Juan Francisco Barraza

Juan Francisco Barraza Flores (March 12, 1935 – December 17, 1997) was a Salvadoran football player and manager.[1]

Juan Francisco Barraza
Personal information
Full name Juan Francisco Barraza Flores
Date of birth (1935-03-12)March 12, 1935
Place of birth San Miguel, El Salvador
Date of death December 17, 1997(1997-12-17) (aged 62)
Place of death Zacami, El Salvador
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1943–1949 C.D. Corona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1950–1952 C.D. Corona
1953–1957 Dragón
1958–1970 Águila
National team
1953–1969 El Salvador 30 (13)
Teams managed
1970–1973 Águila
1974–1975 Municipal Limeño
1980–1982 FAS
1983 Águila
1984–1985 Dragón
Alianza
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Barraza and the second or maternal family name is Flores.

He is widely regarded one of the best Salvadoran footballers of all time.[2]

Career

Born in the district of San Miguel as the son of Maria de la Cruz Barraza and Juan de Dios Flores, he attended Dr Antonio Rosales primary school.

Early years

Barraza began playing soccer in grade school and he joined C.D. Corona when he was eight years old.

Due to extreme hardship, he began playing with balls made out of rags.

During this very hard period, he discovered three secrets: One, that he was a lefty. Two, that soccer would give him a way to escape poverty. And three, that in life, he who does not give everything, does not get anything. "Cariota" always gave everything.

During his 15 years of soccer career, he played barefoot due to his lack of economic resources.

When he finally could afford soccer cleats, he had to train to get accustomed to them.

Professional career

He made his professional debut with Dragón on 15 February 1953 against El Palermo de Guatemala. A year later he won the Central American and Caribbean Games with El Salvador. In 1958 he joined Águila, with whom he won several league titles.

On 8 June 1969 he played his final international game against Honduras. He scored 13 goals for the national team in official games between 1959 and 1963.[3] He scored 24 in 64 games including unofficial matches.[4]

While playing for C.D. Corona, Dragón and finally Águila, where he earned them several titles, he was idolized by soccer fans because of his technical brilliance and pure skill.

Barraza was recognized for his excellence on the soccer fields by clubs from Brazil (in particular São Paulo) and Mexico who were so desperate to sign him up.

Retirement and death

He officially retired in 1970, and on December 17, 1997 Cariota died due to cardiac problems in Zacamil hospital in El Salvador. The municipal stadium in his native department of San Miguel, is named Estadio Juan Francisco "Cariota" Barraza in his honor.

Nickname

The Cariota nickname was inherited through his parent, which is an extremely common custom in El Salvador.

Achievements
YearFinishTeamTournamentRoleNotes
1950ChampionDragón1st Division El SalvadorPlayer
1952ChampionDragón1st Division El SalvadorPlayer
1954Gold MedalEl SalvadorCentral American and Caribbean GamesPlayer
1959ChampionÁguila1st Division El SalvadorPlayer
1960-61ChampionÁguila1st Division El SalvadorPlayer
1963-64ChampionÁguila1st Division El SalvadorPlayer
1964ChampionÁguila1st Division El SalvadorPlayer
1967-68ChampionÁguila1st Division El SalvadorPlayer
1972ChampionsÁguila1st Division El SalvadorCoach
1981ChampionsFAS1st Division El SalvadorCoach
1983ChampionsÁguila1st Division El SalvadorCoach

References
  1. http://www.laprensagrafica.com/2015/02/26/cariota-barraza-el-catedratico-de-la-zurda-2
  2. 10 años sin “Cariota” Archived 2012-08-18 at the Wayback Machine - La Prensa (in Spanish)
  3. El Salvador - Record International Players - RSSSF
  4. EL SALVADOR CAMPEON DE FUTBOL DE VII JUEGOS - El Balón Cuscatleco (in Spanish)
  • Bio - CD Aguila (in Spanish)
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