José Laguna

 

José Durand Laguna, known as 'El Negro', was a prolific forward for Huracán. 

He represented Argentina 4 times, scoring 3 goals.

His debut came in unusual circumstances. At the 1916 South American Championship of Nations Laguna went to watch the Argentina vs Brazil game at Gimnasia y Esgrima in Buenos Aires (10.07.16).

Alberto Ohaco was unable to play and Laguna was called from the stand to fill the vacancy. 

He gave Argentina the lead in the 10th minute. The game finished 1-1.

Laguna later moved to Paraguay where he played for Olimpia. He also managed the Paraguay national side at 2 South American Championships and the 1930 World Cup.

Modesto Denis

Goalkeepers never wear knee pads these days.
Modesto Denis represented Paraguay at 5 South American Championships and played in 1 game at the 1930 World Cup.
He played his club football with Club Nacional (Asunción), winning the national championsip in 1924 and 1926.

Say it with flowers #1

Wherever it appears on the internet, this picture is invariably described as 

Copa America 1921. Emilio Solari, captain of  Argentina, greeting  Bartolome Brizuela of Paraguay at the 1921 South American Championship of Nations. 

However, Brizuela made his international debut in 1925 and did not appear at the South American Championship of Nations until 1926, whereas Solari's last appearance at the championships was in 1924. 

My theory is that the Paraguay player pictured is in fact the legendary Manuel Fleitas Solich.

El Gran Capitán

When, in the early 1930s, Club Atlético San Lorenzo de Almagro of Argentina offered the Paraguayan captain Aurelio González a lucrative deal he declined. Instead, he took a break from football in order to fight for his country in The Chaco War (against Bolivia). 
In the preceding years González had won 3 consecutive championships with Club Olimpia (1927, 1928 &1929). 
He led Paraguay in the 1929 South American Championship of Nations, where he was the tournament top scorer with 5 goals (2 vs Uruguay and 3 vs Peru).
González also played in both of Paraguay's matches at the 1930 World Cup.
In later life he coached Club Olimpia and the Paraguay national team. 

Paraguay

William Paats

English railway workers were reportedly playing football in Paraguay in the 1880s, but the responsibility for introducing organized football lies with the Dutchman William Paats. Paats moved to Asuncion when he was 18 years old. He became a games instructor at a local college and introduced football. In 1902 he was involved in founding the oldest (and most successful) club in Paraguay- Olimpia.

Olimpia 1902

Paats  was also influential in the foundation of Liga Paraguaya de Football Association and was its 3rd president (1909–1910).
The league began in 1906- competing for the newspaper sponsored Copa el Diario. The first ever league match in Paraguay was a 1-1 draw between Football Club Guarani and Olimpia. The return match was also a 1-1 draw- Guarani won all their other games and were champions. 

Final standings:

1.Guaraní
2.Olimpia
3.Libertad
4.General Díaz
5.Nacional
6.14 de Mayo

Football Club Guarani were dominant in the early years- they play in black and yellow as their founders included the bothers Federico and Salvador Melina who had played for CURCC.

 Federico Melina (Guarani)

Juan Deandreis (Guarani)

Olimpia didn't win the title until 1912.

More simultaneous internationals...

Laranjeiras

October 22nd 1922 was a busy day in South American  international football. 

At  Laranjeiras, Río de Janeiro, Brazil played Paraguay in the final of the South American championship.Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay were tied, and playoff matches were planned for the three teams. Uruguay withdrew, so only one playoff match was played between Brazil and Paraguay to determine the champion. Brazil won the match 3-0 with goals from Neco and Formiga (2) ( Formiga or 'Ant' was the nickname of Afrodísio Camargo Xavier ). It was Brazil's second South American Championship.

Brazil-South American Champions 1922

Meanwhile in São Paulo...another Brazil selection were playing Argentina for the Copa Julio A. Roca. Brazil won this match 2-1 thanks to 2 goals by Gambarotta. 
Having ended their involvement in the championships on October 18th under strange circumstances (10 Paraguay players leaving the field in protest at the 79th minute) Argentina, the undoubted masters of the simultaneous international,were also busy that day, in addition to the Copa Julio A. Roca match with Brazil they also played the Chileans 1-0 in a friendly at Buenos Aires, winning 1-0.


22.10.22

Brazil	3	0	Paraguay	Rio	SAC
Brazil	2	1	Argentina	São Paulo	Copa Roca
Argentina	1	0	Chile	Buenos Aires	Friendly

The following year there was another double international date for Argentina. December 2nd 1923 saw  the South American Championship final at Montevideo's Parque Central. The hosts defeated their rivals 2-0 thanks to goals from Petrone and Somma. 
Across the Rio Del Plata another version of the Albiceleste were hosting Brazil in a Confraternity Cup match. The day didn't go well for Argentina, as Brazil ran out 2-0 winners in this match,  Zezé and  Nilo getting the goals. 

Confederacio'n Sudamericana de Futbol- Copa America 1916

The first Copa America proper was played in July 1916 during the Argentinian centenary celebrations. Both Argentina and Uruguay had beaten Chile . Uruguay had beaten  Brazil but Argentina had only managed a draw against them. So the final match was the decider. Argentina had to win against their oldest rivals and closest neighbours.

The match on July 16th lasted 5 minutes before crowd disturbances caused an abandonment. 

The remaining 85 minutes were played the following day (at a different ground). It ended 0-0 and Uruguay were champions.

Héctor Rivadavia Gómez

During the tournament Uruguayan Héctor Rivadavia Gómez took the opportunity to call together a meeting of  22 delegates from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay. They discussed the idea of forming a governing body for South American Football. The national associations were consulted and consequently in December 1916,  the first Congress was held in Montevideo. The Confederation was called  Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (Spanish) or Confederação Sul-Americana de Futebol (Portuguese), contracted to CONMEBOL.
The four founding associations were later joined by Paraguay (1921), Peru (1925), Bolivia (1926), Ecuador (1927) and Colombia (1936).