Some time ago I found a great website, Arefepedia, about spanish football, there is it posted links to old newspapers and magazines including Don Balon, Marca, Mundo Deportivo and others. I've been excited to find old reports with match grades to players in local and international competition with spanish sides taking part on it. In case of Marca, they had a great recognition among contemporaries and was arguably the first one spanish media to rating players week in week out. The scale was from 0-3: 3 - Outstanding 2 - Notable 1 - Sufficient 0 - Fail Check the equivalent to academic grading with a scale from 0-10. There's also a note (-) when a player had injury at the start of the match, being useless for the rest of the game (in a no-substitution era). Well, I can't see the season resume, so it was a hard work to get the resume of the season. Maybe somebody could provide help to complete other seasons.
Season 1961-62 (Marca ratings) Nº - Player---Role----Club---Country---Games---Rating 01) ZOCO, Ignacio -------------- RM --- Osasuna --- Spain -- 28 -- 2,07 02) RIVILLA, Feliciano --------- RB - Atletico M. -- Spain -- 25 -- 2,04 03) CAMPANAL; M.Vaquero - CB ---- Sevilla ---- Spain -- 24 -- 2,00 04) SANTAMARIA, José E. ---- CB -- Real Ma. --- Spain* - 26 -- 1,96 05) IBORRA, Vicente ------------ CB ----- Elche ----- Spain -- 25 -- 1,92 06) DI STEFANO, Alfredo ----- CF --- Real Ma. --- Spain* - 23 -- 1,91 07) CARMELO Cedrún -------- GK -- Athletic B. -- Spain -- 30 -- 1,90 08) INDIO; Aluizio da Luz ---- CF ---- Español --- Brazil -- 27 -- 1,89 09) ITURRIAGA, Pedro ------- LM -- Athletic B. -- Spain -- 30 -- 1,87 10) SERENA, Fernando -------- RW --- Osasuna --- Spain -- 26 -- 1,85 11) RÉ, Cayetano ----------- CF ----- Elche -- Paraguay -- 23 -- 1,83 12) TONI Cuervo ----------- RB ---- Oviedo --- Spain ---- 23 -- 1,83 13) SANTAMARÍA, Fco. - CB -- Santander -- Spain --- 30 -- 1,77 14) CORRAL, José María - GK ----- Betis ----- Spain ---- 22 -- 1,77 15) REIJA, Severino -------- LB -- Zaragoza --- Spain ---- 29 -- 1,76 16) CORREA, Carlos ------ CB --- Tenerife - Uruguay -- 29 -- 1,76 17) COLO; Julio Santaella - RB --- Tenerife --- Spain ---- 24 -- 1,75 18) RIBADA, Luis ----------- LW -- Osasuna --- Spain ---- 30 -- 1,73 19) ACHÚCARRO, Ignacio - LM --- Sevilla - Paraguay -- 25 -- 1,72 20) ECHEBERRIA, Luis ----- CB -- Athletic B. -- Spain --- 29 -- 1,72 21) PAQUITO; Fco. García ---- LM ---- Oviedo --- Spain --- 29 -- 1,72 22) ZAMORA, Ricardo ---------- GK --- Mallorca -- Spain --- 24 -- 1,71 23) PACHIN; Enrique Pérez --- LM --- Real Ma. -- Spain --- 25 -- 1,68 24) RECAMAN, Décio ---------- LM --- Valencia --- Brazil -- 25 -- 1,68 25) GUILLAMÓN, Fernando --- RB ---- Mallorca -- Spain -- 28 -- 1,68 26) SEGARRA, Juan ---------- LM/RM - Barcelona - Spain -- 19 -- 1,68 27) PAUET; Vicente Pascual ---- LW ------ Elche ---- Spain -- 23 -- 1,65 28) EVARISTO de Macedo --- CF/IL -- Barcelona -- Brazil -- 22 -- 1,64 29) ARAQUISTAIN, José ------- GK ----- Real Ma. --- Spain -- 25 -- 1,64 30) IGUARÁN, Miguel --------- RM ----- Oviedo ---- Spain -- 28 -- 1,64 31) CALLEJO, Alberto ---------- CB -- Atletico M. -- Spain --- 24 -- 1,63 32) JOANET, Benito ------------- GK ---- Español --- Spain --- 19 -- 1,63 33) ROMERO, Juan Ángel ------ IL ------- Elche -- Paraguay - 29 -- 1,62 