Arthur Friedenreich's 131st Birthday

Today’s Doodle celebrates Brazilian footballer Arthur Friedenreich, the first Black person to play professional football in the country. On this day in 1892, he was born in São Paulo to a German immigrant father and an Afro-Brazilian mother.

Friedenreich was born just four years after slavery was abolished in Brazil, when football was primarily only available to White players. He was only able to get involved in the sport because of his White father, who had a connection with a soccer club for German immigrants. Friedenreich made his football debut for SC Germânia at 17 years old, and impressed crowds right away with his nimble dribbling. Once he established himself as a solid player, he was able to swap football clubs, honing his skills at each. In just four seasons, he became the top scorer in the São Paulo league with 16 goals — and he’d go on to be the top scorer of the Liga Paulista seven more times. 

He began playing for the Seleção, the Brazilian National Team, in 1914. In his debut match, Friedenreich lost his two front teeth after a hard slide tackle. He finished the game anyways, earning the nickname “El Tigre” for his fighting spirit, dedication, and agility. In the following years, he played 23 games for his country, becoming the first to score a hat-trick (3 goals in a single game!) at Copa América.

Despite proving many times he had what it took to succeed in football, he had to straighten his hair and powder his skin before games to appear more European. But his usual methods to lighten his skin weren’t enough for Argentina — authorities declared that only White players could attend the 1921 Copa América. The Brazilian president abided by this rule and left Friedenreich off the team, despite his dribbling skills. This instance is widely regarded as a key moment that prompted many people to think about the role racial discrimination plays in sports. 

Friedenreich is remembered for scoring a rumored 1,329 goals by the time he retired at 43 years old, but scores weren’t meticulously recorded during the time he played. There are ongoing debates on the exact number, but 1,329 would make him the highest goal-scorer in all of football.  Regardless, Friedenreich was an impressive and memorable player who changed football for the better.

Happy birthday, Arthur Friedenreich!