Old Match Photographs-Part 8

Photo From: Onze, May 1989

(Gheorge Hagi of Steaua Bucharest in action vs. Galatasaray in April 1989, during the Champions Cup Semi Finals)

Photo From: Onze, November 1983

(Tottenham’s Alan Brazil of Scotland)

Photo From: Onze, March 1978

(Juevntus’ Morini and Gentile and Ajax’s Frank Arnesen, March 1, 1978, Champions Cup, Ajax 1-Juevntus 1)

Photo From: Mondial , March 1983

(Diego Maradona 1982/83 season)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, April 20-27, 1983

(1960s Internazionale’s Mario Corso and Tarcisio Burgnich)

Photo From: Fussball Magazin, September/October 1984

(The Rummenigge brothers Michael and Karl-Heinz in a friendly match shortly after Karl-Heinz’s transfer to Internazionale in 1984)

Photo From: Fussball Magazin, September/October 1978

(1970s Moenchengladbach goalkeeper Wolfgang Kneib)

Photo From: Foot Magazine, October 1982

(Standard Liege’s Arie Haan, 1982/83 season)

Photo From: Don Balon, July 10-16, 1995

(Real Madrid President Ramon Mendoza and Robert Prosinecki upon his signing in the summer of 1991)

Photo From: World Soccer, February 1995

(Juventus’ Alessandro Del Piero and Fabrizio Ravanelli, 1994/95 season)

Photo From: World Soccer, May 1991

(AC Milan’s Franco Baresi and Napoli’s Diego Maradona, October 21, 1990, Napoli 1-AC Milan 1)

Photo From: World Soccer, November 1989

(Internazionale’s Liam Brady and AC Milan’s Ray Wilkins)

Photo From: World Soccer, May 1971

(England goalkeepers Peter Bonetti and Gordon Banks and referee Roger Kirkpatrick)

Photo From: World Soccer, August 1968

(John Greig of Rangers Glasgow and Mick Jones of Leeds, during the 1967/68 Fairs Cup)

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Hors-Serie 1, 1989

(Frank Passi of Toulouse and Jean-Pierre Papin of OM, 1988/89 season)

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, February 1993

(Rafael Martin Vazquez back with Real Madrid, 1992/93 season)

Photo From: Onze, March 1981

(Standard Liege captain Eric Gerets, 1980/81 season)

Photo From: Onze, September 1983

(Alan Simonsen back in Denmark with Vejle 1983)

Photo From: Onze, December 1976

(Robby Rensenbrink in action for Anderlecht 1976/77 season)

Photo From: Mondial, August 1980

(Music Legend Bob Marley with a SV Hamburg jersey)

Photo From: Mondial, January 1983

(Manchester United’s Norman Whiteside, between Southampton’s Armstrong, Baker and Williams)

Photo From: Mondial, September 1980

(Viv Anderson of Nottingahm Forest in action vs. Aston Villa)

Photo From: Le Livre d’or du Football, 1992

(the Boli brothers, Roger of RC Lens and Basiel of OM)

Photo From: L’Annee du Football, 1983

(April 1983, Cup Winners Cup semi final action between Internazionale and Real Madrid)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, June 5-11, 1991

(SV Hamburg’s Keegan and Hrubesch)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, June 5-11, 1991

(SV Hamburg’s Uwe Seeler)

Photo From: Guerin Sportivo, September 24-30, 1986

(Former Argentina teamamates, Maradona and Tarantini, September 17, 1986, UEFA Cup, Toulouse 1-Napoli 0)

Photo From: Goal, April 1977

(Future England manager, Bobby Robson, as a player with West Bromwich Albion)

Photo From: Fussball Magazin, September/October 1978

(Eintracht Braunschweig Manager Branko Zebec with Sweden’s Hasse Borg and Paul Breitner)

Photo From: Fussball Magazin, January/ February 1984

(Schalke’s 18 year old star, Olaf Thon)

Photo From: Don Balon, March 20-26, 1995

(Luis Figo with Sporting Lisbon, 1994/95)

Photo From: Fussball Magazin, May 1977

(Wolfgang Overath and Lohr of FC Koln, June 1968)

Photo From: France Football, April 11, 1989, Issue 2244

(Pietro Vierchowod and Johnny Bosman, April 5, 1989, Cup Winners Cup, Mechelen 2-Sampdoria 1)

Photo From: Foot Magazine, May 1988

(Mechelen’s Marc Emmers, 1987/88 season)

