View source for Francisco Varallo

{{Short description|Argentine footballer (1910–2010)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Francisco Varallo
| image = Varallo boca portrait.jpg
| caption = Varallo in 1935
| fullname = Francisco Antonio Varallo
| height = 
| birth_date = {{birth date|1910|2|5|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[La Plata]], Argentina
| death_date = {{death date and age|2010|8|30|1910|2|5|df=y}}
| death_place = [[La Plata]], Argentina
| position = [[Inside forward|Inside-right]]
| youthyears1 = 
| youthclubs1 = 12 de Octubre
| youthyears2 = 
| youthclubs2 = [[Estudiantes de La Plata|Estudiantes LP]]
| youthyears3 = 
| youthclubs3 = [[Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata|Gimnasia y Esgrima LP]]
| years1 = 1928–1930
| clubs1 = [[Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata|Gimnasia y Esgrima LP]]
| caps1 = ?
| goals1 = 36
| years2 = 1930–1931
| clubs2 = → [[Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield|Vélez Sársfield]] (loan){{refn|He was only loaned for the Panamerican tour, with no official matches played.<ref name=veleztour>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesv/velez-amertrip31.html American Trip of Vélez Sarsfield 1930/31] by Pablo Ciullini on the RSSSF</ref>|group=note|name=veleztour}}
| caps2 = ?
| goals2 = 16
| years3 = 1931–1939
| clubs3 = [[Boca Juniors]]
| caps3 = 222
| goals3 = 194
| nationalyears1 = 1930–1937
| nationalteam1 = [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]]
| nationalcaps1 = 16
| nationalgoals1 = 7
| manageryears1 = 1957-1959
| managerclubs1 = [[Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata|Gimnasia y Esgrima LP]]
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's [[Association football|Football]]}}
{{MedalCountry|{{ARG}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Copa América]]}}
{{Medal|W|[[1937 South American Championship|1937 Argentina]]|[[1937 South American Championship squads#Argentina|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FIFA World Cup]]}}
{{Medal|Runnerup|[[1930 FIFA World Cup|1930 Uruguay]]|[[1930 FIFA World Cup squads#Argentina|Team]]}}
}}
'''Francisco Antonio Varallo''' ({{IPA|es|fɾanˈsisko anˈtonjo ˈpantʃo βaˈɾaʝo}}; {{Nowrap|5 February 1910}} – {{Nowrap|30 August 2010}}) was an Argentine [[association football|footballer]] who played as a [[Forward (association football)|forward]] for the [[Argentina national football team|Argentina national team]] from 1930 to 1937, also representing the country at the [[1930 FIFA World Cup|inaugural]] [[FIFA World Cup]] in 1930.

During his career, Varallo won four [[Argentine Primera División|Primera División]] titles (one with [[Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata|Gimnasia y Esgrima LP]] and three with [[Boca Juniors]]) and with 194 goals in 222 official matches, is Boca Juniors' 3rd. highest all-time leading goalscorer.<ref name="Football glory Francisco Varallo dies at age 100">{{cite news|title=Football glory Francisco Varallo dies at age 100|url=http://www.buenosairesherald.com/BreakingNews/View/43703|newspaper=Buenos Aires Herald|access-date=31 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100909140843/http://www.buenosairesherald.com/BreakingNews/View/43703 |archive-date=9 September 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=loscinco/><ref>[https://historiadeboca.com.ar/jugadores/francisco-antonio-varallo/8/1905/2022/6.html Francisco Varallo biography] on Historia de Boca</ref> Besides, Varallo is placed 11th. among the all-time [[List of Argentine Primera División top scorers|Argentine Primera División top scorers]] with 216 goals.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/players/varallodata.html Francisco Antonio Varallo – Goals in Argentina League]</ref>

Varallo died in his home-town of [[La Plata]] on {{Nowrap|30 August 2010}}, aged 100. He was the last surviving player from the 1930 World Cup.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ole.com.ar/boca-juniors/gol-luto_0_326367514.html |title=El gol está de luto |newspaper=[[Olé (sports newspaper)|Olé]] |language=es |date=30 August 2010 |access-date=30 August 2010 |archive-date=7 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170907212810/http://www.ole.com.ar/boca-juniors/gol-luto_0_326367514.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Club career==
===Early years===
Varallo was born in Los Hornos, a district of [[La Plata Partido]] in [[Buenos Aires Province]], on 5 February 1910. He made his debut aged 14, and early in his career gained the nickname ''cañoncito'' (in English: "little cannon") for his shooting ability.<ref name="Football glory Francisco Varallo dies at age 100" />

