José María Rivas

José María Rivas
Personal information
Full nameJosé María Rivas Martínez
Date of birthMay 12, 1958
Place of birthSan Salvador, El Salvador
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing positionstriker
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1978–1984Independiente
1985–1990Atlético Marte
1990-1991San Pedro
1992Huracán
1992Cojutepeque
National team
1980–1989El Salvador(22)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Rivas and the second or maternal family name is Martínez.

José María Rivas Martínez (born May 12, 1958 in San Salvador) is a former football player from El Salvador.

Club career

Nicknamed Mandingo, Rivas played several years for Independiente De San Vicente and Atlético Marte, with whom he won a League Championship in 1985. In 1990 he joined San Pedro of Belize and after leaving them had short spells at the end of his career in the Salvadoran second division with Huracán and Cojutepeque.[1]

He won the 1985 Top league goal scorer award and also won the Golden Boot and Golden Ball in that year.

International career

The moustached Rivas made his official debut for El Salvador in a March 1980 friendly match against Panama and has represented his country for over 10 years, played in 17 FIFA World Cup qualification matches and featured in all three of El Salvador's games at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain.[2] He scored 22 goals for the El Salvador national football team from 1979 to 1989 and is second on his country's all-time top scorer list.[3] He scored 42 goals in 97 matches including non-official games.[4]

His final international game was a November 1989 FIFA World Cup qualification match against the United States.

Retirement and illness

After he retired, he was in charge of Arabe Marte and took the reins at FAS in 1999 along with José Luis Rugamas.[5]

During his playing career, he had obtained his medical diplomas to become a doctor and is currently part of the El Salvador national football team medical staff. In June 2011, it became clear Rivas was seriously ill[6] and needed a marrow operation, for which funds would be raised with a benefit match.[7] A lot of former players were reunited to help Rivas.[8]

References

  1. JOSE MARÍA “MANDINGO” RIVAS, SU HISTORIA - Esalmundotv.com (Spanish)
  2. José María RivasFIFA competition record
  3. Owsianki, Jarek (2004-04-18). "El Salvador - Record International Players". RSSSF.
  4. " AYUDEMOS AL Dr. MANDINGO RIVAS" - Fusaflor (Spanish)
  5. Mandingo y Rugamas le van a FAS - El Diario de Hoy (Spanish)
  6. Jose Maria Mandingo Rivas Simbolo Marciano esta muy enfermo - Atletico Marte (Spanish)
  7. "Mandingo" Rivas necesita ayuda - El Salvador.com (Spanish)
  8. Ayudarán al Mandingo Rivas - El Salvador.com (Spanish)

External links