Football is all about goals, and how is this for a goal scoring record: appearances- 357, goals -369.
more than A goal a game over a 13 season playing career- not bad, particularly as the team in question is Barcelona.
Philippines born Paulino Alcántara made his first appearance for Barcelona as a 15 year old in 1912 and scored a hat trick on debut, earning the nickname El Rompe Redes (the Net Breaker).
In 1916 Alcántara returned to The Philippines, spending two seasons with Bohemians FC. He represented his country at the Far Eastern Championship Games in Tokyo, helping them defeat Japan 15–2. The next game, against China, was abandoned due to fighting on the pitch with China 5-0 up.
On his return to Barcelona he was played as a defender, but this didn’t last long, club members succesfully pressed for his return to the forward line.
Having previously represented The Philippines and Catalonia, Alcántara made 5 appearances and scored 6 goals for Spain between 1921 and 1923. His international career was curtailed by his medical studies: for example, he declined the opportunity to play in the 1920 Olympics. In a match vs. France in 1922 Alcántara lived up to his nickname, literally shooting through the net.
Alcántara later coached the Spanish national team.
Thanks to J.F.K.
