José Leandro Andrade

"José Andrade" redirects here. For the Portuguese footballer, see José Andrade (Portuguese footballer). For the Peninsular Spanish colonel, see José Antonio Andrade.

José Leandro Andrade

File:Andrade urug.jpg José Andrade c. 1926.
Personal information
Full name	José Leandro Andrade
Date of birth	(1901-11-22)November 22, 1901
Place of birth	Salto, Uruguay
Date of death
Place of death	Montevideo, Uruguay
Height
Position(s)	Defensive Midfielder
Youth career
	Misiones
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1921-1923	Bella Vista	71	(7)
1924-1930	Nacional	105	(29)
1931-1935	Peñarol	88	(3)
1933	Atlanta	1	(0)
1934	Lanús-Talleres	2	(0)
	Wanderers	17	(0)
International career
1923–1930	Uruguay	34	(1)
Medal record Representing Uruguay Football Olympic Games 1924 Paris Football 1928 Amsterdam Football FIFA World Cup 1930 Uruguay Football
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

José Leandro Andrade (November 22, 1901 – October 5, 1957) was an Uruguayan footballer who played at wing-half. He was nicknamed 'The Black Marvel' (maravilla negra). During his prime he was regarded as one of the finest footballers in the world.

Early life

File:Jose Leandro Andrade 2949307144 5777c02cf1 o.jpg

Andrade (behind the bar) serving a drink to his Uruguayan teammates in Amsterdam (1928).

Andrade was born in Salto in 1901 to an Argentine mother. José Ignacio Andrade, who is believed to have been his father, was listed on his birth certificate as a witness. The older Andrade, who was 98 years old at the time of José Leandro Andrade's birth, had been an expert in African magic and is believed to have been an African-born slave who had escaped from Brazil.

At an early age Andrade moved to the Palermo barrio in Montevideo where he lived with an aunt.

Prior to the introduction of professional football in Uruguay he worked in a number of jobs. He at one time worked as a carnival musician playing the drums, violin and the tambourine, and at another time led the drums corp for carnival comparsa Libertadores de Africa. At various times in his life he also worked as a shoeshiner and as a newspaper salesman.

Playing career

Club career

As a teenager Andrade played for Montevideo club Misiones.

In the early 1920s Andrade was signed by Bella Vista, where he played 71 matches and scored seven goals. It was at Bella Vista that he was first selected for the national team.

Andrade later moved to Nacional where he won four Uruguayan Championships and three national cups.

Andrade transferred to Peñarol in 1930 where he played 88 matches over the next few years. He had as a teenager trained with Peñarol but had not been accepted.

From the mid-1930s he played for a number of teams in Argentina including Atlanta, and Lanús-Talleres. He also had a brief stint with Wanderers in Uruguay.

International career

Andrade earned 34 appearances with la Celeste Olimpica scoring one goal between 1923 and 1930.

South American Championship

Andrade played in South American Championship (now known as Copa América) winning teams in 1923, 1924 and 1926.

1924 Olympics

Andrade won his first Olympic gold medal at the 1924 Olympic football tournament in Paris. He was recognised as being the first black international football player to play Olympic football. He was nicknamed The Black Marvel and The Black Pearl, the latter a name later used in reference to Pelé.

In reaction to the 1924 Olympic win the Uruguayan team were challenged to a two match series by Argentina. In the second match at the Estadio Sportivo Barracas in Buenos Aires Andrade was pelted with stones by the Argentine crowd to which Andrade and the rest of the Uruguayan team responded by throwing the stones back. In the ensuing riot a member of his team was arrested and the Uruguayans refused to play out the remainder of the match.

1928 Olympics

In 1928 he won his second Olympic gold medal at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. During the semi-final match against Italy Andrade collided with a goal post, seriously injuring an eye. This later deteriorated to the point that he became blind in that eye.

1930 FIFA World Cup

Despite not being at his peak he managed to be one of Uruguay's best players as they won the 1930 World Cup. At the end of the tournament he was selected in the All-Star team. In 1994 he was selected by France Football as number ten in their World Cup Top-100.

A plaque was placed at the Estadio Centenario in honour of his achievements.

Playing style

Andrade was also credited with being an intelligent and honest player who never celebrated his goals. He was a dynamic, fast and highly technical player who was able to dominate the pitch without the physicality of many of his team mates.

Later life

Andrade was a guest at the 1950 FIFA World Cup when Uruguay won their second world championship. His nephew Víctor Rodríguez Andrade, a member of the 1950 team, had adopted Andrade as his second surname in honour of Andrade.

By 1956, when he was located by German journalist Fritz Hack, he had descended into alcoholism and was living in a small flat in a poor area of Montevideo.

After contracting tuberculosis Andrade died in poverty in 1957 at the Piñeyro del Campo nursing home in Montevideo.

Honours

Club

• Nacional
  • Primera División Uruguaya
    • Winner:1924
    • Runner up:1929
• Peñarol
  • Primera División Uruguaya
    • Winner (2):1932, 1935
    • Runner up (2):1933, 1934

International

• Uruguay
  • Olympic Games
    • Gold Medal (2):1924, 1928
  • FIFA World Cup
    • Winner:1930
  • South American Championship
    • Winner (3):1923, 1924, 1926
    • Runner up:1927

Individual

• IFFHS Football Player of the Century: 29th
• FIFA World Cup: Bronze Ball 1930
• FIFA World Cup: All-Star Team 1930
• France Football's World Cup Top-100 1930–1990:10th