Horacio Baldessari

Horacio Baldessari
Personal information
Full name Horacio Raúl Baldessari Guntero
Date of birth (1958-11-21) November 21, 1958 (age 65)
Place of birth Córdoba, Argentina
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1975 Sportivo Belgrano
1976–1977 Belgrano de Córdoba
1978–1979 Blooming
1980 Belgrano de Córdoba
1981 Racing de Córdoba
1981–1982 Oriente Petrolero
1983 Bolívar
1984 Blooming
1985 Bolívar
1986–1987 Destroyers
1988–1989 Belgrano de Córdoba
1989 Blooming
1990 Deportivo Municipal
1991–1993 Sporting Cristal
Managerial career
1994 Aurich-Cañaña
2000 Deportivo Municipal
2007 Juan Aurich
2008 Atlético Chalaco
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 12, 2008

Horacio Raúl "Pepa" Baldessari (born 21 November 1958 in Córdoba) is a former Argentine football striker who played professionally in Argentina, Bolivia and Peru during the late 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. He also managed some clubs after his retirement, but currently works as a football analyst.

Club career

[edit]

He began his career in 1975 with modest club Sportivo Belgrano, but joined Belgrano de Córdoba the following season. In 1978, he went abroad to play for Bolivian side Blooming. Years later he would also play for Oriente Petrolero, Bolívar and Destroyers. During his spell in the Bolivian league, he scored a total of 161 goals, placing his name eight in the list of all-time topscorers. Even though Baldessari became a naturalized Bolivian, he was never considered as an option for the national team. In 1988, he returned to Argentina and played for his beloved Belgrano de Córdoba once again. By 1990, he transferred to Peruvian side Deportivo Municipal before signing with popular team Sporting Cristal the following year. At first he was heavily questioned by club fans and the media about his age; nonetheless, La Pepa proved them wrong and finished the season as the topscorer that year with 25 goals, and consequently helped Cristal win the 1991 Peruvian title. Baldessari always admitted having spent the best years of his career playing for the cerveceros because he received so many affections that made him feel like at home. After his retirement in 1993, Baldessari settled in Lima, and became a football analyst for several television and radio networks.

Club titles

[edit]
Season Club Title
1983 Bolívar Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano
1984 Blooming Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano
1985 Bolívar Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano
1991 Sporting Cristal Primera División Peruana

Honours

[edit]
Season Club Title
1979 Blooming Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano top scorer: 31 goals
1982 Oriente Petrolero Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano top scorer: 25 goals
1991 Sporting Cristal Primera División Peruana top scorer: 25 goals

References

[edit]