José Manuel Moreno

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Lore & Background

Moreno was part of the River Plate team known as La Máquina which dominated Argentine football in the 1940s, and was also a member of the Argentina national team that won the South American Championships in 1941 and 1947, being chosen in the latter tournament as the best player of the tournament. He was regarded by many as a complete player. In 1999, he was ranked as the 5th best South American player in the 20th century (behind Pelé, Maradona, Di Stéfano and Garrincha), and among the 25 best players in the world through a poll by the IFFHS. He was known as a player of great technique, great vision, and lethal in the penalty area. Despite his reputation for drinking, smoking and not going to training, Moreno was also known for his formidable heading ability, scoring 75 with his head, he also had fine physical qualities. Moreno was born in the neighbourhood of La Boca, in Buenos Aires, and grew up in the surroundings of the club Boca Juniors' stadium, La Bombonera. At the age of 15, he tried out for the lower divisions of Boca Juniors, but did not make the selection. According to the Argentine Football Association archives, he said, frustrated: "some time you will regret it". Moreno then became part of the lower divisions of River Plate, Boca Junior's arch-rival, in 1933, having been recommended by Bernabé Ferreyra. At the age of 18, Moreno was selected along with other young players from the club by manager Emérico Hirschl to make a tour in Brazil. His first competitive appearance was against Brazilian side Botafogo. He debuted in Primera División on March 17, 1935, in a 2–1 win against C.A. Platense, scoring one goal. Quickly become the greatest figure of Argentine football, he was part of the squad that won league titles in 1936 and 1937, and went on to become a key player among Adolfo Pedernera on the River Plate squad known as La Máquina, famous for his line of attack composed by Moreno, Pedernera, Ángel Labruna, Juan Carlos Muñoz, and Félix Loustau, and which dominated Argentine football during the first half of the 1940s decade, winning with Moreno two national titles (1941, 1942) and many Aldao Cups. In 1944, Moreno was transferred to México Primera División club España, who had finished runner up to Asturias, first Mexican league champions in the 1943–44 season. With España, Moreno won the national title in the 1945–46 season. His time and success in

In Their Own Story

In 1942, during the South American Championship, Moreno etched his name into history against Ecuador. Argentina won 12–0, the largest goal difference ever recorded in a single Copa América match. In that atypical game, Moreno scored five goals, reaching the tournament's milestone goal number 500. This performance tied him with Héctor Scarone, Juan Marvezzi, and Evaristo for the most goals in a single edition, and he finished as the top scorer alongside Herminio Masantonio. Years later, in 1961, Moreno retired from Independiente Medellín in a friendly against Boca Juniors. Playing both as coach and player, he scored one goal in the match, which ended with an Independiente victory of 5–2.

Reader's Guide

Moreno won the Mexican Primera División with RC España in the 1945–46 season, not 1944–45. He was transferred to Universidad Católica in 1948, not 1946.

Did You Know?

• Moreno was the first footballer to win first division league titles in four countries: Argentina, Mexico, Chile, and Colombia.
• He scored five goals in a single Copa América match against Ecuador, a record he shares with three other players.
• Moreno was ranked 5th best South American player of the 20th century by the IFFHS in 1999.