Horacio Casarín
Encyclopedia
Horacio Casarín Garcilazo (May 25, 1918 - April 10, 2005) was a Mexican
football player and coach who established himself as one of his country's most popular sports figures in the 1940s and 50's. A symbol for Atlante F.C.
, the team Casarín served for the majority of his career, the skilled forward also played for Necaxa
, Leon
, Asturias, Club América
, Real España, CF Monterrey and Zacatepec in his country, as well as FC Barcelona
in Spain
and the Mexican national football team
.
held in Brazil
and scored a goal during the course of the tournament. A famous story involving Casarín takes place during a 1939 game between Casarin's Necaxa, and Asturias. After scoring a goal in the first few minutes of the game, defenders sought out Casarín and fouled him mercilessly, until the goalscorer was forced to abandon the pitch after only twenty minutes had gone by. The game ended in a 2-2 draw, but outraged Necaxa fans expressed their ire by burning Asturia's wooden stadium.
With Atlante, Casarín scored 95 goals and helped the Potros win the 1946-47 season championship, while cementing his popularity by acting in the football-themed movie, "The sons of Don Venacio". Word of Casarín's role in the film spread, and the movie became a box-office success in Mexico. Casarín played his last game as a professional on November 18, 1956, scoring a goal for CF Monterrey.
As a coach, Casarín's biggest achievement was coaching the Mexican U-20 national football team to a second place finish during the very first FIFA U-20 World Cup
, held in Tunisia
in 1977. Casarín's squad lost the final game 9-8 in penalty kicks against the USSR. He also coached Atlante and Tecos UAG.
Casarín's failing health finally gave out on April 10, 2005, only a few months after his wife, Maria Elena King, had died. He died of complications arising from Alzheimer's disease.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
football player and coach who established himself as one of his country's most popular sports figures in the 1940s and 50's. A symbol for Atlante F.C.
Atlante F.C.
Club de Fútbol Atlante, is a Mexican professional football club, currently playing in the Mexican First Division League. The club is based in Cancún, Mexico as of the start of the 2007-08 season, when they relocated from Mexico City, and plays its home games in Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo.-Domestic...
, the team Casarín served for the majority of his career, the skilled forward also played for Necaxa
Necaxa
Necaxa is a Mexican football club and is based in the city of Aguascalientes. it plays in the Estadio Victoria. Necaxa is ranked seventh overall and 1st in ranking in Mexican football within the IFFHS Central and North America's Clubs of the Century in the CONCACAF behind CD Saprissa San Juan de...
, Leon
Club León
Club León, is a Mexican professional football club based in the city of León, in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. They currently play in the Liga De Ascenso formerly known as "Primera A", the second tier of football in Mexico since their relegation from the Primera Division in 2002.León has won...
, Asturias, Club América
Club América
Club América is a Mexican Professional football club based in Mexico City. It competes in the Primera División, the top professional league in the country. The team's nickname is Las Águilas ....
, Real España, CF Monterrey and Zacatepec in his country, as well as FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and the Mexican national football team
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
.
Career history
At the age of 17, Casarín debuted for Necaxa. Over the course of his career in Mexico, Casarín scored 236 goals at the amateur and professional levels (the Mexican League was founded in the early 1940s) and represented his country at the 1950 FIFA World Cup1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
held in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and scored a goal during the course of the tournament. A famous story involving Casarín takes place during a 1939 game between Casarin's Necaxa, and Asturias. After scoring a goal in the first few minutes of the game, defenders sought out Casarín and fouled him mercilessly, until the goalscorer was forced to abandon the pitch after only twenty minutes had gone by. The game ended in a 2-2 draw, but outraged Necaxa fans expressed their ire by burning Asturia's wooden stadium.
With Atlante, Casarín scored 95 goals and helped the Potros win the 1946-47 season championship, while cementing his popularity by acting in the football-themed movie, "The sons of Don Venacio". Word of Casarín's role in the film spread, and the movie became a box-office success in Mexico. Casarín played his last game as a professional on November 18, 1956, scoring a goal for CF Monterrey.
As a coach, Casarín's biggest achievement was coaching the Mexican U-20 national football team to a second place finish during the very first FIFA U-20 World Cup
FIFA U-20 World Cup
The FIFA U-20 World Cup, until 2005 known as the FIFA World Youth Championship, is the world championship of football for male players under the age of 20 and is organized by Fédération Internationale de Football Association...
, held in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
in 1977. Casarín's squad lost the final game 9-8 in penalty kicks against the USSR. He also coached Atlante and Tecos UAG.
Casarín's failing health finally gave out on April 10, 2005, only a few months after his wife, Maria Elena King, had died. He died of complications arising from Alzheimer's disease.