Jorge Burruchaga


Jorge Luis Burruchaga, nicknamed Burru, is an Argentine association football coach and former professional football player. He played both as an attacking midfielder and forward and scored the winning goal in 1986 [FIFA World Cup Final|the final] of the 1986 [FIFA World Cup].

Club career

Born in Gualeguay, Entre Ríos, Burruchaga started playing in 1980 for Arsenal de Sarandí in Argentina's then second division.
He contracted with Independiente in 1982 and debuted in a victory against Estudiantes de La Plata on 12 February. He was part of the team that won the Metropolitano 1983, the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup in 1984.
He was then transferred to French team Nantes, where he played for seven years. He also played one year for Valenciennes, where he was involved in a bribing scandal involving the French and European champions Olympique de Marseille 'buying' a 1–0 league win at Valenciennes on 20 May 1993. Marseille midfielder Jean-Jacques Eydelie and the club's general manager, Jean-Pierre Bernès, had offered him money to throw the game. Burruchaga said he agreed but then changed his mind. He was subsequently given a suspended six-month jail sentence when judgment was delivered on 15 May 1995.
He returned to Argentina for his last spell in Independiente, when he won a Supercopa Sudamericana and a Recopa Sudamericana both in 1995.
He retired from professional football on 10 April 1998 in a match against Vélez Sársfield.

International career

Burruchaga was part of the Argentina squad that won the 1986 FIFA World Cup, scoring two goals, including the goal that gave Argentina the 3–2 victory against West Germany in 1986 FIFA [World Cup Final|the final match]. He also participated in all Argentine matches at the 1990 FIFA World Cup and scored one goal in the tournament. He scored a total of 13 goals for Argentina in 59 games from 1983 until 1990.

Managerial career

Burruchaga coached Arsenal de Sarandí since its arrival to first division in 2002, and succeeded in keeping the team far from the bottom of the standings. For the 2005–06 season, he signed with Estudiantes de La Plata. In May 2006, he moved to Independiente and resigned in April 2007. He has also managed Banfield from 2008 to 2009
On 5 May 2009, Burruchaga returned to Arsenal de Sarandí but resigned in 2010. He managed Paraguayan Club Libertad since 2011. He managed Atletico Rafaela in the Argentinian Primera Division from 2012 to June 2014. In 2015, Burruchaga returned to Rafaela in his second period as a coach.
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Burruchaga served as Argentina national football team's general manager.

Personal life

In 1995, his wife Laura Mendoza died from the injuries sustained in a car crash. Burruchaga is father of the footballer Mauro Burruchaga and tennis player Román Burruchaga.

Career statistics

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador1–02–21983 Copa América
2Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador2–02–21983 Copa América
3Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina2–22–21983 Copa América
4Merkur Spiel-Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany3–03–1Friendly
5Estadio Universitario, San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico1–01–1Friendly
6Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil1–11–2Friendly
7Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina2–02–0Friendly
8Estadio El Campín, Bogotá, Colombia3–13–11986 FIFA World Cup qualification
9Estadio Olímpico Universitario, Mexico City, Mexico2–02–01986 FIFA World Cup
10Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico3–23–21986 FIFA World Cup
11José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires, Argentina1–01–0Friendly
12Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria1–11–1Friendly
13Stadio San Paolo, Naples, Italy2–02–01990 FIFA World Cup

Honours

Club

Independiente
Nantes

International

Argentina

Individual