Manuel Cruz (footballer)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is De la Cruz and the second or maternal family name is Martínez.
Manuel Cruz
Personal information
Full name Manuel de la Cruz Martínez
Date of birth (1909-03-27)27 March 1909
Place of birth Oran, Algeria
Date of death 22 December 1970(1970-12-22) (aged 61)
Place of death Barcelona, Spain
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1926–1928 Martinenc
1928–1929 CE Europa 3 (0)
1929–1932 Horta
1932–1934 Barcelona 2 (0)
1934–1936 Sants
1936–1938 Sant Andreu
Total 5 (0)
International career
1934 Catalonia 1 (0)
Managerial career
1957–1958 Castellón
1964–1965 CE Europa
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Manuel de la Cruz Martínez (27 March 1909 – 22 December 1970) was a Spanish footballer who played as a midfielder for CE Europa in 1928–29 and Barcelona between 1932 and 1934.

Club career

Born on 27 March 1909 in Oran, Algeria, Manuel Cruz moved to Catalonia, where he began his football career at his hometown club Martinenc in 1926, aged 17, with whom he played for two years, until 1928, when he joined CE Europa.[1] In his first (and only) season in Europa, he played a total of 3 La Liga matches.[2] In 1929, he went to Horta, where he stayed for three years, until 1932, when he was signed by Barcelona, thus becoming the first-ever Barça player to have been born in Africa.[1]

In December 1932, Cruz was an unused substitute in an El Clásico.[3] Indeed, his playing time at Barça was severely limited due to the presence of Juan José Nogués, who was the club's starting goalkeeper at the time, thus having few opportunities with the first team during the two years he played there, starting in a total of 40 matches, of which only two were official, with both of them being league fixtures in January 1934, keeping a clean-sheet in a 4–0 win over Arenas, but conceding four in a 4–0 loss to Real Madrid.[1][4] He was at fault for Madrid's fourth goal, as Eugenio Hilario's close range shot slipped through his hands and into his own goal.[5]

After leaving Barça in 1934, Cruz played a further two seasons at both Sants (1934–36) and Sant Andreu (1936–38).[1]

International career

Like so many other Barça players, Cruz was eligible to play for the Catalan national team, earning his first (and only) cap for Catalonia in a friendly for the benefit of the Mutual Esportiva, helping his side to a 4–2 win.[6]

Managerial career

After retiring, Cruz became a manager, overseeing Castellón in the 1957–58 season, and his former club Europa in the 1964–65 season.[2][7]

Death

Cruz died in Barcelona on 22 December 1970, at the age of 61.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Manuel De La Cruz Martínez (1932-1934) Porter stats". players.fcbarcelona.com. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Manuel Cruz Martínez". www.worldfootball.net. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  3. ^ "Madrid-Barcelona". hemeroteca.lavanguardia.com (in Spanish). La Vanguardia. 31 December 1932. p. 16. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  4. ^ "Partidos del Barça de 1933-34" [Barça matches of 1933-34]. www.webdelcule.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Madrid 4, - Barcelona 0". hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com. Mundo Deportivo. 30 January 1934. p. 4. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  6. ^ "El Horta-Seleccion Catalana para mañana" [Horta-Catalan National Team for tomorrow]. hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com. Mundo Deportivo. 24 March 1934. p. 2. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  7. ^ "Cruz, Manuel de la Cruz Martínez - Manager". www.bdfutbol.com. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
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