The legend of Pichichi
In England it’s called the Golden Boot. In Italy it’s the Capocannoniere. Germany’s Bundesliga label it as the Torjägerkanone. In Spain, as most football fans are aware, the player who scores most league goals is awarded the Trofeo Pichichi. This accolade however is nothing to do with the La Liga authorities, it lies in the gift of Marca. In 1953, the newspaper launched their award for the league’s top scorer and after considering which name to bestow upon the trophy, they settled on Pichichi. But where does the name come from, and why was it affixed to an award recognising Spain’s top league goalscorer?
If you’re ever in Bilbao for a few days, do yourself a favour, and take in the tour of the San Mamés Stadium, home of Athletic Club. It’s well worth a visit and, as such tours go, it’s pretty much ‘Access All Areas’ covering everything from dressing rooms, media centre, museum and visit to the pitch via the players’ tunnel where you can sit for a moment on the benches in the coaches’ dugout. You can also pause for a picture by the bust of a former player of the club, a certain Rafael Moreno Aranzadi, as it sits between the benches, by the tunnel. It was originally installed at the old San Mamés in 1926, and there’s a tradition for players from away teams to leave flowers by the bust in Aranzadi’s honour, the first time they visit the stadium and pass under his gaze. When it was inaugurated in September 2016, some feared that the tribute would not find a place in the new stadium, but such concerns were groundless. And, if you’re wondering why I’ve suddenly shot off at a tangent to talk about Bilbao and the San Mamés, here’s the link to the story, Rafael Moreno Aranzadi was widely known as Pichichi.
As would almost be required for a Basque hero, Pichichi was born in Bilbao. His father would become mayor of the city and his great uncle was the celebrated philosopher Miguel de Unamuno. He was frail and slim, and even fully grown, standing a mere shade of five feet tall. It was a stature that led to his nickname, which is often translated as ‘Little Duck’, although it can also be suggestive of something a little more ‘anatomical’ shall we say. He would have a footballing career lasting less than a decade but, in that time, would become a defining figure of Spanish football in the early decades of the twentieth century, and a legend for Athletic Club.
Pichichi joined the club, his one and only affiliation, at the age of 19 and despite his diminutive size, impressed with his technique, and quickly found his way to the club’s first team. At the time, the introduction of the Spanish league system was still decades away, and the success of clubs was defined in cup competitions, particularly the Copa del Rey, which was recognised as a quasi-national championship.
In 1913, Pichichi played in his first Copa del Rey final. He had already scored twice in the semi-final against Madrid FC – later to become Real Madrid – before losing a replay of the final against Racing Club de Irún, after a 2-2 draw when he netted one of Athletic Club’s goals. A few months later, the same opponents would feature in the match to celebrate the opening of the original San Mamés. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with Pichichio again scoring. It set a trend which, over the next few years, would see the full flowering of the goalscoring talent that was always identifiable by his size - and the white cloth he wore across his head – but more of that later.
The 1914 Copa del Rey saw him netted four goals in the semi-final, but conversely fail to find the back of the net in the final as Athletic Club lifted the trophy. The success was backed up in 1915 and 1916, with Pichichi the acknowledged star of the team. It was a status underscored in the 1915 final, when a legendary hat-trick contributed a 5-0 victory over Espanyol.
The fame of the young forward spread across the country, as he – and the handkerchief on his head became one of the symbols of the game. He would explain the headwear as blanketing the pain of heading the ball. For so short a player, it may seem an overly cautious approach, but a surprising number of his goals were indeed headers. His ability to read the game leading him into positions where such skill outweighed lack of stature, and goals followed along.
Fame can often turn heads – covered with a handkerchief, or not – and some reports have it that Pichichi’s ego outgrew his contributions to the club, and his popularity within the team was diminished accordingly. Whether that’s true or not, by now the petite figure was the most famous footballer in Spain, and his renown spread across Europe, with other clubs eager to whisk him away from the Bilbao. A complete centre forward capable of scoring with either foot or head, blessed with pace and a fully committed passion to improve. Who wouldn’t want to acquire such talent? Neither the club, nor player however would offer any truck to such seductive manoeuvres.
In 1920, with international football in its infancy, Spain launched their national team at the Olympic games. It would mark the first and last time Pichichi would feature in such tournaments. The following year, Athletic Club again won the
Copa del Rey, defeating Atlético Madrid 4-1, in the final staged at San Mamés. It was a fitting end to his career.
At 29 years of age, with talk of a decline in his standards echoing across both team and fans, he announced his retirement. Unwilling to dispute the stories and upset at their persistence, he walked away from the game. Well, not quite. He became a referee instead. Poacher – goal
poacher, that is – turned gamekeeper. Less than a year after his final Copa del Rey triumph however, Pichichi was dead, struck down by typhus after apparently eating a batch of bad oysters. Had the gods of football decided that if the game couldn’t have him, then no-one could? A harsh jealousy forbidding others to celebrate their treasure.
So, if you’re ever in a position to take the San Mamés tour, enjoy the history and the splendour of the new stadium, but also spare a moment to doff your cap to the bust of Rafael Moreno Aranzadi. You’ll have met with Pichichi.