  Photo From: 100 Anni del Campionato del Calcio

(1970s Torino striking partners, “Gemelli del Gol”, Francesco Graziani and Paolino Pulici)

Photo from : Mondial, May 1982

(Spain’s Satrustegui heading, June 28, 1981,Venezuela 0-Spain 2)

Photo from : Onze, August 1980

(Brazil and USSR players taking the field, June 15, 1980, Brazil 1-USSR 2)

Photo From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo, 1910-1983

(Franco Causio, June 5, 1976, Italy 4-Romania 2)

Photo  from : Mondial, July 1978

(Iran’s Hassan Rowshan, June 11, 1978, World Cup, Peru 4-Iran 1)

Photo From: L'Equipe Magazine, June 12, 1999, Issue 894

(Garrincha in action, May 30, 1962, World Cup, Brazil 2-Mexico 0)

Photo from : World Soccer, January 1969

(Oslizio and Jairzinho, June 20, 1968, Poland 3-Brazil 6)

Photo from: Onze-Mondial, Hors Serie 28

(June 19, 1954, World Cup, Mexico 2-France 3)

Photo from:  år med Svensk Fotboll 1904-84, Author Glanell Thomas red

(August 5, 1948, Olympics, Sweden 2-Korea 0)

Photo From: IFFHS, Schweiz,Suisse, Svizzera (1905-1940)

(October 29, 1933, World Cup Qualifying, Switzerland 2-Romania 2)

Photo from: La Glorieuse Epopee de la coupe du monde, by Mondial, 1982

(Uruguay goalskeeper Mazali in action, June 13, 1928, Olympics Final Replay, Uruguay 2-Argentina 1)

Photo From: Scotland, The Team, Author Andrew Ward, 1987

(April 2, 1910, British Championship, Scotland 2-England 0)

Photo From: IFFHS-Belgique-Belgie (1904-1940)

(April 18, 1908, Belgium 2-England (Amateur) 8)

Photo from : World Soccer, January 1992

(June 13, 1991, Scania 100, Sweden 2-USSR 3)

Photo from: L’equipe , June 18, 1994

(Maradona and Prosinecki, Juen 4, 1994, Croatia 0-Argentina 0)

Trivia and Facts-Part 19

1-Frenchman Michel Platini, Polish Zbigniew Boniek and Wales’ Mark Hughes all have played club and national team matches on consecutive days, in case of Hughes on the same day.

Michel Platini played a World Cup qualifier vs. Luxembourg on October 13, 1984 (won 4-0 with a goal by Platini), with the game wrapped up by halftime he was substituted in the 57^th minute and left and immediately traveled back to Italy to play a league match the following day for Juventus vs. Verona (lost 0-2.)

Zbigniew Boniek played in the ill-fated Champions Cup Final on May 29,1 985 vs. Liverpool (won 1-0, penalty kick earned by Boniek) and then played the following day a World Cup qualifier at Albania (won 1-0, goal by Boniek).

Welshman Mark Hughes played a UEFA European Championship qualifier on November 11, 1987 at Prague vs. Czechoslovakia (lost 0-2). Following the match, he was driven into Germany and played for Bayern Munich as a substitute in a German Cup match vs. Borussia Moenchengladbach (won 3-2).

Photo from : World Soccer , December 1987

(Mark Hughes in action vs. Czechoslovakia, November 11, 1987, EC Qualifier, Czechoslovakia 2-Wales 0)

Photo from : Onze, June 1985

(Boniek earning Juventus the winning penalty kick vs. Liverpool on May 29, 1985)

Photo from : Onze, November 1984

(Michel Platini in the France linup on October 13, 1984 vs Luxembourg)

2- When the 1990-91 French League season started, Gerard Gili was the manager of reigning Champions Olympique Marseille and Belgian Raymond Goethals was the manager of Bordeaux.

By the end of the season the roles were reversed as each was the manager of the other team.

They had both been dismissed early in the season and were eventually re-hired by the other team.

Incidentally, Raymond Goethals was the manager of Olympique Marseille for three seasons, but never managed the team from the start of the season.

In all three seasons (190/91 through 1992/93), he was called upon as manager after the then current manager was dismissed or resigned. (Gerard Gili/Franz Beckenbauer in 1990/91, Tomislav Ivic in 1991/92 and Jean Fernandez in 1992/93).

