Juan Antonio Merlos

Juan Antonio Merlos
Personal information
Full name Juan Antonio Merlos Cabrera
Date of birth 1941
Place of birth San Miguel, El Salvador
Date of death December 6, 2014(2014-12-06) (aged 73)
Place of death El Salvador
Playing position striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Racing de San Miguel
1957–1970 Águila
1972–1973 Municipal Limeño
1974 Luis Ángel Firpo
National team
El Salvador
Teams managed
Santiagueño
Luis Ángel Firpo
Liberal
Municipal Limeño
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Juan Antonio Merlos Cabrera (December 3, 1941 – December 6, 2014) was a Salvadoran football player and manager.[1]

Club career

Nicknamed Maquínita, Merlos was snapped up by Águila at Racing San Miguel and took part in their promotion to the Salvadoran Premier Division in 1958. He also won his and the club's first league title in 1959, scoring one of the goals in the first leg of the Final.[2] He still is one of Águila's all-time top goalscorers after forming a formidable frontline partnership in the 1960s with players like Juan Francisco Barraza and Saúl Molina.[3]

He also played for Municipal Limeño and Luis Ángel Firpo after leaving Águila.

Managerial career

After his playing career ended, Merlos coached Santiagueño and helped the team win the Primera division title. He also coached Luis Angel Firpo, Liberal and Municipal Limeno.

Personal life

He lived with his wife in Santiago de María. In July 2010 he spent three months in hospital and had his right foot and later his leg below the knee amputated due to arteriosclerosis.[4] To cover the medical expenses, former teammates and colleagues organised a charity match between his old clubs Águila and Santiagueño.[5] In January 2011 he was given a pension for life by the National Assembly for his contribution to Salvadoran football.[6]

Honours

1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964

References

  1. ↑ "Fallece "Maquinita" Merlos, exdelantero de Águila" (in Spanish). lapagina.com.sv. December 6, 2014.
  2. ↑ El Salvador - List of Final Tables 1959 - RSSSF
  3. ↑ "Maquinita" Merlos: "La historia que dejamos aún pesa" Archived 2012-03-12 at the Wayback Machine. - El Gráfico (in Spanish)
  4. ↑ “Maquinita” necesita ayuda - La Prensa Grafica (in Spanish)
  5. ↑ Goles solidarios por “Maquinita” Merlos - La Prensa Grafica (in Spanish)
  6. ↑ Asamblea concede pensiones vitalicias a Gregorio Bundio y a “Maquinita” Merlos - El Salvador Noticias.net (in Spanish)
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