Roberto Alfredo Perfumo (3 October 1942 – 10 March 2016) was an Argentine footballer and sports commentator. Nicknamed El Mariscal, Perfumo is considered one of the best Argentine defenders ever.[1][2] At club level, Perfumo played for Racing, River Plate and Brazilian team Cruzeiro. With the national team, he played the 1966 and 1974 World Cups.

Roberto Perfumo
Perfumo in 1969
Personal information
Full name Roberto Alfredo Perfumo
Date of birth (1942-10-03)3 October 1942
Place of birth Sarandí, Argentina
Date of death 10 March 2016(2016-03-10) (aged 73)
Place of death Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
1960–1961 River Plate
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1962–1970 Racing Club 207 (14)
1971–1974 Cruzeiro 141 (6)
1975–1978 River Plate 110 (4)
Total 458 (24)
International career
1964–1974 Argentina 37 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Biography

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El Mariscal Perfumo in River Plate (1975)
 
Perfumo with Johan Cruyff at the 1974 FIFA World Cup

Perfumo was born in Sarandí and his first approach to football was to play in his neighborhood team, named "Pulqui". In 1960 he debuted at the 5th. division of River Plate. Perfumo then became player of Racing Club, where he debuted in January 1964 in a friendly match against Flamengo played at Santiago, Chile.

Perfumo's first position at the field was midfielder but he began to play as right back in the Racing reserve team. He debuted in Primera División promoted by Néstor Rossi during a match against Ferro Carril Oeste. Playing with Racing Club Perfumo was regarded as one of the best Argentine defenders, winning the Primera title, the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup. In all those tournaments Perfumo was praised by media and fans as the most notable player of Racing Club.[3]

After retirement, he worked as a football commentator for ESPN and for TV Pública show Fútbol para todos.

Perfumo died at 73 from a skull injury after falling from a stairway while dining with fellow journalists at a Buenos Aires restaurant in the neighbourhood of Puerto Madero, on 10 March 2016.[1][2]

Honours

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Player

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Racing Club
Cruzeiro
River Plate
Argentina

Manager

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Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata

Individual

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Murió Roberto Perfumo, el mariscal del fútbol argentino" Archived 11 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, La Nación, 10 March 2016
  2. ^ a b "Murió Roberto Perfumo, leyenda del fútbol argentino" Archived 11 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Rosario3.com
  3. ^ "Idolos: Roberto Perfumo" at Racing Club official site
  4. ^ "La Selección de Todos los Tiempos" [The Team of All Time] (in Spanish). Argentine Football Association. 4 January 2016. Archived from the original on 14 August 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  5. ^ "IFFHS ALL TIME ARGENTINA MEN'S DREAM TEAM". 26 August 2021.
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