Horacio Raúl "Pepa" Baldessari (born 21 November 1958 in Córdoba) is a former

Argentine Argentines, Argentinians or Argentineans are people from Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural. For most Argentines, several (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their ...

football striker who played professionally in Argentina, Bolivia and Peru during the late 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s. He also managed some clubs after his retirement, but currently works as a football analyst.

Club career

He began his career in 1975 with modest club Sportivo Belgrano, but joined

Belgrano de Córdoba Belgrano may refer to: People * Joaquín Belgrano (1773–1848), an Argentine patriot * José Denis Belgrano (1844–1917), Spanish painter * Joseph Belgrano (1762–1823), Argentine military officer and politician, brother of Manuel * Manuel Bel ...

the following season. In 1978, he went abroad to play for Bolivian side Blooming. Years later he would also play for Oriente Petrolero, Bolívar and Destroyers. During his spell in the Bolivian league, he scored a total of 161 goals, placing his name eight in the list of all-time topscorers. Even though Baldessari became a naturalized Bolivian, he was never considered as an option for the national team. In 1988, he returned to Argentina and played for his beloved

once again. By 1990, he transferred to Peruvian side Deportivo Municipal before signing with popular team Sporting Cristal the following year. At first he was heavily questioned by club fans and the media about his age; nonetheless, ''La Pepa'' proved them wrong and finished the season as the topscorer that year with 25 goals, and consequently helped Cristal win the 1991 Peruvian title. Baldessari always admitted having spent the best years of his career playing for the ''cerveceros'' because he received so many affections that made him feel like at home. After his retirement in 1993, Baldessari settled in

Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...

, and became a football analyst for several television and radio networks.

Club titles

Honours

References

Dos viejos conocidos y queridos
at echalaca.combr>Raúl Horacio Baldessari: "La Pepa" remueve el pasado
at ldeber.com.bobr>Bolivian league topscorers
at RSSSF {{DEFAULTSORT:Baldessari, Horacio 1958 births Living people Footballers from Córdoba Province, Argentina Argentine sportspeople of Italian descent Men's association football forwards Argentine men's footballers Bolivian Primera División players Peruvian Primera División players Club Atlético Belgrano footballers Racing de Córdoba footballers Club Blooming players Oriente Petrolero players Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Peru Club Bolívar players Club Destroyers players Sporting Cristal footballers Argentine expatriate men's footballers Expatriate men's footballers in Bolivia Expatriate men's footballers in Peru Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Bolivia Juan Aurich managers León de Huánuco managers Deportivo Municipal managers Argentine football managers Carlos A. Mannucci managers 20th-century Argentine sportsmen