Héctor Scarone — El mago — was an Uruguayan footballer and coach. While active, Scarone was seen as one of the best footballers in the world. According to AUF, Scarone played 51 matches and scored 31 goals for his National Team.

El mago

Héctor Scarone was agile and a very fast footballer. His technique belongs to the extraklassiz of footballers. With both feet and his a great head game, Scarone could send direct shows combined with accuracy and power. His passes were precise and timed. His dribbling was objetive and very well performed, yet sometimes he would do tricks and luxoes movements. Scarone's whole arsenal was very complete.


— He was 33 and still the best in the world. He did things that the rest of us could only imagine. I don't even dare to think what it must have been 10 years ago, when he was at his best in physical and technical form. Honestly, in the course of my life I have faced many opponents and seen many players, but for me Hector Scarone remains the strongest of all

Irta: Giuseppe Meazza.


His nickname el mago — the magician —, comes from his unexpected movements and thinkings. When the attendance though of a simple play, Scarone would send an imprevisible action to his teammates or even an individual play.

Tactical side

Scarone was a very versatile footballer, not only playing as a forward but also playing in the midfield. However, he mainly succeeded as an insider, pricesely playing on the right side. While playing in the forward line, Scarone also played as a winger and the centre-forward of some line-ups.

He played the short pass to scheme the game, but he was a master in the long pass, risky, incisive, for the cut or the overflow. He saw where no one had seen. He surprised with a ball with no apparent destination, but at whose end a teammate appeared alone in the middle of the opponent's defense. Many of Pedro Petrone's goals were scored with a through-ball sent by Héctor Scarone.



One of his most common plays was the juego de ala. When the winger was located more inside the field, meanwhile Scarone would locate himself playing in the sides to receive the ball to send crosses or finish the play himself. While the winger was at his position, Scarone would combine with him or would cut inside to find the rest of the forward line, mainly the centre-forward, or would send a direct shot to the opponent's goalkeeper.

While in the forward line, Scarone found himself in different styles — Scottish style & Anglo-Saxon style, for example — and also in distinct formations. Alongside a creative centre-forward, such as José Piendibene, the whole forward line would be drawn according to the abanico formation.

Uruguay vs. Argentina 07/12/1919:

Cámpolo                                             Pérez   

Romano            Scarone

Piendibene

When playing as an insider, Scarone was more a of a creative player who would always seek the best plays and decision. If no space was found, Scarone would commonly dribble past the opponent, otherwise would think on the best pass to send. Notwithstanding, Scarone also succeed as a goal-scorer, due to excellent positioning sense and quality of shooting the ball with both feet and his head. He was a hard-working footballer, he went back to the defense to help this teammates but also would go up front to create or finish the plays. Alongside Pedro Cea, they formed a deadly combination of insiders

Uruguay 1924:

Romano            Petrone            Urdinarán

    Cea               Scarone