‘La Merveille Noir’: The Jose Leandro Andrade story - Part II
The continuation of the incredible story of one of football's forgotten icons.
From Rio de Janeiro to Amsterdam
On the 30th March 1928, the reigning Olympic champions boarded the Eubée steamship as they prepared to set sail for Rio de Janeiro, where they were set to partake in a series of friendlies to prepare for the upcoming 1928 Olympics, in Amsterdam. However, there was one very noticeable absentee from the ship, with Andrade deciding not to travel due to disputes over pay in what seen as another reflection of the change in attitude the star had adopted.
As the ship left the harbour in Montevideo, due to reasons unknown, the star changed his mind and caught the next steamship to the Brazilian city in order to join his teammates for their upcoming friendly against Brazil. The Uruguayan star settled right back into the groove as he guided his side to victory over their continental compatriots, before the team again set sail, but this time to Europe.
As was the case four years prior, the Uruguayans trained on the ship’s deck in order to ensure they were the fittest side in the tournament but this time, with more pressure on them than previous. First, the team disembarked in Lisbon before travelling by train to the French port of Le Havre, where they played several friendlies against local side.
After disposing of their opponents comfortably to get good preparation under their belts, the South Americans continued onto the last leg of their journey to the Dutch capital, again by sea, to defend their title.
Upon arriving in Amsterdam, the squad was again unimpressed with the poor conditions of the Olympic village, instead choosing to seek alternative accommodation in a comfortable hotel based in the principality of Velsen, just outside of the Dutch capital. In order to overcome the possibility of homesickness, the South Americans decided to bring along their own chef in what was seen as quite a revolutionary tactic at the time.
The 1928 Olympics
Heading into the 1928 Olympics, there was already the sense that football could no longer be restricted to the confines of this event, with disputes over issues regarding amateurism in a sport that was slowly moving towards becoming professional, causing teams to pull out in protest. Compared to the twenty-two teams that participated in the Olympics four years prior, the field consisted of only seventeen sides due to the British teams leaving FIFA a couple months prior over the same issue of amateurism.
However, despite all the politics surrounding the future of the game, there was one man who the crowds in Amsterdam could not wait to see and that was Uruguay’s phenom, José Leandro Andrade. Now twenty-four years of age, the midfielder was the star everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of and the paying crowd got their money’s worth, as he was instrumental in his side’s opening round victory over the home nation in front of 40,000 fans.
Despite playing fewer minutes due to contracting syphilis, the Uruguayan star featured more on the right but still managed to assist both goals to help his country progress to the next round. However, victory came at a price, with both Andrade and top striker Scarrone picking up injuries that meant they were unavailable for the quarter-final match against European powerhouse, Germany.
One down, three to go
Despite missing two of their star players, one of whom was considered the best player in the world in Andrade, the South Americans showcased why they were the reigning champions and favourites for the tournament as they blew away an impressive German side 4-1.
This victory was an eye-opener to many, as it displayed Uruguay’s patience in breaking down their opponents with their elaborate style of play. To try and stop the onslaught from the defending champions, the frustrated Germans resorted to violent fouls with Uruguay captain José Nasazzi, the only right-back in the squad, picking up an injury that saw him out of the semi-final against Italy.
Things got even worse for the Germans, as their own captain and centre-back Hans Kalb was sent off for lashing out at the Uruguay striker and goalscorer Pedro Petrone. The foul was considered so violent that Kalb received a one-year suspension from the German FA, effectively ended his international career.
The Italian Job
In what was to be their toughest challenge of the tournament so far, the South Americans faced an Italian side who had come off the back of knocking out Spain 7-1 in a replay. Despite having both Andrade and Scarrone back, the reigning champions found themselves behind after just nine minutes, with a goal-line clearance from Andrade preventing the score being doubled two minutes later.
Inevitably, Uruguay found their rhythm and went into the half 3-1 up with goals from Cea, Scarrone and Campolo, two of which were assisted by Andrade. The second half, however, was a nervy one for La Celeste as a mistake from goalkeeper Andrés Mazali brought the result back to within a goal.
With the Italians throwing everything at their opponents, Uruguay held on to win 3-2 and book their place in the final, with Andrade playing a huge role in protecting his back four from the Italian onslaught.
There was, however, a moment of panic for the defending champions when Andrade collided with the goalpost causing a serious injury to his eye resulting in mild blindness, but even this could not stop the man from wanting to showcase his talents in the final.
Bitter rivals meet again
Now in their second successive final at the Olympics, a bitter enemy awaited them in the form of Argentina. There was still a lot of animosity between both sides due to the events that had transpired over the last four years, with the two-leg final violence and the death of a Uruguay fan at the 1925 South American championship.
