From a one line description of his biography, it describes him this way: "For many years after, children from Barcelona would recall that moment and would wish to do the same as the man from the Philippines."
Who is this man?
No other than Paulino Reistrá Alcántara aka "El Rompe Redes" or "the net breaker," considered as the greatest Filipino footballer ever. He is also the first Filipino and Asian player to play football in Europe.
Alcántara was born in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo on 7 October 1896 to a Spanish father (his father served the Spanish Colonial Army in the Philippines) and a Filipino mother. In 1910, his family moved to Barcelona, Spain and there he briefly played for F.C. Galeno, the club formed by his classmates. He then joined the youth squad of F.C. Barcelona and started a career that many Filipinos are unaware of and many Spaniards revered to this day.
In 1912, Barcelona’s President (and founder) Joan Gamper signed him to the club’s First Team and made his senior début at the age of 15 on 25 February 1912 against Catalá SC in the Catalan Championship (Championat de Catalunya).
F.C. Barcelona won 9-0, and Alcántara scored the first three goals of the game. Among his teammates during his first spell at the club were Francisco Bru, Jack Greenwell and Romà Forns. In his debut appearance, he achieved the distinctions of being the first Filipino and Asian player ever to play for a European club, the youngest Barcelona player ever to play professional football, and the youngest Barca player ever to score in first-grade football.
He debuted in the Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey) on 14 August 1912 against Sabadell to mark the installation of a new set of floodlights at the Estadio de los Arlequinados. The match finished 8-2 to Barca with Alcántara grabbing a hat trick.
In his first four years (1912-1916), Alcántara went on to help the club win a Catalan Championship and Spanish Cup double in 1913 and the Catalan Championship in 1916. Before winning his second Catalan championship title, he was selected to play for the Catalan XI and went on to represent the Catalans five more times until 1924.
After the 1915-16 football season, Alcántara and his family decided to move back to the Philippines. There, he continued his studies in medicine and played football for Bohemians Sporting Club of Manila. He led his new club to two consecutive Philippine Football Federation Men’s Open Championship titles, from 1917 to 1918, and was selected to play for the Philippine national football team in the 1917 Far Eastern Games in Tokyo, Japan.
In the Far Eastern Games, he led the country to its biggest winning margin ever in international football, demolishing Japan, 15-2. Unfortunately, the team abandoned their match against China after a successful conversion of a controversial penalty awarded by the referee giving China a 3-0 advantage. As a result, the team settled for the silver medal. Alcántara also represented the Philippines as a table tennis player.
In 1918, he returned to Spain and resumed his distinguished career with F.C. Barcelona. The new coach (and former teammate) Jack Greenwell introduced Alcántara to the team as a defender but fan protest forced Greenwell to return Alcántara to his natural position. He then led the team to another Catalan Championship title in 1919 but failed to win the Spanish Cup after losing 5-2 in the finals to Arenas Club de Getxo. His return marks the beginning of the club's first golden reign in Spanish football.
In 1920, he was named team captain and led Barcelona to another Catalan Championship and Spanish Cup double with Alcántara scoring in a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilboa in the Cup finals. At the same year, Alcántara was selected to play for the Spanish national team in the Olympic Games but turn down the opportunity due to his educational commitment. In 1921, he led Barcelona to another Catalan Championship but failed to win the Spanish Cup. He was again selected to represent Spain in international football and he made his debut on 7 October 1921 at the age of 25 against Belgium and scored both goals in a 2-0 win. He became the first player from Barcelona born outside of Europe to represent Spain in international football.
In 1922, he led Barcelona to its third Catalan Championship and Spanish Cup double with Alcántara scoring twice in the Cup final 5-1 demolition of Real Unión. On April 30, 1922, Alcántara earned the moniker "El Romepe Redes" (the net-breaker) after ripping the goal net with a thunderous strike from 35 yards out in an international match between Spain and France.
After a trophy-less season in 1923, he led Barcelona to another Catalan Championship in 1924 but failed to win the Spanish Cup. The next two years (1925 and 1926), he lead the club to a back-to-back Catalan Championship and Spanish Cup double with Alcántara scoring the winner in the 3-2 win over Atlético Madrid in the 1926 Cup final.
After winning his 10th Catalan Championship, Alcántara, at the age of 31, officially retired from the game on 5 July 1927 with the Spanish national team and F.C. Barcelona playing a testimonial game in his honor. He ended his career as the club's all-time leading scorer with 357 goals in 357 games.
After his retirement, Alcántara was finally able to practice his profession as doctor but his retirement did not prevent him from helping his old club. From 1931 to 1934, he served as one of Barcelona's Board of Directors and he coached/managed Spain’s national team in 1951. He died on 13 February 1964 in Barcelona, Spain.
