Daniel Passarela

Daniel Passarela, born on May 1953 in Chacabuco, Argentina, is a former professional footballer (soccer) from Argentina. He also served as a manager for the Uruguayan and Argentine National Teams. He is also noted for being the captain of the Argentine National Team when they won the FIFA World Cup in 1978. As of 2010, he is serving as the president of the River Plate.

When he was on the field, Passarela played the Defender position. He stands 5 feet 8 inches tall. His youth career was spent with the Argentinos Juniors. He debuted as a pro with the Sarmiento of Junin in the Beunos Aires province. He later joined River Plate and then the Italian club Florentina. He was also a brief member of Internazionale. After playing with Serie A teams, he returned to River Plate where he stayed till his retirement and where he is currently president.

As a football player, he was known as the ‘El Gran Capitan’. He was also known as ‘El Kaiser’ because of his abilities as a leader. As a defender, he often joined in the attack and was helpful in generating and finishing offensive plays. His height, although average, has not stopped him from having a great aerial game.

He was a member of the Argentine national team, where he was captain in 1978. He was also a part of the 1986 World Cup and was an important factor in helping Argentina qualify for the games. He coached several teams after his retirement including River Plate. He was also the coach of the 1988 Argentine World Cup team.