The soccer player Josep Samitier was born in Barcelona, in Spain, on February 2, 1902. His demarcation was a midfielder.
Samitier began his sports career at the International Sants club, when he was signed by FC Barcelona. As an anecdote, it can be said that his first payment was a suit with a vest and a watch with a luminous dial.
Little by little, the player became a benchmark for Barça, earning the nickname “the magician” and “the lobster man”.
Josep was a very skilled player, with a very good dribble and a great pass.
The player was very emblematic in those days, being called to star in some commercial on television. He even starred in a movie, “Eleven Pairs of Boots.”
Samitier was not only skilled, he was also an excellent scorer, scoring 326 goals during his stay at the “culé” club. Likewise, he got 63 in the Copa del Rey competition, being the top scorer in this tournament in all history at FC Barcelona.
His career was observed by the coach of the Spanish soccer team, who gave him the opportunity to wear the red jersey 21 times, participating in the Olympic Games in Antwerp in 1920.
In 1933, and after spending 14 seasons at FC Barcelona, Samitier left for Real Madrid, where he met an old friend of his, Ricardo Zamora.
Curiously, Josep worked as a coach in 1936, before retiring from football, and the first team he coached was Atlético de Madrid.
In the white club, he stayed only one season, and, after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Samitier left for France, where he would play for OGC Nice, where, curiously, he met again with Ricardo Zamora. In this club, Samitier would retire from active football in 1939. Shortly after he stayed in the French city of Nice, to coach this same club in 1942.
In 1944 he returned to Barcelona, where he was chosen as the first coach of FC Barcelona, until 1947, being hired that same year as technical secretary. During his tenure he was responsible for hiring the soccer player, Ladislao Kubala.
Samitier’s record is quite extensive, and in it we find 2 Spanish Leagues, 6 Spanish Cups, 1 Silver Medal at the Olympic Games. Antwerp, 12 Catalan Championships and, as coach, 1 Spanish League.
Josep Samitier died on May 4, 1972 in the city of Barcelona.