Photo from : Onze-Mondial, October 1989

(Belgian manager Raymond Goetahls)

3- SV Hamburg’s Felix Magath was so angry at being left out of West Germany’s squad for the 1982 World Cup Final, that he announced his retirement from the national team and refused further call ups from manager Juup Derwall.

He made his comeback for the national after the appointment of Franz Beckenbauer in 1984, who was successful in convincing Magath to return as a playmaker that Germany desperately needed.

Photo From: France Football, May 20, 1986, Issue 2093

(Felix Magath, June 15, 1985, Azteca 2000, Mexico 2-West Germany 0)

4- Englishman Charles William Alcock is the earliest born International player in the history of International Football.

On March 6, 1875, he captained and scored for England in an international friendly vs. Scotland at London (2-2 tie).

He was born on December 2, 1842 , and was also an administrator and served as the FA Secretary.

Photo from : Onze-Mondial, July 1993

(Charles William Alcock)

5- For the friendly match between Holland and Sweden on April 27, 1983 (won 3-0 by Sweden), the swedes came out with shirt advertisements on their jersey.

Dutch television tried to persuade them to use their reserve kits. Since they had no reserve kit, it was decided to tape over the ads on the shirts.

June 5, 1991-Norway 2-Italy 1

June 5, 1991

Norway 2-Italy 1

European Championship Qualifying -Group 3

Venue: Oslo- Ullevaal Stadion

Attendance: 27,500

Referee: Mario van der Ende (Netherlands)

Goalscorers: (Norway): Tore Andre Dahlum 4, Lars Bohinen 25  

 (Italy): Salvatore Schillaci 79

Lineups:

Norway:

1-Erik Thorstvedt (Tottenham Hotspur Football Club-London / England) [67 caps / 0 goals]    

5-Tore Pedersen (IFK (Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna) Göteborg / Sweden) [9 caps / 0 goals]    

3-Per Egil Ahlsen (Brann Sportsklubben- Bergen) [49 caps / 3 goals]    

4-Rune Bratseth (Sport Verein Werder Bremen von 1899 e.V. / Germany) [35 caps / 4 goals]    

2-Pal Lydersen (Start Idrettsklubben- Kristiansand) [9 caps / 1 goals]    

9-Tore Andre Dahlum (Start Idrettsklubben- Kristiansand) [9 caps / 5 goals]     (13-Erik Pedersen (Viking Fotballklubb- Stavanger)  [9 caps / 0 goals]  46)  

7-Lars Bohinen (Berner Sport Club Young Boys / Switzerland) [8 caps / 3 goals]    

6-Karl- Petter Løken (Rosenborg Ballklub- Trondheim) [25 caps / 1 goals]    

8-Kare Ingebrigtsen (Rosenborg Ballklub- Trondheim) [5 caps / 1 goals]    

11-Jahn Ivar ‘Mini’ Jakobsen (Berner Sport Club Young Boys / Switzerland) [21 caps / 0 goals]    

10-Goran Sørloth (Rosenborg Ballklub- Trondheim) [35 caps / 10 goals]    

Coach: Egil Olsen

Booked: T Pedersen, Bohinen, Sørloth 90

Team Captain: Rune Bratseth

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Hummel

Uniform Colors: Red Shirts with White sleeves, White Shorts, White Socks

Other Subs:

12-Einar Rossbach (Lyn Ski- og Fotballklubben-Oslo)

14-Øyvind Leonhardsen (Molde Fotballklubb- More og Romsdal) 

15-Dag Riisnæs (Kongsvinger Idrettslag- Hedmark)

16-Jan Aage Fjørtoft (Sportklub Rapid Wien / Austria)   

Photo from: Guerin Sportivo, June 12-18, 1991

(Norway squad)

Italy:

1- Walter Zenga (Internazionale Football Club- Milano) [49 caps / 0 goals]    

2- Ciro Ferrara (Societa Sportiva Calcio Napoli) [22 caps / 0 goals]    

3-Paolo Maldini (Associazione Calcio Milan) [30 caps / 0 goals]    

4- Stefano Eranio (Genoa 1893-Genova) [4 caps / 0 goals]    

5- Riccardo Ferri (Internazionale Football Club- Milano) [41 caps / 4 goals]      (13-Giuseppe Bergomi (Internazionale Football Club- Milano) [76 caps / 6 goals]  90)

6- Franco Baresi  (Associazione Calcio Milan)    [52 caps / 1 goals]    

