Arthur Friedenreich

Friedenreich bermain bahkan sebelum Perang Dunia I, 1909-1935. Tidak ada banyak rekaman dia tapi terdapat angka-angka menakjubkan. Ada kebingungan tentang jumlah pasti, ada yang mengatakan ia mencetak 1239 gol dalam 1329 pertandingan, sementara yang lain mengatakan yang benar adalah 1.329 gol dalam 1.239 pertandingan. Friedenreich dijuluki “The King of Football” sebelum Pelé mengambil julukan ini.

Friedenreich was born in São Paulo to Oscar Friedenreich, a German businessman whose father immigrated to Brazil, and Mathilde, an African Brazilian washerwoman and the daughter of freed slaves. Friedenreich was the first professional football player of Afro-Brazilian origin, 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 Germânia, 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 thenational 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 was not picked by Brazil for the 1930 FIFA 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 FIFA World Cup champion with Italy) and Feitiço, did not go to Uruguay.