ZAMORA AND CHAYRIGUÈS
— Louis Delblat | 20/11/1925 —

In a pretty restaurant on Trudaine Avenue, with a rustic appearance but a careful menu, some Spanish and French sportsmen were gathered yesterday.

Seven people exactly. The fans of the round ball who would have ventured into this inn with the sign of the clou, would have noticed with surprise two of these people, illustrious stars of association football. One was Ricardo Zamora, the idol of all sporting Spain. The other was Pierre Chayriguès, the most popular footballer in France and Navarre.

Zamora and Chayriguès have learned to know each other and consequently to respect each other. And yesterday they were face to face in a friendly lunch which also brought together MM. Francesco, manager of the Español de Barcelona and coach of the Spanish national team, S. San Martin, liaison agent of all the footballers in the world, Olariaga, Jurrita, players of the Español de Barcelona, ​​and the signatory of these lines.

Zamora and Chayriguès chatted amicably in French because Ricardo speaks our language with a certain ease. He bore the brunt of the conversation, our national Pierrot being a man who listens more than he speaks.

Zamora declared that as a child he only pronounced the name Chayriguès with respect. If Zamora is 24 years old, Chayriguès is 34. They are not quite from the same era. And yet the renown of one is equal to that of the other.

Zamora also spoke of the two matches he played in Prague.

Zamora: I wanted to play good games. It was the first time I played in Czechoslovakia. We came directly from Barcelona. We had already spent two nights on the train when we were stopped at the Czechoslovakian border for a passport issue. And we spent a third night waiting.

» In Prague, the snow awaited us. You see Catalan players on a muddy pitch where you get stuck. I had very short crampons, "Spanish" style. After a few minutes of play I couldn't move without falling.

» The next day, the ground was in the same condition. I put on crampons several centimetres long. At the start of the game, on a goal kick, I sent the ball close to the opponent's penalty area. And the crowd murmured their admiration. But a few minutes later the sticky ball weighed three times its normal weight and I then cleared it a few meters with great effort.

Zamora: In a certain circumstance, the ball came towards me. I was sure to reach it. I wanted to go to it. I stayed glued to the ground, and the goal was scored by a heading by Schaffer, of Sparta.

— Did you have any penalties to stop?

Zamora: Three in two matches. One was kicked on a vertical post. I stopped the other two.

— What do you think of the two Czech teams you met?

Zamora: They are excellent. The most complete is Sparta. The one with the best forward line is Slavia. You see, Sparta is a very, very great team. It lacks nothing. It has perfect technique. It is robust, even vigorous and it knows all the tricks of the trade.

— Are the Czech forwards dangerous?

Zamora: Very dangerous because they only kick from close range and when they are certain of getting the goal. With them, a goalkeeper does not have a good game.

— And the Espanol of Barcelona?

Zamora: The team that I have the honor of commanding is excellent, rejuvenated, ardent. You will see it next Sunday.

Lunch is over. Zamora and Chayriguès leave arm in arm, the latter being the former's guide.

They are two good and true friends.