Vicente De La Mata

1936 Central Córdoba (ARG)

1937/50 Independiente (ARG) 362 games, 151 goals

1951/52 Newell’s Old Boys (ARG) 23 games, 1 goal

With the National Team :

13 caps, 6 goals

(Friendly matches: 3 caps, 1 goal)

(Copa America: 10 caps, 5 goals)

1st cap: January 16, 1937 against Peru (1-0)

Last cap: February 10, 1946 against Brazil (2-0)

Vicente de la Mata

Born on January 15, 1918 in Rosario (ARG)

Died on August 4, 1980 in Rosario (ARG)

Argentine, Inside-right, Right-winger, 1m72

Nicknames: "Capote" "Gallego"

Vicente de la Mata was born on January 15, 1918 in Rosario, Argentina. He started playing football at the age of 12, a fan of San Lorenzo, he played in the hope of joining this club. But he started in the clubs Estudiantil Porteño and Central Córdoba. He made his debut in 1935 in the Rosario league, when he was only 17 years old.

When he was 18, he was called up to play for the Argentine national team for the 1937 Copa America on the recommendation of Gabino Sosa, his childhood idol. De la Mata played the 3rd match of the competition against Peru, a 1-0 victory. Alongside Antonio Sastre, he would wreak havoc. He then played 45 minutes against Uruguay before playing in the final against Brazil, a 2-0 victory.

He finished the tournament as the best player in the competition despite his young age, and the one who was requested by Sastre himself joined Independiente. He signed a transfer for 27,500 pesos, a considerable sum for the time. The player was also paid 200 pesos per month and an additional 150 per match. In addition to that, he received an annual bonus of 5,000 pesos per year.

At Independiente, De la Mata played mostly inside-right or right winger depending on the match in a 5-man attack. Behind Arsenio Erico, who was the ultimate scorer in the Argentine championship, he aimed to be a key element of the team, just like Sastre in the construction of offensive actions.

The alchemy between the players is directly present, Independiente won the Argentine championship in 1938 by defeating the competition, breaking the record for goals scored in a season of the Argentine championship with a total of 115 goals. De la Mata was then considered the greatest hope of Argentine football.

De la Mata had an incredible talent, it is said that he had the ability to perform between 15 and 20 dribbles per match, often monopolizing the ball. With an exceptional quality of dribbling, he would on many occasions score solo goals. He would also have scored what was considered by many at the time: the most beautiful goal of all time.

During a match against River Plate, and after a lucky attack by the opposing team, the Independiente goalkeeper made a clearance in midfield, recovered by De la Mata with an exceptional oriented control. This ball control had the talent to directly eliminate José Manuel Moreno, then he dribbled in 1vs1 Minella. There, José Manuel Moreno returned to the charge, and he was humiliated again by a dribble feint, simulating going to the right to go to the left.

De la Mata wanted to find Arsenio Erico and he did not take his eyes off his goal during the whole action, yet it was indeed a solo goal that was going to happen. He dribbled a player again then a second. Arriving at the edge of the penalty area, he stopped the ball, looking for Erico's position in the area, already marked by a defender. The goalkeeper saw De la Mata's desire to pass and advanced towards the Paraguayan striker, and in an impossible angle, De la Mata scored a legendary goal.

Vicente De la Mata won a total of 3 Argentine championships with Independiente. For a few months he was both player and technical director but the situation was too complex to manage and he left the club in 1950, after 13 years at the club. He will have scored a total of 152 goals in 362 games. He is also the second best scorer of the club, behind Erico and in front of Sastre, a legendary trio.

He then signed with Newell's Old Boys where he played 23 games for 1 goal before retiring at the age of 34. His career with Argentina will have started very well before losing his starting place and in the end, he will have played only 13 times for 6 goals. Time to win 3 Copa America all the same.

- Voted best player of the Copa America in 1937

Homepage