| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rafael Moreno Aranzadi | ||
| Date of birth | May 23, 1892 | ||
| Place of birth | Bilbao, Spain | ||
| Date of death | March 1, 1922 (aged 29) | ||
| Place of death | Bilbao, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.54 m (5 ft 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Club | Apps (Gls)† | |
| 1911–1921 | Athletic Bilbao | 170 (200) [1] | |
| National team | |||
| 1920 | Spain | 5 (1) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Rafael Moreno Aranzadi (May 23, 1892 – March 1, 1922), known by the nickname Pichichi, was a Spanish footballer who played for Athletic Bilbao and Spain during the 1910s and 1920s.
Born in Bilbao, Vizcaya, Pichichi played in his first Copa del Rey final in March 1913. Athletic Bilbao lost 1-0 to Racing Club de Irún. Later the same year, on August 21, the same opponents, now known as Real Unión were invited to play the inaugural game at San Mamés Stadium. Pichichi scored the very first goal at the new stadium.
He subsequently played in another five Copa del Rey finals for Athletic Bilbao, winning four of them. These included a three a row sequence between 1914 and 1916. Pichichi scored a hat-trick in the 1915 final as Athletic beat RCD Espanyol 5-0. Athletic were also runners-up in 1920 and winners again in 1921. In 1920 Pichichi was also a member of the very first Selección that played at the Olympic Games in Belgium.
He died in 1922, aged 29, the victim of a sudden attack of typhus. In 1926, a bust was erected in his honour outside the San Mamés Stadium. It is tradition for teams visiting the stadium for the first time pay homage by leaving a bouquet of flowers at its base.
In 1953, Spanish sports newspaper MARCA introduced the Trofeo Pichichi in his honour. The trophy is awarded to the top goalscorers in the Primera División and the Segunda División.
Pichichi was easily identifiable on the pitch by his ever present white headgear and was noted as a prolific goalscorer. Pichichi and his future wife were also immortalised in a painting by Aurelio Arteta.
Contents |
Honours
| Olympic medal record | ||
Competitor for  Spain |
||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Football | ||
| Silver | Antwerp 1920 | Team Competition |
Club
- Athletic Bilbao
- Copa del Rey: 1914, 1915, 1916, 1921 (4)
- Campeonato Norte: 1913-14, 1914-15, 1915-16 (3)
- Campeonato de Vizcaya: 1919-20, 1920-21 (2)
Country
- Spain
- Olympic Games: Silver Medal
References and notes
- ^ Goals scored in the Copa del Rey, which was the major national tournament in that era
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