Mágico González

Early years

Born in San Salvador, González began his professional career in 1975, representing ANTEL and Independiente over two seasons before moving to FAS in the Primera División de El Salvador. While playing in El Salvador, González became known as Mago but later, upon transferring to Spain, his nickname was slightly changed to Mágico; journalist Francisco "Paco" Perea (1946–2024), while working for the Diario de Cádiz newspaper, was the one who made this adjustment.

Cádiz

Both Atlético Madrid and Cádiz became interested in acquiring González in 1982 but, despite the Colchoneros' higher profile, he signed with the Andalusians. His first game in Spain came in a friendly against La Barca de la Florida, while his Segunda División debut was on 5 September 1982 in a 1–1 home draw against Real Murcia, scoring in the process. He became a fan favorite thanks to his dazzling moves and goals, but was also notorious for his love of the nightlife and his sleeping habits were also brought into question, whilst his on-field abilities endeared him to the Cádiz fans enough that they overlooked his minor indiscretions; he finished his first season with 33 games and 14 goals as the team promoted to La Liga. In 1983 and 1984, Cádiz traveled to the United States. González was the principal attraction the first year, but in the following the side was joined by Barcelona and its superstar Diego Maradona, who later claimed that the Salvadoran was "without a doubt amongst the…

Many critics and journalists say that if González had been Argentinian or Brazilian, he would have ranked amongst the best in the world, alongside Maradona and Pelé. He received the first of his 62 caps for El Salvador on 1 December 1976, in a FIFA World Cup qualification match against Costa Rica. He was also instrumental in leading the nation to the 1982 FIFA World Cup – the second time in history – where he appeared in all three group-stage matches, including the 10–1 loss to Hungary. González represented his country in 31 World Cup qualifiers, and scored 21 goals in full internationals.

A slender and highly creative forward, with superb ball control, technical ability and dribbling skills, González was also known for his quick feet and use of tricks and feints (including the flip flap, the Cruyff turn and the step over), as well as his accuracy with the ball and speed in possession – however, his talent was often overshadowed by his questionable behaviour off the pitch. He was widely considered to be the greatest Salvadoran footballer of all time, as well as one of the best-ever Latin American footballers in the history of the game. In 1999, he was named his nation's Player of the Century in IFFHS' Player of the Century Elections. A versatile forward, González was capable of playing both as a winger or as a second striker, but was also deployed as a centre-forward, as a playmaker in the number 10 role or even as a midfielder on occasion, and often wore the number 11 shirt. His playing style served as an inspiration for Maradona, who was a staunch admirer of the Salvadoran, describing him as one of the ten best players he had ever seen and even stating that "we, in training, always tried to imitate him [González], but couldn't."

González was born to a family of modest means in the Luz neighborhood of San Salvador, with seven brothers and one sister. His older brother, Mauricio, was a footballer who became well known at the local level. Mágico married Ana María Ruano, daughter of another Salvadoran football legend, Alfredo Ruano. His son, Rodrigo (born 1981), played in the country's top division for Atlético Marte; he had several partners throughout his life, and fathered two children with a different woman in Spain and a daughter with another in the United States.