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Leonard Crossley

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Leonard Crossley (1883 – 1958) was a British-born Uruguayan footballer.[1][2] Crossley, who played as a goalkeeper, made two appearances for Uruguay in home and away friendly matches against Argentina in April and November 1911.[3]

He was one of several foreign-born players to represent Uruguay in the early days of international football, a time when eligibility requirements were more lax.[4][5]

Biography

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Crossley was not considered tall enough to play in English football at the top level.[6] He emigrated to Uruguay in 1906 to work as a stenographer for the Central Uruguay Railway and soon began playing Uruguayan league football for Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club (CURCC).[6][7] An innovator on the field, Crossley differed from many other goalkeepers of the time through his "tactical vision", including a willingness to play the ball short and actively organize his defence.[8][6] He rarely punched the ball, as was then common, instead "pocketing" it.[6]

Crossley retired from playing for Peñarol, the successor to CURCC, in 1914 and immediately joined the club's management team.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Álvarez, Luciano (12 June 2010). "El inglés con diez centímetros de menos". El Pais. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  2. ^ Prats, Luis (3 July 2018). "Uruguayos de afuera". El Pais. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  3. ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Leonard Crossley (Player)". National Football Teams. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  4. ^ "El back que vino del frío para ser campeón". Asociación de Historiadores e Investigadores del Fútbol Uruguayo (in Spanish). 14 August 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  5. ^ Prats, Luis (3 July 2018). "Uruguayos de afuera". El Pais. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d Martinez, Pablo D. (31 January 2019). "Los 10 centímetros que favorecieron al fútbol uruguayo". Obdulio Son Los Padres (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Leonard Crossley". World Football. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  8. ^ Luzuriaga, Juan Carlos (2020). Orígenes y Desarrollo Del Fútbol en el Uruguay Nuevas Miradas (1870-1920). Buenos Aires: Alter Ediciones. ISBN 9789974877108.
  9. ^ González, Fernando (19 October 2021). "La falsa "coexistencia" y el team recreativo de 1914". Padre y Decano (in Spanish). Retrieved 3 January 2023.