34) DEL SOL, Luis ---------------- IR ----- Real Ma. --- Spain --- 26 -- 1,62 35) CALLEJA, Isacio ------------- LB --- Atletico M. -- Spain -- 26 -- 1,62 36) YARZA, Enrique ------------- GK ---- Zaragoza --- Spain -- 26 -- 1,62 37) GENSANA, Enrique ----- CB/LM - Barcelona --- Spain -- 21 -- 1,62 38) ADELARDO Rodríguez ---- IR ---- Atletico M. -- Spain -- 23 -- 1,61 39) GRACIA, Sigfrido ----------- LB ----- Barcelona --- Spain -- 30 -- 1,60 40) RUIZ SOSA, Manuel ------- RM ------- Sevilla ---- Spain -- 20 -- 1,60 41) MIGUEL González ------- RW --- Zaragoza ----- Spain --- 29 -- 1,59 42) AGUIRRE I, Koldo --------- IR --- Athletic B. ---- Spain --- 29 -- 1,59 43) BOSCH, Andrés ----------- LM ------- Betis -------- Spain --- 22 -- 1,59 44) QUIRANT, Miguel -------- LB ------- Elche -------- Spain --- 26 -- 1,58 45) ORUE, José María ---------- RB ---- Athletic B. ---- Spain --- 24 -- 1,58 46) JONES, Miguel --------- RW/CF - Atletico M. - Guinea Ec - 19 -- 1,58 47) SEMINARIO, Juan --------- IL ------ Zaragoza ------ Perú ---- 30 -- 1,57 48) PAQUILLO; Fco. Vega --- RW ----- Tenerife ------ Spain --- 28 -- 1,57 49) VILLAVERDE, Ramón - IL/LW -- Barcelona -- Uruguay -- 21 -- 1,57 50) ARQUÉ, Jaime ------------- RM ---- Mallorca ----- Spain ---- 27 -- 1,56 Bonus SOCRATES Belenguer ---------------- CB -- Valencia --- Spain --- 18 -- 1,56 RODRI; Fco. Rodríguez Campoy -- RM ---- Elche ----- Spain --- 29 -- 1,55 MESTRE, Manuel ---------------------- LB -- Valencia ---- Spain --- 29 -- 1,55 RAMOS, Héctor ----------------------- RM - Santander - Uruguay - 22 -- 1,55 PIQUER, Vicente ---------------------- RB --- Valencia ---- Spain --- 22 -- 1,55
The meanings for role are: GK-goalkeeper, RB-right back, CB-centerback, LB-left back, RM-right mid, LM-left mid, RW-right winger, IR-inside right, CF-centreforward, IL-inside left, LW-left winger. The reports were listed in a WM ordering, but at that time most clubs had playing in a 4-2-4 formation, mostly with the Left Mid as Fourth back and the Inside Right as the Second Midfielder. Ideal team 1961-62 (Marca) --------------- Carmelo Rivilla ------- Campanal ------- Reija --------- Zoco --------- Iturriaga ----- Del Sol ------------- Evaristo Serena ------- Di Stefano ------- Ribada
Stars not included 1961-62 Low rating "Paco" Gento - Real Madrid Ferenc Puskas - Real Madrid Sandor Kocsis - Barcelona Enrique Collar - Atlético Madrid Joaquín Peiró - Atlético Madrid Edgardo Madinabeytia - Atlético Madrid Marcelino Martínez - Zaragoza Juan B.Agüero - Sevilla Waldo Machado - Valencia Helmut Senekowitsch - Betis Agne Simonsson - R.Sociedad Less than 18 matches Rogelio Domínguez - Real Madrid Canario - Real Madrid Jesús Garay - Barcelona Julio C.Benítez - Barcelona Eulogio Martínez - Barcelona Ferran Olivella - Barcelona Tibor Szalay - Barcelona "Chus" Pereda - Barcelona Jorge Griffa - Atlético Madrid Jorge Mendonça - Atlético Madrid Carlos Lapetra - Zaragoza Florencio Amarilla - Elche Zoltan Czibor - Español Héctor Rial - Español Silvio Parodi - R.Santander http://www.bdfutbol.com/t/t1961-62.html