(Source: The Unknown Gazette)
Who is this man?
No other than Paulino Reistrá Alcántara aka "El Rompe Redes" or "the net breaker," considered as the greatest Filipino footballer ever. He is also the first Filipino and Asian player to play football in Europe.
Alcántara was born in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo on 7 October 1896 to a Spanish father (his father served the Spanish Colonial Army in the Philippines) and a Filipino mother. In 1910, his family moved to Barcelona, Spain and there he briefly played for F.C. Galeno, the club formed by his classmates. He then joined the youth squad of F.C. Barcelona and started a career that many Filipinos are unaware of and many Spaniards revered to this day.
In 1912, Barcelona’s President (and founder) Joan Gamper signed him to the club’s First Team and made his senior début at the age of 15 on 25 February 1912 against Catalá SC in the Catalan Championship (Championat de Catalunya).
F.C. Barcelona won 9-0, and Alcántara scored the first three goals of the game. Among his teammates during his first spell at the club were Francisco Bru, Jack Greenwell and Romà Forns. In his debut appearance, he achieved the distinctions of being the first Filipino and Asian player ever to play for a European club, the youngest Barcelona player ever to play professional football, and the youngest Barca player ever to score in first-grade football.
In his first four years (1912-1916), Alcántara went on to help the club win a Catalan Championship and Spanish Cup double in 1913 and the Catalan Championship in 1916. Before winning his second Catalan championship title, he was selected to play for the Catalan XI and went on to represent the Catalans five more times until 1924.
After the 1915-16 football season, Alcántara and his family decided to move back to the Philippines. There, he continued his studies in medicine and played football for Bohemians Sporting Club of Manila. He led his new club to two consecutive Philippine Football Federation Men’s Open Championship titles, from 1917 to 1918, and was selected to play for the Philippine national football team in the 1917 Far Eastern Games in Tokyo, Japan.
In the Far Eastern Games, he led the country to its biggest winning margin ever in international football, demolishing Japan, 15-2. Unfortunately, the team abandoned their match against China after a successful conversion of a controversial penalty awarded by the referee giving China a 3-0 advantage. As a result, the team settled for the silver medal. Alcántara also represented the Philippines as a table tennis player.
In 1918, he returned to Spain and resumed his distinguished career with F.C. Barcelona. The new coach (and former teammate) Jack Greenwell introduced Alcántara to the team as a defender but fan protest forced Greenwell to return Alcántara to his natural position. He then led the team to another Catalan Championship title in 1919 but failed to win the Spanish Cup after losing 5-2 in the finals to Arenas Club de Getxo. His return marks the beginning of the club's first golden reign in Spanish football.
In 1920, he was named team captain and led Barcelona to another Catalan Championship and Spanish Cup double with Alcántara scoring in a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilboa in the Cup finals. At the same year, Alcántara was selected to play for the Spanish national team in the Olympic Games but turn down the opportunity due to his educational commitment. In 1921, he led Barcelona to another Catalan Championship but failed to win the Spanish Cup. He was again selected to represent Spain in international football and he made his debut on 7 October 1921 at the age of 25 against Belgium and scored both goals in a 2-0 win. He became the first player from Barcelona born outside of Europe to represent Spain in international football.
In 1922, he led Barcelona to its third Catalan Championship and Spanish Cup double with Alcántara scoring twice in the Cup final 5-1 demolition of Real Unión. On April 30, 1922, Alcántara earned the moniker "El Romepe Redes" (the net-breaker) after ripping the goal net with a thunderous strike from 35 yards out in an international match between Spain and France.
After a trophy-less season in 1923, he led Barcelona to another Catalan Championship in 1924 but failed to win the Spanish Cup. The next two years (1925 and 1926), he lead the club to a back-to-back Catalan Championship and Spanish Cup double with Alcántara scoring the winner in the 3-2 win over Atlético Madrid in the 1926 Cup final.
After winning his 10th Catalan Championship, Alcántara, at the age of 31, officially retired from the game on 5 July 1927 with the Spanish national team and F.C. Barcelona playing a testimonial game in his honor. He ended his career as the club's all-time leading scorer with 357 goals in 357 games.
After his retirement, Alcántara was finally able to practice his profession as doctor but his retirement did not prevent him from helping his old club. From 1931 to 1934, he served as one of Barcelona's Board of Directors and he coached/managed Spain’s national team in 1951. He died on 13 February 1964 in Barcelona, Spain.
(Source: The Unknown Gazette)