- Born
- Birth nameMario Alberto Kempes
- Nickname
- El Matador
- Height1.82 m
- Mario Kempes is a retired Argentine footballer who played as a striker.
His father, Mario, also a footballer, inspired him to play from a young age. At the age of seven he began playing with a junior team and at fourteen, he joined the Talleres de Córdoba reserves. A prolific goalscorer, at club level he is best known for playing for Valencia C.F., finishing as La Liga's top goalscorer twice, and amassing 116 goals in 184 league games for the club.
At international level, Kempes was the focal point of Argentina's 1978 FIFA World Cup (1978) win where he scored twice in the final, and received the Golden Boot as top goalscorer. He also won the Golden Ball for the player of the tournament, making him one of only three players to have won all three awards at a single World Cup, along with Garrincha in 1962, and Paolo Rossi in 1982. During his club career he won 43 caps for Argentina and scored 20 times. He represented his country in three World Cups in 1974, 1978 and 1982.
Kempes won South American Footballer of the Year, Onze d'Or European footballer of the Year, and World Cup Golden Ball in 1978.- IMDb mini biography by: Tango Papa
- SpousesJulia(1999 - present) (2 children)Mavi Moll(1978 - 1995) (divorced, 3 children)
- ChildrenArianne KempesMagalí KempesMario José KempesNatasha KempesNicole Kempes
- 43 appearances for Argentina National Football Team (1973-1982); scored 20 goals; won the 1978 FIFA World Cup.
- Scored 2 goals for Argentina against Netherlands during th final match of World Cup Argentina 1978.
- Striker for Instituto A.C.C. (1972-73), Rosario Central (1974-1976), Valencia C.F. (Spain, 1976-1981, 1982-1984), River Plate (1981-82), Hércules (Spain, 1984-1986), First Vienna (Austria, 1986-87), St. Pölten (Austria, 1987-1990), Kremser SC (Austria, 1990-1992), C.D. Arturo Fernández Vial (Chile, 1995) and Pelita Jaya (Indonesia, 1996).
- Top Scorer of the Argentine Primera División (1974 & 1976), La Liga (1977 & 1978) and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1980).
- Father of, with Mavi Moll, Arianne Kempes, Magalí Kempes and Mario José Kempes.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content