The final results are similar to Don Balon for the 1976-88 era: top ratings value, number of players increasing when the rating value is decreasing and so on. Maybe somebody considered a high amount of matches such as 80% (24 matches) or something like that as the minimun to be included. I traced the line in 60% (18/30 matches), since in this era, no substitutions were allowed (excluding keepers), injuries were harder to heal and for monthly ratings I saw, more often in other rankings, include players with >2 games per month and playing >60% of matches that month. Another thing is the eventual bias or error when rating players (Big Soccer posters had their different opinions for the WC2014 for example), since the scale is small (0-3) it can be taken as a deviation the 10% of matches rated, in this case the list included players with 18 to 30 matches, so the error will be for 2 or 3 matches observed. For example, José Santamaría has 1,96 in 26 matches, but with a deviation of +/- 3 points, his max rating could be 2,08 His competition for CB role, Campanal has 2,00 in 24 matches, with a deviation of +/- 2 points, his min rating could be 1,92 So, even when raw data show Campanal > Santamaría performance in the 1961-62 season, including observation error could be posible that Santamaría > Campanal performance. Resuming, for my personal impression, any of the top 9 places could be named the Player of the Season 1961-62 in the spanish domestic league.
With the considerations above mentioned, I personally will made two changes: J.Santamaria x Campanal and Seminario x Ribada.
My impression about best players in La Liga 1961-62: 4 stars: none 3 stars: 4 players Zoco, Rivilla, Campanal, José Santamaría & Di Stéfano 2 stars: 29 players Iborra, Carmelo, Indio, Iturriaga, Serena, Cayetano Ré, Toni Cuervo, Francisco Santamaría, Corral, Reija, Correa, Colo, Ribada, Achúcarro, Echeberría, Paquito, R.Zamora II, Pachín, Segarra, Evaristo, Araquistáin, Romerito, Del Sol, Calleja, Adelardo, Gracia, Koldo Aguirre, Seminario & Jones. This is based in domestic league only, maybe international competition could push some players highly this season, especially from Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.
Season 1962-63 (Marca ratings) Nº - Player---Role----Club---Country---Games---Rating 01) GARAY, Jesús ------------------- CB -- Barcelona --- Spain --- 28 - 2,07 02) PINI, Mario ---------------------- CB - Valladolid - Uruguay - 28 - 1,96 03) PAQUITO; Francisco García - LM -- Oviedo ---- Spain ---- 28 - 1,96 04) RAMOS, Héctor ----------------- RM ---- Elche --- Uruguay - 18 - 1,94 05) CARMELO Cedrún ------------ GK - Athletic B. -- Spain --- 28 - 1,89 06) AGUIRRE I, Koldo ------------- RM - Athletic B. -- Spain --- 25 - 1,88 07) RIVILLA, Feliciano ------------- RB - Atletico M --- Spain -- 21 - 1,86 08) SANCHÍS, Manuel ------------ LM - Valladolid --- Spain --- 29 - 1,83 09) GRIFFA, Jorge ------------------ CB - Atletico M - Argentina - 23 - 1,83 10) MINGORANCE, José --------- CB -- Córdoba ----- Spain --- 28 - 1,82 11) RAMÍREZ, Carlos ------------- RM - Valladolid --- Spain --- 26 - 1,81 12) SÁNCHEZ LAGE, José Ma. - IR ----- Oviedo - Argentina - 29 - 1,79 13) URIARTE, Fidel --------------- LM --- Athletic B. --- Spain -- 23 - 1,78 14) ENDÉRIZ, Eduardo ----------- IR --- Valladolid - Uruguay - 21 - 1,76 15) BETANCORT, Antonio ------ GK - D.La Coruña -- Spain -- 24 - 1,75 16) ARGOITIA, José María -------- IL -- Athletic B. ---- Spain --- 19 - 1,74 17) AMANCIO Amaro ------------ RW -- Real Mad ---- Spain --- 28 - 1,71 18) COLLAR, Enrique ------------- LW - Atletico M ---- Spain ---- 27 - 1,70 19) MADINABEYTIA, Edgardo - GK - Atletico M - Argentina - 27 - 1,70 20) DOMINGUEZ, José ------------ LB - D.La Coruña -- Spain --- 30 - 1,70 21) ZAMACONA, José María - CB -- Osasuna -- Spain - 30 - 1,70 22) ECHEBERRIA, Luis --------- CB - Athletic B. - Spain - 23 - 1,70 23) SANTAMARÍA, Francisco - CB - Zaragoza - Spain - 29 - 1,69 24) MESTRE, Manuel ----------- LB --- Valencia - Spain - 28 - 1,68 25) GUERRICA, Antonio ------ GK -- Osasuna -- Spain - 25 - 1,68 26) SIGI; Sigifredo Martínez ---- IL - Zaragoza -- Perú -- 18 - 1,67 27) CHICAO; Fco. dos Santos - LM - Valencia - Brazil - 24 - 1,67 28) GRAU, Francesc ------------- RB ----- Betis ---- Spain - 21 - 1,67 29) MULLER, Lucien ----------- RM - Real Mad - France - 26 - 1,65 30) LASA, León ---------------- LM/IL -- Betis ---- Spain - 26 - 1,65 31) RUIZ, Félix --------------------- IR -- Real Mad -- Spain - 23 - 1,65 32) QUINCOCES, Juan Carlos - CB -- Valencia --- Spain - 23 - 1,65 33) AMERICO Canas ----------- GK ---- Málaga ---- Spain - 20 - 1,65 34) VELOSO, José L. Fidalgo - CF - D.La Coruña - Spain - 27 - 1,63 35) GLARÍA, Jesús -------------- LM -- Atletico M -- Spain - 29 - 1,62 36) GENTO, Francisco --------- LW --- Real Mad -- Spain - 23 - 1,61 37) CALLEJA, Isacio ------------ LB -- Atletico M -- Spain - 18 - 1,61 38) CORRAL, José María ------ GK ----- Betis ------ Spain - 18 - 1,61 39) ARANGUREN, Jesús ------ LB -- Athletic B. -- Spain - 18 - 1,61 40) BENEGAS, Juan ------------ GK --- Córdoba --- Spain - 30 - 1,60 41) TONI Cuervo -------------------- RB --- Oviedo -- Spain - 25 - 1,60 42) RODILLA, José Ma. Sánchez - IL - Valladolid - Spain - 25 - 1,60 43) CALVO, Pedro ----------------- GK - Valladolid - Spain - 27 - 1,59 44) ADELARDO Rodríguez ------ IR - Atletico M - Spain - 26 - 1,58 45) HORMAECHE, José ------ RM/IR - Osasuna -- Spain - 24 - 1,58 46) REIJA, Severino --------------- RB -- Zaragoza -- Spain - 19 - 1,58 47) VÁZQUEZ, Juan ------------- RW -- Córdoba --- Spain - 19 - 1,58 48) ROMERO, Juan Angel ------- IL ----- Elche - Paraguay - 30 - 1,57 49) IBORRA, Vicente ------------- CB ----- Elche --- Spain --- 28 - 1,57 50) VERDU, Juan ------------------ RB -- Valencia -- Spain -- 23 - 1,57 Bonus MOROLLÓN, Emilio --------- CF - Valladolid ---- Spain ---- 30 - 1,57 PAZOS, Manuel --------------- GK ----- Elche ------- Spain ---- 27 - 1,56 DATZIRA, José ---------------- CB ----- Oviedo ----- Spain ---- 25 - 1,56 ARAMENDI, Héctor --------- RW - Valladolid - Argentina - 29 - 1,55 RAMIRO Rodrigues ---------- RM - Atletico M --- Brazil --- 20 - 1,55 RIVERA, Cesáreo ------------- IL/IR --- Sevilla ----- Spain --- 20 - 1,55 LAPETRA, Carlos --------------- LW -- Zaragoza --- Spain --- 28 - 1,54 CHANCHO; Santiago García - RB --- Elche ------ Spain -- 28 - 1,54
Reports were listed in a WM ordering, but at that time most clubs had playing in a 4-2-4 formation, mostly with the Left Mid as Fourth back and the Inside Right as the Second Midfielder. Ideal team 1962-63 (Marca) --------------- Carmelo Rivilla --------- Garay --------- Calleja -------- Ramos -------- Paquito ---- Sánchez Lage -------- Argoitia Amancio -------- Veloso --------- Collar I personally pick: K.Aguirre x Ramos and Sigi x Argoitia.