7- Attilio Lombardo (Unione Calcio Sampdoria-Genova)   [3 caps / 1 goals]    

8- Fernando De Napoli (Societa Sportiva Calcio Napoli) [50 caps / 1 goals]    (16-Salvatore Schillaci (Juventus Football Club-Torino)  [14 caps / 7 goals]  53)

9- Gianluca Vialli (Unione Calcio Sampdoria-Genova) [47 caps / 12 goals]          

10- Roberto Mancini (Unione Calcio Sampdoria-Genova)   [24 caps / 1 goals]    

11- Massimo Crippa (Societa Sportiva Calcio Napoli) [9 caps / 0 goals]    

                  

Coach: Azeglio Vicini

Booked: Mancini, Ferrara

Sent off: Bergomi 89

Subs bench:

12-Gianluca Pagliuca (Unione Calcio Sampdoria-Genova)  

14-Nicola Berti (Internazionale Football Club- Milano)   

15-Gianluigi Lentini (Torino Calcio 1906)

Team Captain: Franco Baresi 

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Diadora

Uniform Colors: Blue Shirts, White Shorts , Blue Socks

Photo from: Guerin Sportivo, June 12-18, 1991

(Italy squad)

Notes:

-Match number 529 for Norway and number 482 for Italy.

-This was the 8th meeting between the nations.

-The previous match between the nations, as well as Italy’s previous victory over Norway, was a Friendly, played in Pescara on October 19, 1988, that Italy won 2-1.

Norway players: Thorstvedt, Loken, Bratseth, Sorloth and Jahn Ivar Jakobsen and Italy Players: Zenga, Bergomi, Ferrara, Maldini, Baresi, Ferri, Berti, De Napoli, Mancini and Vialli also took part in that match.

Riccardo Ferri scored one of Italy’s goals.

-The next match between the nations, as well as the next match in Italy, would be the return leg of this qualifier in Genoa on November 13, 1991 that ended in a 1-1 tie.

This match also marked the debut of Arrigo Sacchi as Italy manager.

Norway players: Thorstvedt, Loken, Ahlsen, Bratseth, Lydersen, Ingebrigtsen, Sorloth, Fjørtoft and Jahn Ivar Jakobsen and Italy Players:  Pagliuca, Maldini, Berti, De Napoli, Ferri, Baresi, Ferrara, Vialli and Eranio also took part in that match.

Italy’s Gianluigi Lentini was an unused substitute in both matches.

Jakobsen scored Norway’s goal in that match.

-Norway’s previous win over Italy was a Friendly, played in Lecce on September 25, 1985, that Norway won 2 to 1.

Norway players: Thorstvedt, and Ahlsen and Italy Player: Giuseppe Bergomi also took part in that match.

Franco Baresi’s brother Giuseppe also played for Italy in that match.

-The previous match between the nations at the same stadium was a Friendly, on May 28, 1987, that ended in a scoreless tie.

Norway players: Thorstvedt, and Ahlsen and Italy Players: Zenga, Bergomi. De Napoli, Ferri, Mancini and Vialli also took part in that match.

Ciro Ferrara was an unused substitute for Italy in that match.

-Italy’s next victory over Norway would be a World Cup Finals match on June 23, 1994 in East Rutherford, New Jersey that Italy won 1-0.

Norway players: Thorstvedt, Bratseth, Bohinen, Leonhardsen, Fjørtoft, Jakobsen, and Sorloth and Italy Players: Pagliuca, Baresi. Maldini and Berti also took part in that match.

-The previous match between the nations at the same stadium, as well as Norway’s next victory, would be a Friendly, on June 3, 2000, that Norway won 1-0.

Italy Players: Maldini and Ferrara also took part in that match.

-USSR would qualify from this UEFA European qualification group. USSR, Italy, Norway, Hungary and Cyprus comprised this group. France won all its eight matches.

Photo from: Guerin Sportivo, June 12-18, 1991

(Team Formations)

-This was Italy’s first loss in an UEFA EC Qualifier since losing 0-1 to Sweden in June 3, 1987.

-This loss effectively sealed Azeglio Vicini’s fate as Italy National team manager. He resigned once Italy was mathematically eliminated after a tie with USSR in October 1991.

-Italian Federation President so much as stated after the fact that Italy must now choose a manager that has experience with European Cup and is available. Accoiring to the media, this was a hint that recently resigned Arrigo Sacchi of AC Milan was waiting to be nominated once mathematical elimination was achieved.