Going into the tournament, Uruguay captain José Nasazzi was asked who he wished to face in the final of the Olympics, should his side make it there and his answer was:
“I believe in the triumph of the South Americans and my most ardent desire would be to be able to reach the final with our brothers the Argentines and to be able to demonstrate to the Europeans that, in faraway America, an intelligent and honest sport is being played.”
Nasazzi and Latin America got their wish as on June 10th 1928, the Rio de la Plate final commenced on the world stage, with both sides going into the game level on victories against one another from their previous encounters. Over 250,000 people applied for tickets and those who were successful, got to see a fiercely contested battle between two teams who knew each other’s tactics like clockwork.
With top striker Scarrone on the bench, in what was a bizarre move, the game finished 1-1 after ninety minutes and extra time with Manuel Ferreira cancelling out Pedro Petrone’s earlier strike. This was the first time Uruguay had been held to a draw in nine Olympic matches and, as a result, the game was to be replayed a few days later. This replay rule, was newly introduced at the start of the tournament, as penalty shootouts did not come into effect until 1970.
The replay
After honours even in the first final, the second took place on the 11th of June 1928 and went on to become an all-time classic. For Uruguay, Héctor Scarrone returned in what was now a full-strength line up for the defending champions as they opened the scoring after just seventeen minutes, with a goal from midfielder Roberto Figueroa.
Andrade, who was still playing fewer minutes than in the previous Olympics, but had still played in every game so far, showed why he was the best player in the world at the time as he engineered most of his side’s attacks and defended his back line like a warrior.
It was the star man, who assisted the opening goal for Figueroa before Argentina answered back through Luis Monti’s strike eighteen minutes before the half. As the second half commenced, and the score tied at one a piece, the match became a battle between two sides desperate to beat the other. With extra time looking, the game needed a moment of brilliance to separate the two sides and this came in the form of a superb volley from returning striker Héctor Scarrone, that thundered into the top corner.
As the final whistle blew to signify the end of a classic encounter, it was Uruguay who stood tall and regained their crown as the World Champions of football. This impressive campaign to retain their title was not to be their last, and also not the last time that this bitter rivalry graced the world stage in a final.
1930 World Cup
After being announced on the eve of the first match at the 1928 Olympics, the time had finally arrived for the first World Cup to be played and the nation chosen to host it was none other than Uruguay. The reasoning behind this choice of host was not only down to the fact that they were the current back-to-back World Champions, but also because it was the year the country was celebrating the centenary of its first constitution.
However, an economic depression meant that long travel to South America was near enough impossible for many of the top nations to afford, despite this being the first tournament for professional players to participate in. The latter was also a controversial decision, even though there had been many disputes about the amateurism in the past, resulting in both Denmark and Germany deciding not to participate in the tournament.
It is safe to say that the world’s first professional tournament was not getting off to the start that FIFA had imagined, with only thirteen teams confirmed to participate and 7 of those from the Americas.
With just months left before the start of the tournament, four of the European nations were added after Uruguay agreed to use their wealth at the time to finance travel in return for accepting to participate. The four nations added were Belgium, France, Romania and Yugoslavia, however, all four sides journeyed to Uruguay on the same ship meaning they missed out on a crucial training period.
Weight of a nation
Being the host nation and reigning champions, brought a new pressure to Uruguay as they were considered the favourites and had now had the weight of a nation on their shoulders. To make the maiden tournament fairer for the travelling nations, who had to abandon their preparations to sail over, FIFA experimented with a new format. This format saw group stages introduced, with the winner of each of the four groups progressing to the semi-finals. This meant that every side had the chance to play at least two games and still have a chance of qualification.
In their opening group game, fellow South American side Peru awaited the host nation but they were no match for the World Champions. A goal for Hector Castro, assisted by Andrade, saw La Celeste go on to win 1-0 with a comfortable performance. Though he was not the young, fast thoroughbred of years past, the now twenty-nine-year-old sensation still stood head and shoulders above his opponents. Again, Andrade orchestrated his side’s impressive victory in their second, and last, group game against Romania with a 4-0 victory seeing them book a place in the semi-finals.
Awaiting Uruguay were an old foe in the form of Yugoslavia, a side that were embarrassed 7-0 in the 1924 Olympics at the hands of Andrade and his teammates. Just like in the Olympics six years prior, the Eastern European side faced another embarrassing defeat but this time managed to get on the score sheet, as the game finished 6-1. Again, it was Andrade who haunted the Yugoslavian midfield as he assisted three of the goals to help his side reach yet another final and the admiring fans their money’s worth.
A returning rivalry
Awaiting La Celeste in the final was none other than continental rivals, Argentina, who had impressed on their route to the final by seeing away sides such as the USA, France, Mexico and Chile in ruthless fashion. So intense was the rivalry now between the two sets of supporters, that Argentina threatened to leave the tournament early after they were consistently booed during their opening game against France, by a majorly Uruguayan crowd.