Stars not included 1962-63 Low rating J.Santamaría, F.Puskas - Real Madrid J.Mendoza, M.Jones - Atlético Madrid C.Lapetra, Marcelino - Zaragoza S.Gracia, J.Peredá, C.Ré, R.Villaverde - Barcelona Waldo Machado, H.Núñez - Valencia O.Montalvo - D.La Coruña Luis Aragonés - Betis Campanal, Canario, I.Achucarro - Sevilla F.Serena, L.Ribada - Osasuna Less than 18 matches Di Stéfano, Zoco, Evaristo - Real Madrid J.Peiró - Atlético Madrid J.Seminario - Zaragoza Olivella, J.Segarra, JC.Benítez, L.Cubilla, S.Kocsis - Barcelona Eulogio Martínez - Elche P.Iturriaga - Athletic Bilbao H.Senekowitsch, J.Kuzsmann - Betis Gallego, J.Agüero - Sevilla http://www.bdfutbol.com/t/t1962-63.html
My own ranking about best players in La Liga 1962-63: 4 stars: none 3 stars: 3 players Garay, M.Pini & Paquito 2 stars: 30 players Ramos, Carmelo, Aguirre I, Rivilla, Sanchis, Griffa, Mingorance, Ramirez, Sánchez Lage, Uriarte. Enderiz, Betancort, Argoitia, Amancio, Collar, Madinabeytia, Domínguez, Zamacona, Echeberría, Fco.Santamaría, Mestre, Guerrica, Sigi, L.Muller, Glaría, Paco Gento, Calleja, Adelardo, Reija & Romerito. btw, any of the top-6 in the 1962-63 Marca ranking could had an option to be Best Player in the season.
1961-62 season remarks: - Zoco starred especially at the middle of the season. - Rivilla and Campanal had a notable regularity playing at very good level. - Santamaría, also a remarkable regularity, but the last months played few matches due to health problems. - Di Stefano had a great start of the season, but the injuries affected his second half of the season. Other famous players: - Del Sol had a world class first half of the season, but a terrible second half of the season. - Puskas nothing remarkably this season, I guess he played more as a poacher. - Peiro had a very good start of the season, then decreased his level and played less, save his best for the Cup Winners' Cup, maybe? - Gento, just a good first half of the season and then declining. - Evaristo had an irregular season, up and down in his performances. - Kocsis, only December as a display of the player he used to be. - Waldo played better in the second than the first half of the season, world class in september and february. - Seminario starred the first months and then his level decreased since he became the main focus of marking. - Vicente just played 3 league games this season. - Kubala had his first season as coach. - Luis Suárez had his first season in Serie-A.
