| 1933–1935 | São Paulo | ||
| 1935 | Flamengo | ||
| National team | |||
| 1914-1925 | Brazil | 23 | (10) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Arthur Friedenreich (July 18, 1892 in São Paulo – September 6, 1969) was a Brazilian football player. Nicknamed The Tiger, he was arguably the sport's first outstanding black player.[1]
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Arthur Friedenreich was born to Oscar Friedenreich, a German businessman who immigrated to Brazil and Mathilde, an African Brazilian washerwoman, the daughter of freed slaves. Friedenreich was the first professional football player of black origin in Brazil, because at that time football was dominated by whites and blacks were not accepted. He faced many barriers because of racism, and he could not attend the same places where white players were, such as swimming pools, tennis courts and parties.[1]
He started his career influenced by his father, playing for SC Germania, a Brazilian football team composed of German immigrants. After playing with a succession of São Paulo club sides from 1910 onwards, Friedenreich made his debut with the national team in 1914. He played twenty-two internationals, including wins in the 1919 and 1922 editions of the Copa América, scoring ten goals. On Brazil's 1925 tour of Europe, he was feted as the King of Football. He also has a claim to the high scoring record but FIFA cannot prove these goals because of faulty record-keeping.
He was not picked up by Brazil for 1930 World Cup because there was a serious misunderstanding between the football Leagues of the States of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo; only players from Rio travelled. São Paulo stars, like him (who was 38 years old), Filó (who would be 1934 World Cup champion with Italy) and Feitiço, did not go to Uruguay.
He was top scorer of the Liga Paulista in the following years:
Because of the internal quarrels and the following splitting of the league in the LPF and APEA he had to share the top scorer title with the following players in the following years:
Friedenreich retired while playing for Flamengo in 1935 at the age of 43. He died on September 6, 1969 at the age of 77. He played over 1200 games, scoring over 1200 goals. The exact number of games and goals is not known. Friedenreich is reported to have scored 1329 goals in 1239 games. However, Pele fans argue he scored 1239 in 1329 games.[2]
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