Aged 18, Varallo had a trial with [[Estudiantes de La Plata]], scoring eleven goals in three games for the club. However, the board of the club where Varallo was a youth team player were supporters of Estudiantes' town rivals [[Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata|Gimnasia y Esgrima]], and therefore denied him the opportunity to join Estudiantes. Varallo ultimately joined Gimnasia, making his debut for the club's reserve side, before making his debut for the first team in [[1929 Argentine Primera División|1929]].<ref name="Football glory Francisco Varallo dies at age 100" /> During his first season with Gimnasia, Varallo won the Primera División championship with the club after beating [[Boca Juniors]] by 2–1 in the final.<ref name="Guardian-Obituary">{{cite news|title=Francisco 'Pancho' Varallo obituary|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2010/aug/31/francisco-pancho-varallo|newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=31 August 2010|date=31 August 2010|author=Brian Glanville|location=London}}</ref>

In 1930, the forward was loaned for free by Gimnasia to [[Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield|Vélez Sársfield]] to play for the team during their Pan-American tour.<ref name=velez>{{cite web |url=http://www.velezsarsfield.net/club/historia/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090908154010/http://www.velezsarsfield.net/club/historia/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 September 2009 |title=Historia del Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield |publisher=VelezSarsfield.net |language=es |access-date=27 October 2010 }}</ref> He totaled 17 goals during the tour.<ref name=velez/><ref name=veleztour/><ref>[https://www.elgrafico.com.ar/articulo/1056/31637/1930-varallo-y-bernabe-juntos-en-la-gira-de-velez 1930. Varallo y Bernabé juntos en la gira de Vélez], ''El Grafico'', 10 April 2018</ref>

===Boca Juniors===
[[File:Varallo vs sanlorenzo.jpg|thumb|Varallo in action v [[San Lorenzo de Almagro|San Lorenzo]], c. 1935]]
Varallo moved to [[Boca Juniors]] for the start of the [[1931 Argentine Primera División|1931 season]] (the first professional season in Argentina)<ref name="Guardian-Obituary" /> for a fee of approximately $8000.<ref name="Varallo, el goleador del siglo (Spanish)">{{cite web|title=Varallo, el goleador del siglo (Spanish)|url=http://www.larazon.com.ar/deportes/Varallo-goleador-siglo_0_163500072.html|publisher=La Razon|access-date=31 August 2010|archive-date=2 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100902061041/http://www.larazon.com.ar/deportes/Varallo-goleador-siglo_0_163500072.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He continued to play for the club for the next nine years during which time he won the Primera División title three times, in 1931, [[1934 Argentine Primera División|1934]] and [[1935 Argentine Primera División|1935]], as well as coming runner up in [[1933 Argentine Primera División|1933]], when he was the [[List of Argentine Primera División topscorers|top goalscorer]] in the league and of South America scoring 34 goals.<ref name="Football glory Francisco Varallo dies at age 100" />

In his nine years at Boca Juniors he became the club's 2nd. top goal-scorer (after [[Roberto Cherro]], although both would be surpassed by [[Martín Palermo]] in 2010),<ref>[http://www.lanueva.com/nota/2010-4-12-20-18-0-boca-goleo-y-palermo-supero-el-record-de-cherro Boca goleó y Palermo superó el récord de Cherro], La Nueva, 12 April 2010</ref> with 194 goals in 222 games (scoring average 0.87 per game),<ref name=loscinco>[http://www.historiadeboca.com.ar/lostop.php?CantTop=5&Eleccion=1&CodRiv=0&AnioInicial=1905&AnioFinal=2017&OpTipoTorneos=6&CodCan=0&condicion=0&Buscar2=Buscar "Los 5 jugadores que más goles marcaron en partidos oficiales"] on Historia de Boca website</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lechampions.it/?p=1610 |title=Francisco Varallo (1910–2010) |publisher=LECHAMPIONS.it |date=31 August 2010 |access-date=2 September 2010}}</ref> a record that stood until 2008 when it was broken by [[Martín Palermo]].<ref name="Guardian-Obituary" />

During the 1930s Varallo formed strong partnerships with teammates [[Roberto Cherro]] and [[Delfín Benítez Cáceres]], who both also scored over 100 goals for the club. In 1938, he was only able to play one game because of a bad knee injury and, although he played more frequently the next year, was forced to retire in 1940, aged 30.<ref name="Guardian-Obituary" />

