Thread dedicated to Arthur Friedenreich, his goals, assists, and reports about him. Feel free to contribute.
A biography https://web.archive.org/web/2025051...g-arthur-friedenrich-brazils-first-superstar/ Few footage of him in action
Fried's biography in the Brazilian press in 1940 "Fried rarely got injured. Fast, dizzying, he was hard to catch. He always walked on his bare knees so he could move more freely, and he kept that elasticity that amazed the Uruguayans until the end. That's why Fried can be considered a physical phenomenon". "In 1916, Fried took part in his first South American competition (Copa America). It was in 1916 that he earned the nickname el tigre and not in 1919. The Uruguayans were impressed by his malice and ability to infiltrate." "Before Fried, no Brazilian player achieved such idolatry, and then only Leonidas da Silva. Fried was the most popular figure in Brazil in 1919"(text from 1940) "In 1925, Fried was number one in Brazil, he was the best player in the world." In 1921, Fried scored 33 goals in the São Paulo championship. In 1931, 32 goals. The ten-year gap showed his unprecedented longevity. In a 25-year career, Fried earned little money. Just as Fried didn't keep track of his goals." [professionalism took place in Brazil in 1933]. "Fried travelled around Brazil and it was an event, people flocking to see him play." "Fried played until the age of 43. In 1934 he was feeling the physical strain, playing well in the first half and tiring out in the next". "After his career ended, Fried was a football referee for a few matches and a coach." "What was most impressive about Fried was his elegance and agility"
Fried was voted the best Brazilian player in history on 3 June 1946, Leonidas da Silva (who was still playing) came second. Vicente Feola (who would go on to coach Brazil in 1958) chose Leonidas.
Friedenreich played in four editions of the Copa Ameria (1916, 1919, 1922 and 1925). He won two of them (1919 and 1922). The 1919 title was the Brazilian national team's first title and is considered a milestone for the popularity of the sport in Brazil. Fried could have played in Copa America editions in 1926, 1927 and 1929, but Brazil didn't send any teams. In the 1930 World Cup, Brazil sent a team from Rio de Janeiro because there was a dispute between local federations. I'll do the statistics for these four copa america editions later.
Southamerican Championship 1916 Host: Argentina 1. URU 5 (champion) 2. ARG 4 3. BRA 2 4. CHI 1 Top Scorer 3 - Gradín URU 2 - Brown, Marcovecchio, Ohaco ARG, Piendibene URU 1 - Laguna ARG, Báez, Salazar CHI, Alencar, Demósthenes, Friedenreich BRA, Tognola URU In total 18 goals, 3.0 per match. Most goals ARG (7), no team without goals. 12 players scored. Top Assist 1 - Soma URU Bracchi URU Perinetti ARG Geldes CHI Olazar ARG Heissinger ARG Friedenreich BRA Moreno CHI A lot of goals from goalkeeper rebounds and no player standing out in terms of assists. Also few games (3 for each team). Friedenreich was the only player to score and assist in the tournament. If we gave assists to those who kicked the ball that the goalkeeper rebounded (non opta assist), Marcovecchio, Soma, Friedenreich and Piendibene would get assists (1). Friedenreich had a hand in all three of Brazil's goals in the tournament (a goal, a pass and the shot that resulted in the goalkeeper's rebound against argentina). It was in this tournament that Friedenreich earned the nickname ‘El Tigre’ from the Uruguayan press.
South American 1919 Host: Brazil 1. BRA 5 (first title after tie-break match against uruguay) 2. URU 5 3. ARG 2 4. CHI 0 Scorers' List 4 - Friedenreich, Neco BRA 3 - Clarcke, Izaguirre ARG, C.Scarone URU 2 - Gradín URU 1 - Amílcar, Haroldo, Héitor Domingues, Millon BRA, France CHI, H.Scarone, Pérez URU own goals - 1 (Varela URU for ARG) Assist 4- Friedenreich BRA 2- Menezes BRA Perinetti ARG Marán URU 1 - Haroldo BRA Gradín URU C.Scarrone URU Zibechi URU Calomino ARG Arnaldo BRA In total 27 goals, 3.8 per match. Friedenreich's technical peak. He scored the winning goal in the first Brazil NT title and finished the competition as top scorer and assist leader. G+A of 2 far above the other players. Friedenreich dominated the tournament.
There's no video of the winning goal, but this animation from the newspaper O Globo has reconstructed the scene, initial move by Neco, Heitor shot, Friedenreich takes the rebound.
South American Championship 1922 Host: Brazil 1. URU 5 2. BRA 5 (2nd title, tie break match) 3. PAR 5 4. ARG 4 5. CHI 4 (2 parts)
Scorers' List 4 - Francia ARG 2 - Amílcar, Formiga, Neco BRA 1 - Chiessa, Gaslini ARG, Tatú BRA, Bravo CHI, Elizeche, Fretes, López, Ramírez, Rivas PAR, Urdinarán, Buffoni, Heguy URU In total 22 goals, 2.0 per match. Assist 2-Neco BRA 1- Varas CHI Soma URU Junqueira BRA Rivas PAR Benitez PAR Schaerer PAR Otero URU Capdevila PAR Heitor BRA Rivet ARG Palamone BRA Brazil's second title, Fried, played very little part. He only played in two matches and didn't play in the final. His team-mate Neco was probably the MVP, leading the way in assists and g+a along with the Argentinian Francia. The newspapers said Fried was old (30). After, Fried would go on to play for 12 more years (until 1934), become top scorer in the Paulista three times (1927, 1928 and 1929) and delight the Europeans on a tour in 1925. It was just a bad tournament for Fried.
1925 South American Championship Host: Argentina 1. ARG 7 2. BRA 5 3. PAR 0 Top Scorer 6 - Seoane ARG 4 - Lagarto, Nilo BRA 2 - Friedenreich BRA, Rivas PAR 1 - Cerrotti, Irurieta, Garassini, Sánchez, Tarasconi ARG, Moderato BRA, Fleitas Solich, Fretes PAR In total 26 goals, 4.3 per match. Assist ? Unfortunately, the Brazilian press didn't cover all the games in this South American tournament, probably because it was in Argentina (logistics problems). Even in the Brazilian games, not all the moves were described. We know from the incomplete information that Fried at least scored 2 goals and made 2 passes in 4 games. A very good (could be more) 1g+a. It wasn't the Fried of 1922, an excellent Fried (33 years old) appeared in his last South American tournament played in Argentina.
Friedenreich could still have played in the 1921 South American Championships, but Brazilian President Epitafio Pessoa vetoed his call-up and that of other black athletes. https://web.archive.org/web/2025052...-arthur-friedenreich-the-original-black-pearl So unfortunately we were deprived of seeing Friedenreich in more Copa America and World Cups for various reasons (racism, dispute in the federation), and these four Copa Americas are the only source of data we have of him playing at a high level. But these four editions are consistent with the press reports of a player who scored a lot of goals, but also created a lot of chances.
River Plate played a friendly against São Paulo in 1935. Friedenreich, at the end of his career, was on the pitch and provided a pre-assist and an assist. In River Plate, Moreno was just starting his career (he provided the assist for River's goal).