Ricardo Zamora
The goalkeeper who helped Barcelona win two Copa del Rey titles and three Catalan championships.
Ricardo Zamora Martínez was a Spanish football player who played as a goalkeeper for FC Barcelona between 1919 and 1922. During his time at Barcelona, he was a prominent member of a legendary team coached by Jack Greenwell that also included Josep Samitier, Sagibarba, Paulino Alcántara and Félix Sesúmaga. He helped the team win the Campionat de Catalunya three times and the Copa del Rey twice, in 1920 and 1922, keeping a clean sheet in the 1920 final in a 2–0 win over Pichichi's Athletic Bilbao. Born in Barcelona on 21 January 1901, Zamora began his career as a junior with Universitari SC before signing for Espanyol in 1916. He later returned to Espanyol in 1922 after three seasons at Barça, and joined Real Madrid in 1930.
- Role
- Goalkeeper
- Nationality
- Spanish
- Honours
- Multiple Copa del Rey Titles
- Legacy
- Zamora Trophy Namesake
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Zamora never had the support of his parents to play football because they wanted him to focus on studying medicine like his father, but his teammates such as Pakán encouraged him to keep playing. In 1919, he decided to resume his studies at the will of his family, so he abandoned the ranks of Espanyol. However, he resumed the activity shortly after due to a large offer from local rivals FC Barcelona, which he accepted despite his family's opposition and an argument with Espanyol's board. During the 1920 Olympic Games he was sent off against Italy after punching an opponent and on the way back from the same tournament he was arrested, imprisoned and fined for attempting to smuggle Havana cigars. In 1922 he was suspended for a year when he lied to the tax authorities about the signing on fee he received when he returned to RCD Espanyol. Zamora was also Spain's most capped player for 45 years until being surpassed by José Ángel Iribar.
In Their Own Story
On 15 May 1929, Zamora played for Spain against England in a game where England took a 2-0 lead within 20 minutes following mistakes from him, who had injured his sternum early on. Despite that he carried on playing and Spain won the game 4–3, becoming the first team from outside the British Isles to defeat England. Zamora also represented Spain at the 1934 World Cup. In the 1936 Copa del Rey final, playing for Real Madrid against FC Barcelona, Barça's attempts to equalize in the final minutes were thwarted by Zamora's spectacular save from Josep Escolà.
Reader's Guide
Zamora, nicknamed El Divino, was noted for wearing a cloth cap and a white polo-neck jumper on the field, a look later copied by several of his contemporaries. He claimed it was to protect him from both the sun and his opponents. As a goalkeeper, he was primarily known for his athleticism, quick reflexes, shot-stopping abilities, large frame, and bravery in goal. Regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of his generation, along with Gianpiero Combi and František Plánička, in 1999 the IFFHS elected Zamora as the best Spanish goalkeeper – as well as the fourth best in Europe and fifth best overall – of the twentieth century. The award for the best goalkeeper in La Liga, the Ricardo Zamora Trophy, is named in his honour.
Did You Know?
- Zamora was sent off during the 1920 Olympic Games after punching an Italian opponent.
- On the way back from the 1920 Olympics, he was arrested and fined for attempting to smuggle Havana cigars.
- In 1922 he was suspended for a year for lying to tax authorities about his signing-on fee when he returned to Espanyol.
- He played on with a broken sternum in a 1929 match against England, which Spain won 4–3.
- Zamora was imprisoned during the Spanish Civil War and his life was saved by the prison governor Melchor Rodríguez García.