Omar Sívori

Omar Sivori.

Enrique Omar Sivori (October 2, 1935 - February 17, 2005) was an Argentine football (soccer) striker. Known as "El Cabezón" ("Big Head"), at seventeen, Sivori was already playing professionally for River Plate's first team. It was with River that he won the 1955 and 1956 tournaments. He represented the Argentine side 18 times, winning in the 1957 South American Championship held in Lima, Peru. The Argentinian attacking line of Sivori, Corbatta, Maschio, Angelillo and Cruz was nicknamed the "caras sucias" (dirty faces).

Juventus paid ten million pesos for his transfer and from 1957 to 1965, he played for "La Vecchia Signora" winning three league championships in 1958, 1960 and 1961 and two Italian Cups in 1959 and 1960. Following his move to Italy he was barred from playing for the Argentine national side by the country's government. He went on to play for the Italian side, making his debut in April 1961 and earning a total of nine caps. He was European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'or) in 1961.

In 1965 he signed with Napoli helping them get second place in two occasions. He retired in 1969 returning to his native Argentina where he coached River Plate, Rosario Central, Estudiantes de La Plata, Vélez Sársfield and in 1974 the Argentine national team.

Named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004, Omar Sivori died at age 69 due to pancreatic cancer.