René Pontoni

1940/45 Newell's Old Boys (ARG) 110 games, 67 goals

1945/48 CA San Lorenzo (ARG) 100 games, 63 goals

1949/52 Independiente Santa Fe (COL) 44 games, 27 goals

1952/53 Portuguesa de Desportos (BRA) 17 games, 5 goals

1954 CA San Lorenzo (ARG) 2 games, 1 goal

With the National Team :

19 caps, 19 goals

(Friendly matches: 8 caps, 11 goals)

(Copa America: 11 caps, 8 goals)

1st cap: May 25, 1942 against Uruguay (4-1)

Last cap: December 28, 1947 against Uruguay (3-1)

René Alejandro Pontoni

Born May 18, 1920 in Santa Fe (ARG)

Died May 14, 1983 in Santa Fe (ARG)

Argentinian, striker

When he was only 7 years old, his father died, from that moment on, he, his mother and his four brothers and sisters had to work to maintain the family store. His family lived in front of the Unión stadium, but he finally joined the rival club, Gimnasia y Esgrima de Santa Fe in 1934 at the request of his brother.

When he was young, he was a chubby center forward and many criticized his physique. But when he started playing, the talent was undeniable, the player was graceful with the ball at his feet. Despite his 80 kilos he handled the ball with extraordinary ease, and in addition to that, he was already an excellent finisher.

In 1940, he joined the Newell's Old Boys club for the sum of 12,000 pesos. The young player had notably refused offers from Peñarol and Boca Juniors. He made his debut with a shaved head, because he was doing his military service at the same time. Playing for fun, he became a more athletic player and his best years were in the Old Boys jersey.

Compared to Arsenio Erico by the fans and the Argentine press, he was in turn considered one of the best players in the country. He was logically called to play with the Argentine national team. Something he would achieve and in what way? During his first match with Argentina, on May 25, 1942, he scored 2 goals against Uruguay for a 4-1 victory. A dream debut!

He continued his adventure with Newell's Old Boys until 1944, he left the club as a legend, 67 goals in 110 games, which still makes him the player with the best goal-per-game ratio in the club's history.

Pontoni is adored on and off the field, happy, jovial, he was a player who is said to have a contagious joy of life. He left his first professional club to join the San Lorenzo team for a transfer of 100,000 pesos. Pontoni showed all his talent and won the Argentine championship in 1946, being a key part of his team.

Following this title, the San Lorenzo team went on a club tour in Spain and Portugal. The team won all its matches and scored 41 goals in 8 matches. San Lorenzo even won a prestigious match against Atlético Madrid with a score of 6-1.

The 1940s were also his years of success with Argentina. He won 3 Copa Americas: in 1945 in Chile, in 1946 in Argentina and in 1947 in Ecuador. In the first he played 5 matches for 4 goals, in the second 2 matches for 0 goals and in the third he scored 4 goals in 4 matches, enough to consider him one of the best Argentine players of the period. The 1947 Copa America was also his last major competition with Argentina, in total he played 19 matches for his country and scored 19 goals.

With San Lorenzo, his first 3 seasons were exceptional, but in 1948, it was a tragedy, the defender Rodolfo De Zorzi broke the player's career. René Pontoni was tackled by the defender, he came out of the shock with a fracture of the kneecap, the meniscus and the ligaments of the right leg. A funny anecdote is given by the player, the defender will suffer the same fate a week later and will be transferred to the same hospital as him. There, Pontoni has his "revenge" on the defender: he will have to drink alcohol every day with the San Lorenzo striker and his friends. A beautiful demonstration of a character always positive and friendly.

René Pontoni leaves San Lorenzo on his return from injury and joins the Colombian club Independiente Santa Fe where he will play between 1949 and 1952. A rather positive adventure for the player who returns from a huge injury. He then leaves for Brazil in the Portuguesa club in Sao Paulo. He then returns to San Lorenzo where he plays a few matches with the first team but especially in the reserve team where he will serve as a mentor to a certain José Sanfilippo.

In 1975, he was elected by a poll of the newspaper El Grafico as the best striker in Argentine football. After 292 games and 182 goals, the player can be considered one of the best players in his position in the history of his country. A legend that many have forgotten.

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