Antoni Ramallets

Antoni Ramallets

Personal information
Full name	Antoni Ramallets Simón
Date of birth	1 July 1924
Place of birth	Barcelona, Spain
Date of death	30 July 2013 (aged 89)
Place of death	Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11 ^1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1941–1942	Europa
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1942–1944	Mallorca
1944–1945	San Fernando
1945–1946	Valladolid
1946–1962	Barcelona	288	(0)
1946–1947	→ Valladolid (loan)
National team
1948–1960	Catalonia	7	(0)
1950–1961	Spain	35	(0)
Teams managed
1962–1963	Valladolid
1963–1964	Zaragoza
1964	Murcia
1965–1966	Valladolid
1966	Logroñés
1968	Hércules
1968–1969	Ilicitano
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

Antoni Ramallets Simón (1 July 1924 – 30 July 2013) was a Spanish footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and also a manager.

He spent most of his career at FC Barcelona during the 1950s and early 1960s, winning the Zamora Trophy as the best goalkeeper in La Liga on five occasions, and 17 major club honours.^[1]

Ramallets represented Spain in the 1950 World Cup and, in the 1960s, managed several clubs in his country, notably winning two major trophies with Zaragoza.

Club career

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Ramallets signed for FC Barcelona in 1947 at the age of 23, from Real Valladolid, where he also spent his first season after being purchased, on loan. He returned to the club to play second-fiddle to Juan Velasco, making his La Liga debut in a 2–1 win against Sevilla FC on 28 November 1948. Although this was his only appearance during the season he eventually became the starter, being an essential defensive unit as his team – then named Club de Fútbol Barcelona – went on to win six leagues and five domestic cups; in the 1951–52 campaign, as Barça won five major trophies, he contributed with 28 league games, being awarded his first Ricardo Zamora Trophy.

During the 1950s Ramallets was a prominent member of the successful Barcelona team that also included Joan Segarra, Marià Gonzalvo, László Kubala, Sándor Kocsis, Evaristo, Luis Suárez and Zoltán Czibor. During his spell with the club he made 538 appearances, including 288 in the domestic league; on 6 March 1962 the Blaugrana played a testimonial in his honour against Hamburger SV, winning 5–1.

In the 1960s Ramallets coached several clubs, including old acquaintance Valladolid. In the 1963–64 season he led Real Zaragoza to the fourth place in the league, the Spanish Cup and the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup – a competition he had won twice as a player with Barcelona – winning over fellow league side Valencia CF in the latter.

International career

Ramallets played 35 games for Spain during 11 years, making his debut against Chile on 29 June 1950, during the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.^[2] During the tournament he earned the nickname The Cat of Maracaná, helping the national side to the second group stage.

Ramallets also played seven games for the unofficial Catalan national team.

Death

Ramallets died in his Vilafranca del Penedès home near Barcelona, on 31 July 2013. He was 89 years old.^[3][4][5]

Honours

Player

Club

Barcelona

• La Liga: 1947–48, 1948–49, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1958–59, 1959–60
• Copa del Generalísimo: 1951, 1952, 1952–53, 1957, 1958–59
• Copa Eva Duarte: 1948, 1952, 1953
• Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1955–58, 1958–60
• Latin Cup: 1949, 1952

Individual

• Zamora Trophy: 1951–52, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1958–59, 1959–60

Manager

Zaragoza

• Copa del Generalísimo: 1963–64
• Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1963–64

References

1. Las 85 vidas del 'Gato con Alas' azulgrana (The 85 lives of the blaugrana 'Winged Cat'); La Vanguardia, 13 July 2009 (Spanish)
2. Antonio Ramallets Simón – International Appearances; at RSSSF
3. Ha muerto Antoni Ramallets (Antoni Ramallets has died); Mundo Deportivo, 31 July 2013 (Spanish)
4. Fallece a los 89 años Antoni Ramallets, el mítico portero del Barcelona (Antoni Ramallets, legendary Barcelona goalkeeper, dies at the age of 89); ABC, 31 July 2013 (Spanish)
5. Former Spain keeper Ramallets dies aged 89; Euronews, 31 July 2013

External links

• Antoni Ramallets profile at BDFutbol
• Antoni Ramallets manager profile at BDFutbol
• National team data
• Antoni Ramallets at National-Football-Teams.com
• Antoni Ramallets – FIFA competition record
• FC Barcelona profile