==International career==
[[File:Varallo (Selección Argentina) - El Gráfico 755.jpg|thumb|170px|Varallo with the Argentina national team on a cover of ''El Gráfico'' magazine in 1933]]
Varallo represented [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] at the [[1930 FIFA World Cup|inaugural World Cup]] in 1930, held in [[Uruguay]], where he was the youngest player.<ref name="Xinhua" /> He played in all three of the team's group games; scoring one goal in the match against Mexico, but missed the semi-final against the United States due to injury.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} However, he was fit to play in the World Cup final against Uruguay and started at [[inside right|inside right forward]].<ref name="Guardian-Obituary" /> Argentina were leading 2–1 at half time, but eventually lost to the hosts 4–2.

Varallo was also a member of the Argentine team that won the [[Copa América|South American Championship]] in [[1937 South American Championship|1937]]. He scored three goals during the tournament, including a brace in the 2–1 win over [[Chile national football team|Chile]].<ref name="Football glory Francisco Varallo dies at age 100"/>

===International goals===
<small>Argentina's goal tally first</small>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%"
|+
! scope=col| No.
! scope=col| Date 
! scope=col| Opponent
! scope=col| Result
! scope=col| Venue
! scope=col| Competition
|-
|align=center| 1 || 25 May 1930 || {{fb|URU}} || {{center|1–1}} || [[Estadio Gasómetro]] || 1930 [[Copa Newton]]
|-
|align=center| 2 || 19 July 1930 || {{fb|MEX}} ||{{center|6–3}} || [[Estadio Centenario]] || [[1930 FIFA World Cup]]
|-
|align=center| 3 || 14 December 1933 || {{fb|URU}} ||{{center|1–0}} || [[Estadio Centenario]] || [[Exhibition match|Friendly]]
|-
|align=center| 4 || 30 December 1936 || {{fb|CHI}} ||{{center|2–1}} || [[Estadio Gasómetro]] || [[1937 South American Championship]]
|-
|align=center| 4 || 23 January 1937 || {{fb|URU}} ||{{center|2–3}} || [[Estadio Gasómetro]] || [[1937 South American Championship]]
|}

==After retirement==
Varallo retired from football in 1940, due to injury problems.<ref name="Guardian-Obituary" /> Then he was coach of Gimnasia y Esgrima between 1957 and 1959.
Varallo's career was recognised in 1994, when he was awarded with the [[FIFA Order of Merit]] for his contributions to football.<ref name="Guardian-Obituary" /> He has also received honours from the [[Argentine Football Association]] and the [[CONMEBOL|South American Football Confederation]].<ref name="Xinhua">{{cite web|title=Last survival of World Cup 1930 dies|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sports/2010-08/31/c_13470407.htm|publisher=Xinhua|access-date=31 August 2010|date=31 August 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901080709/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sports/2010-08/31/c_13470407.htm|archive-date=1 September 2010}}</ref>

In his late 90s Varallo had joked that he would have to come out of retirement should [[Martín Palermo]] overtake his record of 181 professional goals for Boca.<ref name="Football glory Francisco Varallo dies at age 100" />

He marked his 100th birthday in February 2010 in his hometown near Buenos Aires by recalling the 1930 clash between his country and neighbouring Uruguay. In an interview he gave to FIFA to mark his birthday, he stated that losing in the final to Uruguay was his 'greatest disappointment'.<ref name="Last surviving player from first World Cup final dies">{{cite news|title=Last surviving player from first World Cup final dies|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11134965|work=BBC News|access-date=31 August 2010|date=31 August 2010}}</ref>

==Death==
{{Wikinews|Last surviving participant of the 1930 FIFA World Cup Francisco Varallo dies aged 100}}
Varallo died on 30 August 2010, in his hometown of La Plata aged 100.<ref name="Football glory Francisco Varallo dies at age 100" /> Leading tributes to the former player, [[FIFA]] president [[Sepp Blatter]] stated that "''The news that Francisco Varallo is no longer with us fills us with great sense of loss, both for his qualities as a person and an ambassador for our beloved sport&nbsp;... In these grief-filled moments I can take immense pride from the fact that a character such as Francisco Varallo, whom we shall never forget, represented the football family with such dignity''".<ref name="An idol bids final farewell">{{cite web|title=An idol bids final farewell|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=1292329.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100905040007/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=1292329.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 September 2010|publisher=FIFA|access-date=31 August 2010}}</ref> The president of the [[CONMEBOL|South American Football Confederation]] [[Nicolás Léoz]] also released a statement expressing sadness at Varallo's death.<ref name="En memoria de un pionero de nuestra grandeza">{{cite web|title=En memoria de un pionero de nuestra grandeza|url=http://www.conmebol.com/conmebol/mainMedia.html?id=16478&viewpage='full'|publisher=CONMEBOL|access-date=31 August 2010|language=es}}</ref>

