Mateo Nicolau

Mateo Nicolau Garí (18 August 1920 – 29 October 2005) was an Argentinian footballer who played as a forward for San Lorenzo in Argentina, Club América in Mexico, and most notably for Barcelona in Catalonia from 1948 to 1952.

Mateo Nicolau

Nicolau and Ángel Zubieta in San Lorenzo
Personal information
Full name	Mateo Nicolau Garí
Date of birth	(1920-08-18)18 August 1920
Place of birth	General Pico, Argentina
Date of death	29 October 2005(2005-10-29) (aged 85)
Place of death	León, Guanajuato, Mexico
Position(s)	Forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1935–1937	Central Silverino
1937–1940	Atlético Tucumán
1940–1943	San Lorenzo
1943–1945	Club América
1945–1948	Atlante
1948–1952	Barcelona	63	(16)
1952–1955	Zacatepec
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Biography

Born in the Argentine city of General Pico in La Pampa Province, on 18 August 1920,^[1][2] Nicolau began his career in his hometown club Central Silverino in 1935, aged only 15, and then played for a further two Argentinian clubs, Atlético Tucumán (1937–1940) and then three seasons at San Lorenzo, from 1940 to 1943, scoring 9 goals in 48 matches.^[3] He then moved to Mexico, where he played two seasons for Club América (1943–45) and three seasons with Atlante (1945–48),^[1] winning the 1946–47 Mexican league title with the latter.^[4]

In 1948, the 28-year-old Nicolau was signed by FC Barcelona, where he played for four seasons, until 1952.^[1][5][2] Together with the likes of Mariano Gonzalvo, László Kubala, and César, he was a member of the great Barça team of the early 1950s that won two La Liga titles (1948–49 and 1951–52), two Latin Cup titles in 1949 and 1952, two Copa Eva Duarte titles in 1948 and 1952, and back-to-back Copa del Rey titles in 1951 and 1952,^[1][5] starting in the former final, in which he helped his side to a 3–0 win over Real Sociedad.^[6] He also started in the 1948 Eva Duarte final, helping his side to a 1–0 win over Sevilla, and in the following year, on 12 October 1949, he again started the final, and this time he even scored, but Barça still lost 7–4 in extra-time to Valencia.^[7] On 24 September 1950, Nicolau scored a brace in Barça's largest ever win over Real Madrid (7–2).^[8] In total, he scored 24 goals in 75 official goals,^[1] including 16 goals in 63 La Liga matches.^[2]

Punished by injuries, Nicolau returned to Mexican football,^[5] where he won the 1946–47 Mexican league title with Zacatepec.

Nicolau died in León, Guanajuato on 29 October 2005, at the age of 85.^[1][5]

See also

List of foreign Liga MX players

Honours

Atlante

• Mexican Primera División
  • Champions (1): 1946–47

FC Barcelona

• La Liga
  • Champions (2): 1948–49, 1951–52

• Copa del Rey
  • Champions (2): 1951 and 1952

• Latin Cup
  • Champions (2): 1949 and 1952

• Copa Eva Duarte
  • Champions (1): 1948 and 1952^[1]

Zacatepec

• Mexican Primera División
  • Champions (1): 1954–55