For a long time I was trying to find more information about the election of the best soccer player in America, published by the Venezuelan newspaper "El Mundo" and today I found an interesting reference to the votes of the 1974 edition detailed by correspondents. I share it with you:
Complete classification of El Mundo in 1979: 1. Diego Armando Maradona (Argentina, Argentinos Juniors (Arg)) 80 puntos. 2. Julio César Romero “Romerito” (Paraguay, Sportivo Luqueño (Par)) 40 puntos. 3. Paulo Roberto Falcao (Brasil, Internacional de Porto Alegre (Bra)) 29 puntos. 4. Ubaldo Fillol (Argentina, River Plate (Arg)) 26 puntos. 5. Artur Antunes Coimbra "Zico" (Brasil, Flamengo (Bra)) 15 puntos. 6. Fernando Morena (Uruguay, Rayo Vallecano (Esp.)) 13 puntos. 7. Carlos Caszely (Chile, Colo Colo (Chi.)) 11 puntos. 8. Daniel Passarella (Argentina, River Plate (Arg.)) 9 puntos. Mario Alberto Kempes ( Argentina, Valencia C.F. (Esp.) 9 puntos. 10. Ramón Díaz (Argentina, River Plate (Arg)) 7 puntos. 11.- Elías Figueroa (Chile, Palestino (Chi)) 5 puntos. 12. Héctor Chumpitaz (Perú, Sporting Cristal (Per.) 4 puntos Isasi, Evaristo (Paraguay, Olimpia (Par.) 4 puntos. 14. Talavera, Hugo (Paraguay, Olimpia (Par.) 3 puntos. Morel, Eugenio (Paraguay, Libertad (Par.)) 3 puntos. 16. Hugo Sánchez (México, Pumas UNAM (Méx.) 2 puntos. Ricardo Bochini (Argentina, Independiente (Arg.)) 2 puntos. Amaral (Brasil, Corinthians (Bra.)) 2 puntos. Roberto Dinamita (Brasil, Barcelona (Esp.)) 2 puntos. 20.- Jorge González (El Salvador, FAS (Sal.)) 1 punto. Carlos Alberto Kiese (Paraguay, Olimpia (Par.)) 1 punto. Gerónimo Barbadillo (Perú, Tigres UA Nuevo León (Máx.)) 1 punto. Mario Galindo (Chile, Colo Colo (Chi.)) 1 punto.
This is a good topic to add the results of points of each year. However, most of the years prior to 1992 remain a mystery. Here, a rare picture of the golden ball winner of 1987: Carlos Valderrama
Thank you very much for those contributions partner. Let's see if little by little we can get the complete votes of all the years.
Interesting to see so many Central American players represented in the 80s lists. I'm going to guess it's a case of journos voting for their countrymen?
This classification is from 1993 and was published by the now defunct magazine "Don Balon"; the survey was carried out by "El País", from Uruguay. I have not been able to find out if there were more players voted, nor who voted for whom. Does anyone know if the original source can be accessed somehow?
So i was counting the points, giving 5 to the 1st place, 4 to the 2nd place and so on...and i got this 39 - FIGUEROA 26 - MARINHO 22 - BABINGTON 20 - PEREIRA 16 - MORENA 15 - PELE According to the newspaper and to RSSF, Pelè got the 5th place but i have him in the 6th position. The brazilian legend got 3 1st place votes (5+5+5=15 points), while Morena got x4 4th place (2+2+2+2) and 2x 2nd place (4+4)...so 16... Im missing something or its a mistake by the magazine?
It is possible that in my accounts I would have been wrong, but Babington gives me 25 and Marinho 24. Indeed, Morena gives me 16 and Pelé 15.
I have done it again and this is what i got: 39 - FIGUEROA 24 - MARINHO 22 - BABINGTON 20 - PEREIRA 16 - MORENA 15 - PELE 14 - BOCHINI 11 - HOUSEMANN 8 - CASZELY 7 - RIVELINO 6 - SOTIL 5 - AHUMADA, ZICO, MIGUEL MARIN 4 - RAIMONDO, BRINDISI, KEMPES 3 - NELSINHO 2 - ROJAS, JARA, REINOSO, AYALA, JAIRZINHO 1 - VALDES, BIANCHI, MIFFLIN total points: 225 It should be right this time. Indeed, there is a mistake with Pele and Morena. So its an error by El Mundo?
You are correct in Babington's score. That of Morena and Pelé we agree. Surely, the newspaper would be wrong to publish that Pelé was 5th.
A real long shot - Danish goalkeeper Valdemar Hansen. Link below. He would be roughly the right age (34). But there seems to be no evidence he ever played in Mexico! https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdemar_Hansen_(fodboldspiller)
It appears that Guadalajara were/are the one Mexican club not to allow foreign players. So if the club is correct, the player should be Mexican. Cannot find anyone with a similar name though.
It could be. If so, it seems more likely the second name Sans is wrong. Maybe Mexican poster @tLB Odiseo can help.