Ricardo Zamora

Lore & Background

In 1939 Zamora was appointed coach of Atlético Madrid, then known as Athletic Aviación and later to become Atlético Aviación, following a merger with Aviación Nacional, a Spanish Air Force team. With Zamora as manager, the club won their first La Liga in 1940 and then retained the title in 1941. In 1946 he moved to Celta de Vigo and during the 1947–48, he led a Celta team that included Pahiño and Miguel Muñoz to fourth in La Liga and the Copa del Generalísimo final. In June 1952 he coached Spain for two games. In 1953 was hired as coach by La Salle F.C. of Caracas (Venezuela). He later returned to Celta de Vigo and then had two spells as coach at Espanyol.

Reader's Guide

Ricardo Zamora was appointed coach of Atlético Madrid in 1939, then known as Athletic Aviación. Under his management, the club won their first La Liga in 1940 and retained the title in 1941. He also won the Spanish Second Division in 1939, the Campeonato Regional Centro in 1939, the Spanish Super Cup in 1940, and the Copa Presidente Federación Castellana in 1940–41. After leaving Atlético, he managed Celta de Vigo, leading them to fourth in La Liga and the Copa del Generalísimo final in 1947–48. He also briefly managed Spain for two games in June 1952 and later coached La Salle F.C. of Caracas and had two spells at Espanyol.

Did You Know?

• Zamora was a member of the first ever Spain national team in 1920, winning the silver medal at the Olympic Games.
• He played on despite breaking his sternum in a 1929 match against England, which Spain won 4–3, becoming the first team from outside the British Isles to defeat England.
• During the Spanish Civil War, he was arrested by Republican militia and imprisoned at the Modelo prison; his life was saved by the prison governor Melchor Rodríguez García and his own willingness to talk football with the guards.
• He was awarded the Great Cross of the Order of Cisneros by the Franco regime in the 1950s.
• The Ricardo Zamora Trophy, named in his honor, is awarded to the best goalkeeper in La Liga.