"BRAZILIAN FOOTBALL IS ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT IN THE WORLD"
Unknown | 1946

Isidro Lángara, back in Spain, made exciting statements about South American football. As is easy to recall, for five years, until 1937, he remained a first-rate star in the firmament of Spanish football, which owed him many of its greatest successes in matches against foreign teams. The civil war broke out and Lángara, like Regueiro, Iraragorri, Blasco, Ventalrá, Cilaurren and other players of his caliber, left the country and, after a long journey through Eastern Europe, came to South America.

Now, nine years later, Lángara has obtained permission from Generalissimo Franco to return to Spain.

SOUTH AMERICAN FOOTBALL IS EXTRAORDINARY.

After recounting that he was born in 1912 in Andoain, in the province of Guipuzcoa, the same place where his former teammates Ezaguirre and Epi were from, Lángara describes aspects of South American football and explains why he left Argentina. Regarding American "soccer" in particular, he emphasizes:

Lángara: I consider it one of the highest levels I know, especially that of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. In any of these three countries, there are players of a class similar to that of the most highly regarded Europeans.

And Lángara, continuing, spoke about the playing systems adopted here, in Argentina, and in Uruguay.

Lángara: Almost all Brazilian and Argentinian clubs currently play under a marking system, and therefore I experienced less freedom than when I played in Spain. River Plate seems to be the club that has best integrated into this system. In the past, the selection criteria were based on individual players. The one with the most value was considered indisputable in the team. But the formula has changed, and the choice prevails, based on what best serves the pre-established tactic.

PORTUGUESE FOOTBALL.

A Portuguese journalist asks Lángara for his impression of Portuguese soccer, and he replies:

Lángara: Well, it's been ten years! I remember, however, that in one of the matches I took part in, they didn't impress me pleasantly. I later had the opportunity to see that their value was considerable. I don't say this out of flattery, but because that's how I actually judged them.

» But believe me — they could be much better! Portuguese players regularly dominate the ball, they generally have a fair understanding of their place in the team, but they need to play with a little less enthusiasm, less vivacity.

WALDEMAR, THE PHENOMENON.

— When you joined San Lorenzo, were you surprised by the way they played in Argentina?

Lángara: No, absolutely nothing, even though the characteristics of South American football are based on short passes, unlike what I was used to.

» And to attest to my statement is the fact that the club, which was going through a significant period of poor form, reflected in the bad results obtained, showed an immediate improvement with my arrival. The team got back on track, and victories followed...

— Which inside forwards played alongside you?

Lángara: Several. Due to this "unease." The team didn't have a definitive composition, varying from game to game. Only after a reasonable series of consecutive victories did they definitively settle into the best formation. Among the inside forwards who played with me at San Lorenzo, I consider the international Martino and the Brazilian Waldemar de Brito to be the best. I played with Waldemar for three years, considering him an exceptional star, a true phenomenon. It's a pity that he's so weak, and that, therefore, I have to avoid contact as much as possible. Without that flaw, he would be an amazing player anywhere!

LEÔNIDAS — THE IDOL; DOMINGOS — THE SCIENTIFIC ONE.

And Lángara continued:

Lángara: Superior to him, only Pedernera, the extraordinary forward of River Plate, who plays indiscriminately in any position in that sector, and in all of them with the same effectiveness.

— Did you know Leônidas?

Lángara: Leônidas, the ultimate idol of Brazilians, who nicknamed him "Black Diamond," is indeed a player of great class, but his style doesn't impress as much as Waldemar's and Pedernera's. However, he is undoubtedly one of the best footballers I have seen. In the other sectors, Domingos da Guia, despite his thirty-seven years, occupies a position of great importance. A scientific type of player, always correctly positioned, who constitutes a very difficult obstacle to overcome.

FELICIANO WOULD FAIL IN BRAZIL.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to talk about Domingos, the Portuguese reporter informed Lángara of the announced move of defender Feliciano to Brazil. Showing interest in the value of the Portuguese full-back, he inquired about his characteristics, which were immediately explained. Then, the Basque forward stated categorically:

Lángara: He will fail in Brazil! The Brazilians currently play short, low passes, giving the game great speed. They rarely play high balls. Therefore, defenders accustomed to wide play, almost always in the air, have marked difficulty adapting. These players, as a rule, are very disturbed by the short-passing game, which demands great agility of movement from the defender and fantastic speed in recovery. It's a different game, as you can see. In Brazil, above all, very agile defenders who play well with both feet are needed.

THE MOST TRAVELLED STAR IN THE WORLD.

A moment of silence follows, and then Lángara brings up another subject, this one about the amount of salaries that players earn in Argentina.

Lángara: Salaries for top-tier players range from two hundred to two hundred and fifty pesos per month. But in addition to the salary, there are bonuses of three hundred pesos for a win when the match is played away, and two hundred and fifty at home. Annual contracts cannot legally exceed eight thousand pesos, however, when the player is worth more, this amount increases proportionally to their value, even reaching twenty-five and thirty thousand. But of course, the contract states eight thousand...

— But...

Lángara: I know what you're going to say. You consider the salary relatively meager. But don't forget that the cost of living in Argentina is immeasurably more favorable than in most other countries. I speak from personal experience.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lángara was asked how many countries he had played in. He replied:

Lángara: Seventeen!

And, to everyone's surprise, he added that he is considered the most traveled player in the world, having visited Portugal, France, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Argentina, Russia, Mexico, Cuba, Peru, Chile, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Uruguay!

Lángara: I've also been to New York, but not to play football.

FAMOUS PLAYERS.

In a transition:

— Which players have you most appreciated?

Lángara: There are so many that I think it's impossible to mention them all. However, Zamora, Quincoces, Sesta, Orsi, Waldemar de Brito, and Regueiro are names I can never forget.