Following his death, both of his former clubs, Gimnasia and Boca announced a day of mourning, while the South American Football Confederation announced that a minute's silence was to be held during all [[Copa Sudamericana]] fixtures the following week.<ref name="Profundo dolor por el fallecimiento de Varallo">{{cite web|title=Profundo dolor por el fallecimiento de Varallo|url=http://www.afa.org.ar/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12456:profundo-dolor-por-el-fallecimiento-del-gran-qpanchoq-varallo&catid=180:afa&Itemid=219|publisher=Argentinian Football Association|access-date=31 August 2010|language=es}}</ref>

==Honours==
===Club===
;[[Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata|Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP)]]
* [[Argentine Primera División|Primera División]] (1): [[1929 Argentine Primera División|1929]]

;[[Boca Juniors]]
* [[Argentine Primera División|Primera División]] (3): [[1931 Argentine Primera División|1931]], [[1934 Argentine Primera División|1934]], [[1935 Argentine Primera División|1935]]

===International===
;[[Argentina national football team|Argentina]]
* [[Copa América]] (1): [[1937 South American Championship|1937]]
* [[FIFA World Cup]] runner-up: [[1930 FIFA World Cup|1930]]

===Individual===
*[[List of Argentine Primera División top scorers|Primera División top scorer]] (1): [[1933 Argentine Primera División|1933]]
*[[Golden Foot]] (1): 2010, as a [[Golden Foot#Award legends|football legend]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goldenfoot.com/legends.php?l=en |title=Legends |publisher=Golden Foot |access-date=23 September 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925120930/http://www.goldenfoot.com/legends.php?l=en |archive-date=25 September 2015 }}</ref>

===Records===
* Boca Juniors 3rd. highest all-time goalscorer: 194 goals <ref name="FIFA" />
* [[Argentine Primera División]] 4th. all-time topscorer (236 goals) <ref>[https://www.vavel.com/ar/futbol-argentino/2020/05/31/bocajuniors/1022475-efemeride-el-debut-de-francisco-varallo-con-la-azul-y-oro.html El debut de Varallo con la azul y oro] by Luciana López on Vavel, 31 May 2020</ref><ref>[http://www.gelp.org/displaydictionaryselection.php?id=551 Varallo, Antonio F.] on GELP</ref>
* FIFA Order of Merit 1994 <ref name="FIFA">{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/stories/doyouremember/news/newsid=1166517.html|title=Francisco Varallo, 100 not out|publisher=FIFA|access-date=31 August 2010|date=5 February 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615210031/http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/stories/doyouremember/news/newsid%3D1166517.html|archive-date=15 June 2010}}</ref>
* CONMEBOL Order of Merit 2006 <ref name="FIFA" />
* The last surviving player from the 1930 World Cup <ref name="Guardian-Obituary" />

==See also==
* [[List of centenarians (sportspeople)]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{FIFA player|44726}}
*{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080119034346/http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/federation/president/news/newsid%3D100818.html |date=19 January 2008 |title=FIFA.com: The Sole Survivor }}
*{{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050320120551/http://www.bocampeonweb.com.ar/Historia/jugadores/varallo.htm |title=Bocampeonweb profile}} {{in lang|es}}
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080119034346/http://www.futbolfactory.futbolweb.net/index.php?ff=historicos&f2=00001&idjugador=503 |date=19 January 2008 |title=Futbol Factory profile}} {{in lang|es}}

{{Clear}}
{{Argentina Primera Division top scorers}}
{{Golden Foot Legends Award}}
{{Argentina Squad 1930 World Cup}}
{{Argentina squad 1937 South American Championship}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Varallo, Francisco}}
[[Category:1910 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
[[Category:Footballers from La Plata]]
[[Category:1930 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:Argentine men centenarians]]
[[Category:Argentine men's footballers]]
[[Category:Argentina men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Argentine people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Argentine Primera División players]]
[[Category:Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata footballers]]
[[Category:Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield footballers]]
[[Category:Boca Juniors footballers]]
[[Category:Copa América–winning players]]
[[Category:Burials at La Plata Cemetery]]
[[Category:20th-century Argentine sportsmen]]