Arthur Friedenreich

2.1. Birth and Family

Friedenreich was born on July 18, 1892, in São Paulo, Brazil. His father, Oscar Friedenreich, was a German businessman whose own father had immigrated to Brazil. His mother, Mathilde, was an Afro-Brazilian washerwoman, and notably, the daughter of freed slaves. This mixed-race heritage, defining him as a mulatto^Portuguese, was a significant aspect of his identity and a source of both challenge and unique position in his society. He later married a woman named Jonas, and together they had a son whom they named Oscar, after Arthur's father. Both his wife and son outlived Friedenreich, and unfortunately, were left with limited financial resources in his later years.

2.2. Childhood and Early Football Exposure

From his early childhood, Friedenreich showed a natural aptitude for football, a passion strongly supported by his father, who encouraged his skills and guided him on his path to becoming a great player. This support was crucial, as football at the time was predominantly dominated by white players and was largely inaccessible to Black individuals. Despite his talent, Friedenreich faced numerous barriers due to prevalent racism. As a mixed-race individual, he was often denied access to places frequented by white players, such as swimming pools, tennis courts, and social gatherings. He also found it challenging to establish connections and friendships within the white-dominated world of Brazilian football due to his skin color.

3.1. Style of Play

Friedenreich is often credited as the pioneering figure of Jogo Bonito, or "the beautiful game," a style of play that would become synonymous with Brazilian football. His approach emphasized rapid movement, short passes, quick touches, and intricate combinations. He was also known for attempting many long-range shots and for coordinating attacks with two to three fast-paced strikers to disorient opposing defenses. Despite his relatively modest stature at 170 ftin, he was celebrated for his exceptional pace, raw power, and brilliant technical dribbling. He possessed perfect ball control and was one of the first players to attempt curving the ball when shooting. Furthermore, he developed innovative techniques using body movements to feint and deceive opposing defenders. His unique blend of skills earned him the nickname "The Tiger" (Mãnh hổ^Vietnamese), a testament to his ferocity and effectiveness on the field.

3.2. Club Career

Friedenreich's club career was marked by significant contributions across various teams, particularly during his long and successful tenure with CA Paulistano.

3.2.1. Major Club Activities and Achievements

Friedenreich began his career in 1909 with SC Germânia, a Brazilian football team primarily composed of German immigrants in São Paulo. After a period of moving between several São Paulo club sides starting in 1910, including Ypiranga and Mackenzie College, he found a lasting home with CA Paulistano, a prominent Brazilian club. He remained with Paulistano for an extended period, contributing significantly to their success. During his tenure, Paulistano became the first Brazilian football club to undertake a tour of Europe, where Friedenreich's exceptional performance, including scoring 11 goals in 8 matches, established him as arguably one of the sport's earliest international superstars. He played for Paulistano until the club disbanded in 1929. Subsequently, he joined São Paulo da Floresta (which later became São Paulo FC), where he continued to play until 1935. In his final years, after 1934, he primarily played for less elite, local clubs. His very last professional team before his retirement in 1935 was Flamengo from Rio de Janeiro.

3.3. International Career

Arthur Friedenreich's international career with the Brazil national football team began early in the team's history and saw him achieve significant milestones, though also face racial exclusion.

He made his debut for the Brazil national team in 1914, participating in Brazil's very first international match, where they defeated Exeter City of England 2-0. During this game, Friedenreich famously lost two of his front teeth due to a strong slide tackle. He went on to play 22 international matches for Brazil, scoring 10 goals.

Friedenreich was a key player in Brazil's early Copa América (then known as the South American Championship) successes. In the 1916 South American Championship, Brazil drew their first two matches against Chile and hosts Argentina, but despite Friedenreich scoring the opening goal against Uruguay in the final match, Brazil ultimately lost 2-1 and finished third.

His second opportunity came in the 1919 South American Championship, hosted in Brazil. He scored a hat-trick in Brazil's opening 6-0 victory against Chile. In the decisive final match against Uruguay, which became the longest game in the tournament's history extending over four extra periods, Friedenreich scored the winning goal in the 122nd minute, securing Brazil's first-ever title. He also finished as the tournament's top scorer with 4 goals and was recognized as the player of the tournament. This victory was a historical moment, significantly boosting the popularity of football in Brazil and laying the foundation for the nation's future as a footballing powerhouse. It was during this tournament that Uruguayans first began calling him "The Tiger."

A major setback in his international career occurred when he was not allowed to participate in the 1921 South American Championship due to discriminatory policies by the organizers, who explicitly did not want the participation of players of color. He returned for the 1922 South American Championship, where Brazil again emerged victorious, although Friedenreich did not score in that tournament.

In 1925, Friedenreich participated in the 1925 South American Championship, scoring the opening goal in a classic match against Argentina on Christmas Day. Brazil, needing a win, led 2-0 at halftime, but Argentina rallied to a 2-2 draw, securing the championship. Later that year, during Brazil's tour of Europe, Friedenreich's outstanding performances earned him the prestigious title of King of Football from the European press.

