Luis Ernesto Tapia Pérez (21 October 1944 – 13 November 2024) was a Panamanian football forward, who is regarded as the best player ever in Panama.[1][2]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Luis Ernesto Tapia Pérez | ||
| Date of birth | 21 October 1944 | ||
| Place of birth | Panama City, Panama | ||
| Date of death | 13 November 2024 (aged 80) | ||
| Place of death | Panama City, Panama | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1961–1962 | Politécnica FC | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1962–1963 | Deportivo El Granillo | ||
| 1963–1970 | Alianza | ||
| 1969–1970 | Deportiva Galcasa | ||
| 1970–1971 | Atlético Marte | ||
| 1971–1972 | UES | ||
| 1972–1974 | Juventud Olímpica | ||
| 1974–1979 | Provincia de Panama Metro | ||
| 1979–1981 | Atlético Ciudad de Panama | ||
| International career | |||
| 1963–1979 | Panama | 77 | (20) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Tapia was a member of the Panama national team between 1963 and 1979.
Club career
editTapia was raised in Barrio El Granillo, in Panama City[3] and debuted at a young age with Panama national team. During a tour of El Salvador, he was signed by Alianza.
Known as the "Central American Pele",[4] and "Cascarita", Tapia played primarily in El Salvador during the 1960s and 1970s, especially with the Alianza.[5]
On 19 March 1971, in the then Estadio Revolución, about 25,000 fans witnessed the match between Brazil's Santos and Primera División side Atlético Marte. The Brazilian team featured Pelé, while Tapia played for Marte.[6]
International career
editTapia was part of the Panama team that participated for the first time in a World Cup qualifier.[7] Tapia scored the first goal for Panama in a World Cup qualifier. He also toured with the Panama in Asia[citation needed] and scored 20 goals in 77 games for Panama.[8]
Death
editTapia died from a heart attack in Panama City, on 13 November 2024, at the age of 80.[9]
Legacy
editIn his honor, the Training Court next to Estadio Rommel Fernandez also known as mini-Rommel bears his name.
Career statistics
edit- Scores and results list Panama's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Tapia goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 31 March 1963 | Estadio Nacional Flor Blanca, San Salvador, El Salvador |  Nicaragua |
5–0 | 5–0 | 1963 CONCACAF Championship |
| 2 | 3 November 1969 | Independence Park (Jamaica), Kingston, Jamaica, Jamaica |  Jamaica |
1–0 | 1–1 | 1969 CONCACAF Championship qualification |
| 3 | 4 April 1976 | Estadio Revolución, Panama City, Panama |  Costa Rica |
1–1 | 3–2 | 1977 CONCACAF Championship qualification |
Honours
editAlianza
- CONCACAF Champions League: 1967
- La Liga Mayor: 1965–66, 1966–67
Aletico Marte
- La Liga Mayor: 1970
Juventud Olímpica
- La Liga Mayor: 1973
References
edit- ^ UN GOLEADOR DE RAZA PURA El histórico Cascarita Tapia - La Prensa (in Spanish)
- ^ "Luis ???Cascarita??? Tapia, referente histórico de Alianza FC". 25 June 2017.
- ^ El Granillo-Chorrillo
- ^ “La Cascarita” que marcó una época con “la Orquesta Alba” - La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish)
- ^ Luis "Cascarita" Tapia by Luis Giraldo
- ^ DeporMax.com Archived 23 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Luis Ernesto Tapia – FIFA competition record (archived)
- ^ Panama - Record International Players - RSSSF
- ^ "Fallece Luis Ernesto "Cascarita" Tapia, leyenda de Alianza". 13 November 2024.
External links
edit- Luis Ernesto Tapia at National-Football-Teams.com