Héctor Pedro Scarone Berreta (26 November 1898 – 4 April 1967) was a Uruguayan footballer who played as inside forward. Known as "the Gardel of Football"[2][3] and El Mago ("the Magician") due to his extraordinary skills with the ball,[4][5] Scarone was considered one of the best players in the world during his time.[6] He was crowned world champion three times, after winning the editions of the 1924 and 1928 Olympic football tournaments, along with the first World Cup in 1930.[7]
At club level, Scarone spent most of his career with Nacional, with which he won 21 official titles. He scored a total of 301 goals for the club in 369 appearances. Scarone holds the record of years played for Nacional, having spent 20 years with the club. He is also the 3rd. all-time Uruguayan Primera División with 163 goals, and the 2nd. all-time top scorer of Nacional (behind Atilio García) with 301 goals.[4]
With a height of 170 cm and thin legs, Scarone was rejected by Nacional at the age of 15. He returned one year later, being accepted by the club but sent to the reserve team. Nevertheless, Scarone would be promoted to the senior squad after playing only five matches in the reserve team.[5]
Apart from Nacional, Scarone also played for Spanish side Barcelona, and Italian clubs Inter Milan and Palermo. He was the younger brother of another legend of Nacional, Carlos Scarone.[4]
Scarone finished his international career by leading Uruguay to the 1930 FIFA World Cup, and although his international career ended that same year, the 31 goals in 52 matches (actually 52, but 21 goals were in unofficial matches) he scored for his country stood until as of 2011[update] as the national record[citation needed]. With his goal against Romania on 21 July 1930 Scarone was the last player born in the 19th century to score in a World Cup final tournament.
After retiring as a player, Scarone became a football coach. He was the second manager of Millonarios since its origins, from 1947 to 1948, while the club was still an amateur team. He was manager of Nacional and Real Madrid in the 1950s. He died in 1967 in Montevideo, aged 68, after attending a match of Nacional.[4]
We were young, winners, united... we believed we were indestructible.[5]