He was notably absent from the 1930 FIFA World Cup in Uruguay. This was primarily due to a serious misunderstanding and conflict between the football leagues of the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. As a result, only players from Rio de Janeiro traveled to the tournament, leaving São Paulo stars like Friedenreich (who was 38 years old at the time), Filó (who would later win the 1934 FIFA World Cup with Italy), and Feitiço out of the squad. Friedenreich played his last international match for Brazil shortly after the World Cup, a 3-2 victory against France.

5.1. Background of the Controversy

The primary reason for the goal-scoring controversy is the rudimentary and often incomplete record-keeping systems in place during Friedenreich's era. Unlike modern football, where statistics are meticulously documented, early 20th-century records were sporadic and unreliable. Furthermore, the supposed goal figures often include goals scored in amateur leagues and exhibition matches, which are not always consistently counted in official professional statistics.

A significant factor contributing to the uncertainty is the mysterious disappearance of his compiled goal-scoring records. Both Friedenreich's father and his former teammate Mario de Andrade had diligently compiled his goal-scoring record over the years. However, these crucial records mysteriously vanished in the mid-1960s, tragically coinciding with the period when Friedenreich himself was battling Alzheimer's disease, making it impossible for him to verify or reconstruct the data. The lack of reliable, consistently documented statistics from that period means that any presented goal count is an estimation rather than an exact, verifiable record.

5.2. Supposed Goal Figures

Various sources have presented different estimated goal tallies for Arthur Friedenreich. The most famous and widely cited figure, though highly disputed, suggests that Friedenreich scored 1,329 goals in 1,239 matches. This figure even led to his inclusion in the Guinness World Records for the most career goals, a record that was later surpassed.

However, other estimates exist:

• 554 goals in 561 matches - According to Alexandre da Costa, in his book O Tigre do futebol.
• 558 goals in 562 matches - As compiled by Orlando Duarte and Severino Filho in their book Fried versus Pelé.
• 354 goals in 323 matches - Recorded by the IFFHS.
• 105 goals in 125 matches - Documented by the Memorial of São Paulo FC.

These discrepancies highlight the challenges in definitively quantifying his achievements from an era with less formalized record-keeping, leaving his true goal count open to historical debate.

6.1. Retirement and Later Years

In the 1930s, Brazilian football underwent a pivotal transition towards professionalization, which became a reality in 1933. Friedenreich held strong reservations about this shift, actively opposing the professionalization of the sport in Brazil. Outraged by the changes, he ultimately refused to continue playing under the new professional system. He officially retired from football at the age of 43, playing his last match for Flamengo on July 21, 1935, a 2-2 draw against Fluminense, in which he did not score. While some sources indicate his retirement in 1934, his last recorded game was in 1935, concluding a career that spanned 26 years at the highest level.

Following his retirement from football, Friedenreich transitioned into a different line of work, finding employment at a liquor company, where he eventually retired from this second career as well. In his later years, Arthur Friedenreich developed Alzheimer's disease. The treatment for this debilitating condition consumed a significant portion, if not most, of his personal savings, leaving him with limited financial resources. He resided in a house that was provided to him by the São Paulo football club, reflecting some enduring recognition of his contributions.

6.2. Death

Arthur Friedenreich passed away on September 6, 1969, at the age of 77. His death in São Paulo, Brazil, followed a prolonged battle with Alzheimer's disease. His passing occurred just three months before Pelé achieved his highly anticipated 1,000th career goal, underscoring the shift in eras within Brazilian football history.

7.1. Impact and Positive Assessment

Friedenreich is widely considered a pivotal figure in the development of Brazilian football, with many acknowledging him as the architect of Jogo Bonito, the "beautiful game" that became synonymous with the nation's footballing identity. His exceptional skills, innovative style, and remarkable goal-scoring prowess cemented his status as one of Brazil's earliest and greatest footballing icons.

Crucially, Friedenreich's career played a groundbreaking role in challenging and breaking down racial barriers in Brazilian football. As the first professional Afro-Brazilian player and a mixed-race individual who excelled in a sport previously dominated by whites, he paved the way for countless other players of color. His success on the field, despite facing intense discrimination and prejudice, demonstrated that talent transcended race. This pioneering role had a lasting social impact, opening up new opportunities and challenging deep-seated prejudices within Brazilian society and football, contributing to a more inclusive sport.

7.2. Tributes and Commemorations

Friedenreich's enduring legacy is commemorated through various tributes across Brazil. In the Vila Alpina neighborhood on the east side of São Paulo, a park is named in his honor. Located at the beginning of Francisco Falconi Avenue, this park is one of the largest in the region. Also on the east side of São Paulo, a street bears his name. In Rio de Janeiro, a school within the sports complex of Maracanã is named after him, situated near the main entrance to the left of the Bellini statue, further solidifying his place in Brazilian history and culture.