Gaspar Rubio

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Rubio and the second or maternal family name is Meliá.

Gaspar Rubio Meliá (14 December 1907 – 3 January 1983) was a Spanish football forward and coach.

Club career

Born in Serra, Valencia, Rubio amassed La Liga totals of 61 games and 37 goals over the course of five seasons, representing in the competition Real Madrid (1928–30), Valencia CF (1934–35), Real Murcia (1940–41) and Recreativo Granada (1942–43). With the first club, he netted 72 times in 75 competitive appearances.[1]

Nicknamed El rey del astrágalo (King of the astragalus) due to the many ailments he had in that foot bone,[2] Rubio subsequently worked as a manager with several teams – including as player-coach – but never in the top flight. In 1957 he moved to Mexico where he would settle after his retirement from football, coaching Atlante F.C. and Deportivo Toluca FC.[3]

International career

Rubio gained four caps for Spain in less than one year, scoring nine goals. Seven of those came in his first two appearances, against Portugal (5–0)[4] and France (8–1).[5]

Rubio also played a major role in England's first ever loss outside the British Isles, netting twice in a 4–3 triumph in Madrid on 15 May 1929.[6]

Death

Rubio died in Mexico City on 3 January 1983, at the age of 75.[7]

References

External links

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