Jorge Roldán
Encyclopedia
Jorge Roldán Popol known popularly as El Grillo ("cricket
") is a Guatemala
n football coach
and former midfielder
.
Roldán played almost his entire career for the local team Aurora FC
, being perhaps the most emblematic individual ever to represent the club. He also became a member and later captain of the Guatemala national team
, participating in the 1968 Olympic Games
and in two World Cup qualifying
campaigns.
Roldán has managed clubs in Guatemala for over three decades, and has coached the national team at all levels. He is the last Guatemalan coach to win the domestic league title.
with Aurora
in 1958, at the age of 17, under coach Rubén Amorín
. He helped Aurora win three national league titles in four years, in the 1964, 1966, and 1967-68 seasons, the first three championships ever won by the club. He played for Aurora from 1958 to 1973, and went on to become their captain; he scored 111 goals in all competitions for the club, being their highest goalscorer ever.
Roldán was the first Guatemalan footballer ever to play professionally for a club in Spain
, when he was a member of Hércules CF
in 1972.
Roldán played for the national youth squad that won the 1958 Juegos Centroamericanos Juveniles. He was the captain of the Guatemala team that qualified to and reached quarterfinals in the 1968 Olympic tournament
. Later, he played in two matches during the 1970 World Cup qualification process and in six matches in the 1974 qualifying rounds.
He retired from playing in 1974, and became a coach shortly after.
Roldán has also coached the Guatemala national team
, during part of the 1990 World Cup qualifying campaign (where he was substituted by Rubén Amorín), at the 1988 Olympic tournament
, and at the 1995 UNCAF Nations Cup
. In 2004, prior to the qualifying tournament for the 2006 World Cup, he was named Director General of the national football teams.
As a coach
Cricket (insect)
Crickets, family Gryllidae , are insects somewhat related to grasshoppers, and more closely related to katydids or bush crickets . They have somewhat flattened bodies and long antennae. There are about 900 species of crickets...
") is a Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
n football coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and former midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
Roldán played almost his entire career for the local team Aurora FC
Aurora FC
Aurora Fútbol Club are a Guatemalan professional football club. Once one of the most powerful teams in the country, the team has now been relegated to a lower division...
, being perhaps the most emblematic individual ever to represent the club. He also became a member and later captain of the Guatemala national team
Guatemala national football team
The Guatemala national football team is the association football team representing the country of Guatemala and is controlled by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Founded in 1919, it affiliated to FIFA in 1946, and it is a member of CONCACAF....
, participating in the 1968 Olympic Games
Football at the 1968 Summer Olympics
Final results for the football competition at the 1968 Summer Olympics.-Medalists:-Group A:-------------------------Group B:-------------------------Group C:Ghana replaced Morocco, who refused to play Israel.----...
and in two World Cup qualifying
FIFA World Cup qualification
The FIFA World Cup qualification is the process that a national association football team goes through to qualify for the FIFA World Cup Finals. The FIFA World Cup is a global event, so qualification is required to reduce the large field of participants from about 200 to 32.Qualifying tournaments...
campaigns.
Roldán has managed clubs in Guatemala for over three decades, and has coached the national team at all levels. He is the last Guatemalan coach to win the domestic league title.
Playing career
Roldán debuted in the Guatemalan Liga MayorLiga Nacional de Guatemala
Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala , formerly known as Liga Mayor "A" is a professional football division in Guatemala, the highest one in the country. It is sanctioned by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala...
with Aurora
Aurora FC
Aurora Fútbol Club are a Guatemalan professional football club. Once one of the most powerful teams in the country, the team has now been relegated to a lower division...
in 1958, at the age of 17, under coach Rubén Amorín
Rubén Amorín
Rubén Darío Amorín Mattos is an Uruguayan former football player and coach.-Coaching career:He has spent the majority of his coaching career in Guatemala, where he won a record eight national titles with three different clubs from 1964 to 1992, and took CSD Municipal to win the CONCACAF...
. He helped Aurora win three national league titles in four years, in the 1964, 1966, and 1967-68 seasons, the first three championships ever won by the club. He played for Aurora from 1958 to 1973, and went on to become their captain; he scored 111 goals in all competitions for the club, being their highest goalscorer ever.
Roldán was the first Guatemalan footballer ever to play professionally for a club 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...
, when he was a member of Hércules CF
Hércules CF
Hércules Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. is a Spanish football team based in Alicante, in the autonomous community of Valencia. Founded in 1922, it currently plays in the Spanish second division, and holds home games at the Estadio José Rico Pérez, which seats 30,000 spectators.-History:After first...
in 1972.
Roldán played for the national youth squad that won the 1958 Juegos Centroamericanos Juveniles. He was the captain of the Guatemala team that qualified to and reached quarterfinals in the 1968 Olympic tournament
Football at the 1968 Summer Olympics
Final results for the football competition at the 1968 Summer Olympics.-Medalists:-Group A:-------------------------Group B:-------------------------Group C:Ghana replaced Morocco, who refused to play Israel.----...
. Later, he played in two matches during the 1970 World Cup qualification process and in six matches in the 1974 qualifying rounds.
He retired from playing in 1974, and became a coach shortly after.
Coaching career
Roldán has coached several teams, notably his former playing club Aurora. In 1975, he led them to their fourth league title; he also won the IX Copa Fraternidad in 1979, and won league titles again in 1986 and in the 1992-93 season, being, as of 2006, the last domestic coach to win a national title in Guatemala. The 1992-93 title was also the last championship won by Aurora.Roldán has also coached the Guatemala national team
Guatemala national football team
The Guatemala national football team is the association football team representing the country of Guatemala and is controlled by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Founded in 1919, it affiliated to FIFA in 1946, and it is a member of CONCACAF....
, during part of the 1990 World Cup qualifying campaign (where he was substituted by Rubén Amorín), at the 1988 Olympic tournament
Football at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Final results for the football competition at the 1988 Summer Olympics. The tournament was held from September 17, 1988 to October 1, 1988.-Medal summary:...
, and at the 1995 UNCAF Nations Cup
UNCAF Nations Cup 1995
-Preliminary round:---------Squads:-Group A:played in San Salvador-Preliminary round:---------Squads:-Group A:played in San Salvador-Preliminary round:---------Squads:-Group A:played in San Salvador...
. In 2004, prior to the qualifying tournament for the 2006 World Cup, he was named Director General of the national football teams.
Honours
As a player- Guatemalan Liga MayorLiga Nacional de GuatemalaLiga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala , formerly known as Liga Mayor "A" is a professional football division in Guatemala, the highest one in the country. It is sanctioned by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala...
winner: 1964, 1966, 1967-68 - Highest goalscorer in the history of Aurora FCAurora FCAurora Fútbol Club are a Guatemalan professional football club. Once one of the most powerful teams in the country, the team has now been relegated to a lower division...
(111) - In 1999, the IFFHS voted Roldán the third best Guatemalan player of the 20th century, and 31st in CONCACAFCONCACAFThe Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football is the continental governing body for association football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean...
.
As a coach
- Guatemalan Liga Mayor winner: 1975, 1986, 1992-93
- Copa Fraternidad: 1979