“He was a master goal scorer, a dancer, a genius for headers and back-heels. Erico didn’t run; he glided…he could out-jump everyone and he could place the ball in the net like the gods” — Alfredo Di Stefano
Early Life
Born in Asuncion, Paraguay in 1915, Arsenio Erico was of Italian descent from his father’s side. It seemed as if playing for Nacional was hereditary when he signed for them age 11, following in the footsteps of his father and brothers. Called up for his debut at the age of 15, Erico cemented himself in the side at an incredibly young age. However, this would be short-lived.
September 1932 saw war break out between Bolivia and Paraguay. Sparked by two oil companies, Royal Dutch Shell (Paraguay) and Standard Oil (Bolivia),“The War of Thirst” originated over disputed lands thought to be rich in natural resources. As a result, domestic football in Paraguay took a backseat during the war.
Two years into his playing career at Nacional, 17-year-old Erico volunteered for military service. Although scoring figures have never been verified during his time at Nacional, it is known he was a prolific goal scorer as he was sent home from his unit in Puerto Casado to better serve his country on the pitch rather than off it.
Here he joined the Red Cross squad assembled by the Paraguayan football league. In an effort to raise money for the wounded, the squad would tour Argentina and Uruguay playing a total of twenty-six matches, losing only seven. It was during a stop in Avellaneda that Erico caught the eye of Independiente. So impressed by his talent, El Rojo immediately paid twelve thousand pesos for his transfer along with a five thousand peso signing-on fee — Erico donated it all to the Paraguayan Red Cross.
Scoring for Fun
The man who some argued had more nicknames than goals hit the ground running. The highest goal scorer in Argentina’s Primera Division still to this day, netted fifty-six times in sixty-five appearances during his first 3 seasons. These statistics would pale in comparison to his 1937 season however.
In a time where the Argentine League was considered the best in the world, ‘The Demigod of Avellaneda’ amassed an inexplicable sixty-one goals in twenty-nine games as Independiente finished 2nd behind River Plate. The following seasons would see ‘The Red Jumper’ help Independiente to back-to-back Primera Division titles in style, scoring eighty-two goals in sixty-two appearances.
It was during the 1938 season, where Piccardo, a local tobacco company who produced the “Cigarillos 43” branded cigarettes offered anyone who scored exactly fourty-three goals a prize of two thousand pesos, despite Erico scoring sixty-one the season beforehand. In typical fashion, Arsenio reached the tally early on in the final game of the season and spent the remainder of the game teeing up his teammates in an 8–2 win. The money was subsequently shared amongst the team.
Beginning of the End
In 1942, in somewhat of a loan move, he returned home with the approval of the Independiente board members to Nacional, aiding them in securing the Paraguayan League title before heading back to Independiente in 1943. His return coincided with a decreased, albeit not poor, scoring rate as he netted fifty-three times in his final 104 appearances. 1946 brought a close to his illustrious career with Independiente and move on to Huracan. In a sole-season unfortunately plagued by injuries, Erico managed 7 appearances with no goals. With his best years behind him,‘The Dancing Devil’ retired at his home club Nacional in 1949.
Arsenio Erico passed away in 1977 after a leg amputation caused blood complications which led to a fatal heart attack. Independiente arranged to pay for his funeral costs and thus Erico was buried in Buenos Aires, starting a long-standing tug-of-war between two nations who considered him their own. Decades later in 2010, Nacional would rename their stadium to the Estadio Arsenio Erico in his honour. In that same year, with Paraguay and Argentina enjoying improved political relations, it was agreed that ‘The Aviator’ was to fly home to Paraguay where he finally rest amongst his countrymen.
