Spanish pharmacist and footballer
Adolfo Bracero García (22 October 1909 – 30 August 1978) was a Spanish footballer who played as a forward for Atlético Madrid,[1] Real Madrid,[2][3][4] and Sevilla FC.[5][6] He is one of the few players who played for both Sevilla and Madrid.[7] He later became a manager, taking charge over Real Jaén and Granada CF in the 1950s.[8]
Playing career
Adolfo Bracero was born on 22 October 1909 in Huelva, and began his footballing career at Sevilla FC in 1931, with whom he played for five years until the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936.[5] During his time at Seville, he helped his club win the 1935 Spanish Cup, starting in the final against Sabadell, which ended in a 3–0 victory.[9]
Once the conflict was over, Bracero joined Club Aviación, the future Atlético Madrid, where he was a member of Athletic's historic 1939–40 season, in which the club won the 1939 Campeonato Mancomunado Centro and the 1939–40 La Liga under coach Ricardo Zamora; however, he did not play a major role in these triumphs since he only started two league matches during the season.[1][10] He went on to join Real Madrid, where he again had few chances, playing only three matches for the whites.[2][3][4] In total, he scored six goals in 19 league matches for Sevilla, Atlético, and Madrid.[4] He then played for UD Salamanca and Recreativo de Huelva, where he retired in 1945.
Managerial career
After his career as a player ended, Bracero remained linked to Recreativo de Huelva, now as a coach, which he oversaw between 1945 and 1947. Following a brief stint at the helm of CD Iliturgi in 1947–48 and a three-year hiatus, he took charge of Tercera División club Real Jaén in 1951, and in his first season at the club, Bracero guided them to promotion to the Segunda División[11] as well as the 1951–52 Copa Federación de España, in which they defeated Orensana 3–1 in the final.[12] The promotion match took place against UD Almería on 6 April 1952, and they won 3–0.[13] In the following season, he guided the club to another promotion, this time to the first division, the club's first and only such season in its history.[8]
Bracero went on to manage Granada CF (1953–54), CD San Fernando (1955–56), CD Badajoz (1956–60), UD Salamanca (1961–62), and again Recreativo de Huelva (1964–65).[8] He played a few matches as a forward for San Fernando and Badajoz, at the ages of 46 and 48.[6]
Honours
Sevilla
Atlético Aviación
See also
References