Photo from: Guerin Sportivo, June 12-18, 1991

(Zenga and Baresi unable to stop Dahlum from scoring)

-The Italy Under-21 squad also lost 0-6 to Norway, making this a humiliating and disastrous few days.

-This was the first time since the 1984 Euros and since that Italy did not qualify for the finals of a major tournament.

-Italy’s Giuseppe Bergomi was sent off for committing successive bookable fouls on Lydersen and Sorloth. He had been on the field for less than a minute.

Bergomi was capped once the following vs. Denmark. Afterwards, he had to wait until the 1998 World Cup Finals to be recalled by Italy.

Photo from: Guerin Sportivo, June 12-18, 1991

(Thordsvet and Maldini)

- On October 18, 1991, Arrigo Sacchi was appointed as Italy national team manager.

-France Baresi was Italy’s captain in the absence of Bergomi from the starting lineup.

-Salvatore Schillaci scored his 7^th and last goal for Italy of a header from a cross by Lombardo. Six of his goals had come during the previous year’s World Cup.

He earned his last and 16^th cap vs. Bulgaria in September of that year.

-Pagliuca, Lombardo, Vialli and Mancini were Italian League champions that season with Sampdoria.

Photo from: Guerin Sportivo, June 12-18, 1991

(Kare Ingebrigtsen)

-Vialli and Lombardo eventually joined Juventus and won the scudetto again. Vialli in 1996 and Lombardo in 1997.

Lombardo also won the scudetto, with Mancini as teammate on 2000 with Lazio.

-Vialli, Lombardo, Mancini, Berti and Eranio eventually played in the English Premier League.

Vialli and Mancini managed in the EPL, with mancini becoming EPL champions this past season (2011/12) with Manchester City.

-Many of the Norway squad were either already playing or eventually did have spells in the EPL.

-Ciro Ferrara would also join Juventus and win many Scudettos and was teammates with Vialli and Lombardo at Juventus.

-Stefano Eranio, Gianluigi Lentini and De Napoli joined AC Milan in 1992 and were teammates with Baresi and Maldini.

-Pagliuca joined Internazionale in 1994 with Zenga and Ferri going in the opposite direction.

Pagliuca would be teammates with Bergomi and Berti.

-Salvatore Schillaci would also join Internazionale in 1992 and would be teammates with Bergomi, Ferri and Berti.

Photo from: Guerin Sportivo, June 12-18, 1991

(Schillaci heading Italy’s goal)

-Italy was missing Roberto Baggio, Giuseppe Giannini, Roberto Donadoni and Luigi de Agostini.

-Zenga, Bergomi, Ferri and Berti won the UEFA Cup with Internazionale just weeks prior to this match.

-Egil Olsen is the current manager of Norway National team. Like Vialli, Mancini and Lombardo, he has also managed in the EPL, though in his season in charge of Wimbledon (1999/2000), the team were relegated.

-This generation of Norway players formed the nucleus of the squads that qualified for the 1994 and 1998 World Cups.

-Gianluca Vialli was Italy’s top goalscorer that season with Sampdoria with 19 goals.

Match Reports:

Guerin Sportivo, June 12-18, 1991

Match Video / Highlights:

Juan Lozano: The best player you’ve never heard of

(Note: I would like to once again thank http://www.zani.co.uk/ for uploading this article http://www.zani.co.uk/juan-lozano-the-best-player-youve-never-heard-o  )

Unless you followed European soccer closely in the early 1980s, chances are you are not familiar with a player named Juan Lozano.

This is a player who could have potentially played for the Belgian National Team of the 1980s and was recruited by Real Madrid, but ended up with no international matches to his name and his career was wrecked early by injury.

Juan Lozano was actually not a Belgian; he was a Spanish born player who grew up in Belgium.

Juan José Lozano Bohorquez (full name) was born in Sevilla. When he was ten years old, his family moved to Antwerp, Belgium due difficult economic conditions.

He started his career at modest Belgian club Beerschot, whom he had joined as a youth player. In 1980, he joined NASL’s Washington Diplomats.

During his short stay there, the club was dissolved while on a tour.

Upon his return, he was contacted by Barcelona and was led to believe that they were ready to sign him. However, upon his arrival, he was suddenly told that he must try out upon the insistence of club Manager Helenio Herrera, who was not familiar with Lozano.

