Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Udo Steinberg Werle | ||
Date of birth | 13 June 1877 | ||
Place of birth | Berlin, Germany | ||
Date of death | 25 December 1919 | (aged 42)||
Place of death | Madrid, Spain | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1896–1899 | Mittweidaer BC | ||
1896–1899 | FC Germania | ||
1899–1900 | Chemnitz SC Britannia | ||
1901–1902 | FC Barcelona II | +3 | |
1902–1910 | FC Barcelona | 75 | (57) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Udo Steinberg Werle (13 June 1877 – 25 December 1919) was a German engineer, athlete and sports official who played football as a forward for the Spanish club FC Barcelona between 1902 and 1910.[1][2] He is best known for being the author of Barça's first-ever goal in the history of the El Clásico.[3][4][5]
Before settling in Spain, he participated in the founding of several football clubs in his country, as well as being present at the meeting in which the German Football Association was born.[4] He founded the forerunner of La Masia in 1902, managing it until 1916, and he also co-founded the forerunner of Real Club de Tenis Barcelona.[4] He also worked as a sports editor, and he even held the presidency of the Catalan Football Federation in 1906.[4] He played with Barça for eight years (1902–1910), netting 57 goals in 75 appearances, thus contributing decisively to the conquest of Barça's first official titles, 1901–02 Copa Macaya, which was the club's first-ever piece of silverware, 1902–03 Copa Barcelona and the 1904–05 Catalan championship.[6] During his time in Catalonia, Steinberg was undoubtedly one of the most influential players of FC Barcelona on and off the pitch.
Despite being an outstanding football player, a sport to which he owes his career, he was an all-around sportsman who also performed in other modalities such as athletics, cricket, tennis, cycling, boxing and alpine disciplines.[7]