 Francescoli in 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Enzo Francescoli Uriarte | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 12 November 1961 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Montevideo, Uruguay | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 11+1⁄4 in (1.81 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wanderers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980–1982 | Wanderers | 74 | (20) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1983–1986 | River Plate | 113 | (68) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1986–1989 | RC Paris | 89 | (32) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1990 | Marseille | 28 | (11) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1993 | Cagliari | 98 | (17) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1994 | Torino | 24 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1997 | River Plate | 84 | (47) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 510 | (198) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1982–1997 | Uruguay | 73 | (17) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Enzo Francescoli Uriarte (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈenso fɾanseˈskoljuˈɾjaɾte]; born 12 November 1961), nicknamed "El Príncipe" (lit. 'The Prince'), is a Uruguayan former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He is regarded as one of the best playmakers of his generation and as one of Uruguay's and South America's greatest ever players. He represented his nation at two FIFA World Cups, in 1986 and 1990, also winning the Copa América in 1983, 1987 and 1995.
At club level, Francescoli began his career with Uruguayan club Wanderers. In neighbouring Argentina, he played for River Plate. He was the leading scorer and a key player for the club's second Copa Libertadores title. Francescoli won a total of five Argentine titles in the six years in which he played for the club. He also enjoyed success in France with Racing Paris and Marseille, where his performances proved decisive as the team won the 1989–90 French Division 1.[1][2] He later also had spells in Italy with Cagliari and Torino, before returning to River Plate, where he ended his career.
He was considered an elite playmaker in the Uruguay national team. He played 73 times for the Celeste between 1982 and his retirement in 1997, making him the most capped outfield player in Uruguayan international football at the time.[3]
Francescoli was the only Uruguayan included by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living footballers in 2004, and he was also elected by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics as the sixth-greatest Uruguayan player and the 24th greatest South American player of the 20th century.[4]
- ^ PERUGINO, Elías (novembro de 2010). Enzo Francescoli. El Gráfico Especial n. 27 - "100 Ídolos de River". Revistas Deportivas, pp. 34–35
- ^ "Palabra de ídolo". El Gráfico. 19 September 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
- ^ "Enzo Francescoli – International Appearances" Archived 5 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine. RSSSF. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
- ^ STOKKERMANS, Karel (30 January 2000). "IFFHS' Century Elections". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 12 January 2016.