After a week of try-outs he left in anger, since his situation was not clear and was not receiving any concrete answers from the management.

He had no hesitation upon joining Belgium’s most famous outfit Anderlecht of Brussels.

In those days Anderlecht were one of the strongest sides in Europe with a squad full of International level players such as Belgian stars such as Frank Vercauteren, Ludo Coeck and Danish stars like Morten Olsen and Kenneth Brylle.

Photo From: Onze, May 1983

(Juan Lozano with Anderlecht 1982/83)

Lozano attracted attention mainly by excelling in the European Cup matches as a talented attacking midfielder.

He was instrumental for Anderlecht reaching the semifinals of the Champions Cup in 1982 by eliminating Juventus and Red Star Belgrade along the way.

However, Anderlecht were defeated narrowly by eventual winners Aston Villa in the semifinals.

Photo From: Mondial, March 1985

(Juan Lozano with Anderlecht vs. Aston Villa 1981/82)

His excellent club form also attracted the attention of Guy Thys, the Belgium National Team Manager. Thys wanted to include him for the upcoming 1982 World Cup in Spain.

Originally, Lozano had hoped to be called up by his native Spain, but neither Ladislao Kubala nor Santamaria, his successor as Spanish National Team Manager, contacted him.

With time running out and the World Cup approaching, he accepted Belgium’s call.

Lozano had still retained his Spanish citizenship, therefore the Belgian Federation requested the Belgian Government to fast track Lozano’s citizenship process in time for the World Cup.

Under normal circumstances, this process would have taken up to a year; however, the Federation wanted it to be resolved in a matter of months.

It seemed such a formality, that Lozano had even participated in Belgium squad’s pre-World Cup get together.

The Belgian politicians were infuriated when they saw a photograph of Lozano in Belgian uniform, before a decision was made on their part.

The Belgian Chamber had already passed, however, the Senate did not and Lozano’s World Cup dream was over.

Photo From: Mondial, May 1982

(Juan Lozano photo with the Belgian NT uniform that angered the Belgian Senate)

With the World Cup gone, Guy Thys effectively gave up on the issue and did not attempt to pursue the naturalization process and Lozano’s international prospects were over.

His excellent displays continued for his club Anderlecht and for the 1982/83 season, Lozano and Anderlecht triumphed in the UEFA Cup by defeating Portugal’s Benfica.

His European displays had not gone unnoticed and he had the possibility of joining AS Roma or Real Madrid.

He signed a pre-contract with AS Roma, but after they signed Brazilian Toninho Cerezo, that option was no longer a possibility.

He chose to join Real Madrid, with the advantage of his Spanish citizenship enabling Real to hold on to their two foreigners already on the books (West Germany’s Uli Stielieke and Dutchman Johnny Metgod).

He also hoped his transfer to Real Madrid might increase his chances for the Spanish national team.

Spanish National team Manager Miguel Munoz had hinted at the possibility upon his arrival.

Photo From: Foot Magazine, November 1983

(Juan Lozano in action for Real Madrid, 1983/84)

Lozano did not have a successful career at Real and in his two seasons, injuries and poor form sidelined him to the bench. He was light years away from the player who shone in Europe for Anderlecht. He had fallen into anonymity and his career suffered.

When Real Madrid was paired with his former club Anderlecht during the 1984/85 UEFA Cup, Lozano played no part in those matches and later complained sarcastically that he was only taken along to act as interpreter.

At the conclusion of 1984/85 season, he was determined to leave and jumped at the chance to rejoin Anderlecht.

His first season back (1985/86), he celebrated by winning the League Title and another Champions Cup semifinal appearance vs. Romania’s Steaua Bucharest.

The following season (1986/87) would be the beginning of the end of his career, despite once again triumphing in the League.

On April 11, 1987, he was severely injured by Waregem’s Ivan Desloover and he never fully recovered. For the following two seasons, he battled to regain his form but to no avail. At the conclusion of 1988/89 season, he was released by Anderlecht.

He then joined Aalst in the Belgian Second Division and ended his professional career in 1990.

It was a sad ending for a player who by all accounts deserved to have had international appearances for Belgium and/or Spain.

Just looking at most national teams today, there are many players who are foreign born, but at the time, such examples were rare.

If he were playing today, he most likely would have obtained citizenship with greater ease and would have played for a National Team.

Today he is largely forgotten to Football fans, but for a brief few seasons, he was one of the most sought after and consistent performers in the European Cups.