In the presence of over 68,000 people at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, the stage was set for the third major final between these two archenemies to decide who would be crowned the first-ever FIFA World Cup winners.
With Belgian referee John Langenus blowing the opening whistle, the game commenced and the hosts wasted little time in taking an early lead. In the twelfth minute, forward Pablo Dorado finished off a nice team goal, but this was cancelled out eight minutes later through Carlos Peucelle’s equaliser for Argentina.
Another sucker punch came eight minutes before the half, when Guillermo Stábile’s goal saw the away side go into the break 2-1 up and confident that they could finally get revenge on their nemesis.
However, the second half saw Andrade take the game by the scruff of the neck as he led his side to a second-half onslaught of their opponents, by assisting the equaliser twelve minutes after the break for Pedro Cea.
The goals did not end there, as Santos Iriarte’s sixty-eighth-minute strike was later added by a last-minute goal by Héctor Castro to put the nail in the coffin of Argentina’s hopes at becoming World Champions.
History made and retirement
With referee John Langenus’s final blow of the whistle to signify the end to a historic encounter, it was Uruguay who again sat atop the throne of world football as the first-ever World Cup winners, and three-time World Champions.
This game was also Andrade’s last-ever appearance for La Celeste, and he left in impressive fashion. To signify his impressive display in the tournament, he was named in the All-Star team of the tournament and won the Bronze Ball for third-best player in the tournament, behind fellow countrymen Guillermo Stábile and José Nasazzi.
In life after international duty, Andrade continued to play for Nacional, where he helped the side finish runners-up in his last season before making the move to fellow Uruguayan giants Peñarol in 1931, at the age of thirty.
With his eyesight deteriorating as a result of the injury suffered against Italy in 1928, Andrade was utilised in a deeper role. However, in his four years with the Manyas, he helped the club win two national titles in 1932 and 1935, and never finished lower than second.
With his body dwindling, Andrade had stints at Argentinian sides Club Atalanta and Lanús-Talleres, before returning home to make a handful of appearances for Montevideo Wanderers where he eventually retired from the game completely at the age of thirty-four.
Death of an icon
In the years following his retirement, the once-great footballer continued down the dark road of alcohol abuse. Whereas his old teammates forged successful coaching careers and successful business ventures, Andrade failed to hold down a job and became blind in the very eye he damaged in 1928. It is said the syphilis mainly contributed to the star’s blindness, with the goalpost collision just further worsening it, but either way Andrade’s life was in a downward trajectory.
Attempts were made by former teammates to arrange benefit games in his honour but, due to the Uruguayan’s reputation of being unpopular because of his attitude, these requests fell on deaf ears. A failed marriage and further bouts of depression added to the darkness surrounding the once great light of world football.
However, despite all of this, the former great was invited to the 1950 World Cup as a guest of honour, where he was able to witness his nephew Víctor Rodríguez Andrade help La Celeste to the promised land once again as World Champions. In 1956, a German journalist called Fritz Hack sought out the once footballing great and, after six days of searching, was astounded at who he found lurking in a dark, unhygienic basement.
It had appeared that Andrade was now so broke and unable to work that he could only seek shelter in the depths of a algae-filled basement and was so intoxicated that he was unable to answer any questions on his illustrious career or follow instructions, unless aided by his now second wife.
A year after this astounding discovery, José Leandro Andrade sadly passed away at the age of fifty-five in an asylum situated in his beloved Montevideo after contracting tuberculosis, with only his medals to his name that were kept in a shoe box.
Legacy
Despite such a tragic end, the legacy of José Leandro Andrade cannot be denied. Seen a not only one of football’s first-ever superstars but also a trailblazer in the sense of the road he paved for players of African decent that have followed in the years after.
The Uruguayan is one of only four players to have won three world titles, with the others being two of his former teammates and the great Pelé. Andrade was also named the 10th greatest World Cup player in France Football’s World Cup top 100.
To put this accolade into perspective, the only men who ranked above the Uruguay midfielder were Pele, Diego Maradona, Frank Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and Garrincha to name a few. However, the players that Andrade finished above is just as impressive and these include Eusebio, Bobby Charlton, Lothar Matthaus and Jairzinho.
To honour this achievement, a plaque was put up at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, the very stadium where Andrade had excited fans for many years.
Over time, the name José Andrade has disappeared from the history books and memories of many football fans but his mark on the game, especially in his beloved Uruguay, cannot be underestimated. As the prominent Uruguayan, Atilio Narancio, who helped fund the players’ trip to Europe in 1924, said after their victory: “We are no longer just a tiny spot on the map”….a legacy that will forever be indebted to Uruguay’s La Merveille Noire.