Here is the excel in Drive, any suggestions will be welcome. If anyone is interested to work in other seasons, please let me know to let Edit the spreadsheet in Drive https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0lo9QT6ef9PVFV2S0pSb3VHdGM/view?usp=sharing
1962-63 season remarks: - Garay played at a very high level, especially in the first half of the season. The previous season also starred, but played few matches at the start. - Pini was very consistent and great at the back, especially the start of the season. - Paquito also consistent and very good performances. Other famous players: - Di Stéfano played at great level, but missed many matches since february. - Amancio, had a very good debut, him and Sanchís were the better rookies. - Gento, played at his best at mid season. - Santamaría and Puskas just regular, but ended the season playing a good level. - Vicente was irregular, but played a great level at mid season. - Zoco, recent signed by Real Madrid, show poor form, being out of the starting eleven. - Peiro played a world class level and then was signed by Serie-A - Rivilla, played better at 1962. Collar was irregular, but better at mid season. - Seminario played from less to more, when signed by Serie-A. Then replaced by Sigi, called "peruvian sun". - Kocsis and Cubilla, were substitutes this season. - Evaristo only played 7 games, mostly in 1963. - Waldo also irregular, playing better at mid season.
My ranking for the period 1961/63 4 stars: - 3 stars: Jesús Garay, Rivilla, Di Stéfano, Carmelo Cedrún 2 stars: Griffa, Zoco, Paquito, J.Santamaría, Iborra, Reija, F.Santamaría, H.Ramos, K.Aguirre, Echeberría, Toni, Corral, Iturriaga, Serena, Yarza, Calleja, Campanal II, Romerito, Sánchez Lage, Adelardo, Mestre, Zamora II, Collar, Guerrica, J.Seminario, Glaría, Quincocés II, Iguarán, Cayetano Ré, C.Lapetra, Gento, Marcelino, Waldo, Gracia, Madinabeytía, Achúcarro. Orué, Senekowitsch and Bosch. 1 star: Puskas, Pachín, Villaverde, Jones, Mendoça, ... < 36 matches: Vicente, Canario, Segarra, Evaristo, Eulogio Martínez, JC.Benítez, Kocsis, Agüero, Fusté, Indio, Czibor, Rial, Simonsson, Correa, Pini, Sanchís, Amancio and L.Muller Abroad: L.Suárez, Del Sol and Peiró
Replacing the excel with a google spreadsheet. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...1qgQrdoBV5mPSKv9rh3p_kaBfk/edit#gid=181060761
Nice work msioux. Good to be able to pick out the outstanding ratings, including seeing them for Cruyff in 73/74; also notable are Segarra in 58/59, Santamaria in 61/62, Kubala for late 1958 (also as mentioned Kopa and Di Stefano) and even great individual months like Suarez in December 1958 or Netzer in December 1973.
Only two Real Madrid players in the top 30 seems very strange. They won the league by 12 points, scored 22 more goals than any team in the league and had the best defense in the league...
Yeah, you're right. I've been surprised to see the low rating for Puskas who was the main goalscorer. From the non-rated players in the 1962-63 season, Di Stefano had a 1,92 in 13 matches.
Msioux, I am really curious about Joaquin Peiro’s main position. He seems to perform as attacking midfielder at Atletico Madrid in the 1962 Cup winners Cup final but I’m not sure which position he mostly played at his peak at Atletico (He played as a deep-lying forward in 1965 European Cup final but he was already declined from the peak). Comme list categorized him as a left-winger anyway.
Peiro played at the centre forward position in the 1962 Cup Winners Cup Final. Same in 1965. I think that he always played at this position and never played as a proper deep-lying centre forward, on the contrary, he was an out-and-out striker. The impression that he played in a deeper position can come from the fact that as a CF he was found first as a pivot and that a Jair (RW, Inter Milan) or an inside forward like Mendoça (Atlético) took the spaces. But he was not a playmaker at all.
That is rather strange for such a center forward who scored few goals in Series A. I tried to watch him played but the quality of video is not good enough to make clear about his position. So you means wikipedia is wrongly specified his position as MF in the 1962 cup winners cup final.
Mendoça was the IL (who operated a bit everywhere in attack) and Peiro the CF. + at Inter, Peiro had concurrence, like with Milani. When they played together for some reasons, possibly that Peiro already played inside, but it was still rare then. Way less rare with Roma apparently even if still quite often cf too.
@msioux75 will you be updating the spreadsheet with each season from 58-76? Interested in who wouldve been awarded player of the year for each season