Alberto Spencer

Who was Alberto Spencer?

Alberto Pedro Spencer Herrera (6 December 1937 – 3 November 2006) was an Ecuadorian and Uruguayan footballer who played as a forward, and is widely regarded as one of the best Ecuadorian men's footballers of all time. Born in Ancón, Santa Elena, Ecuador, Spencer was the son of a Jamaican of British origin. He was elected the 20th best South American footballer of the 20th century in a poll by the IFFHS in 2004. He was known as "Cabeza Mágica" (Spanish for magic head). He was an ambidextrous striker with lethal pace, off-the-ball movement, heading and balance skills, and excellent finishing that tore defences to shreds for over a decade. After his retirement in 1973, he lived in Montevideo, Uruguay. In 1982, he was appointed consul of Ecuador in Uruguay. Spencer suffered a heart attack on 13 September 2006 during a routine checkup with his cardiologist.

He died in the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, United States.

Historical significance

He is probably best known for his still-standing record for scoring the most goals in the Copa Libertadores, the premier club tournament in South America.