Mario Kempes, born on July fifteenth, nineteen fifty-four, is a celebrated Argentine former professional footballer renowned for his prowess as a striker and attacking midfielder. His remarkable career is highlighted by his tenure at Valencia, where he emerged as La Liga's top goalscorer on two occasions, netting one hundred sixteen goals in one hundred eighty-four league appearances. Kempes is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time.
At the international level, Kempes played a pivotal role in Argentina's triumph at the nineteen seventy-eight World Cup. He scored twice in the final, leading his team to victory and earning the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer. His exceptional performance also garnered him the Golden Ball, awarded to the best player of the tournament, making him one of only three players in history to achieve this remarkable feat in a single World Cup, alongside Garrincha in nineteen sixty-two and Paolo Rossi in nineteen eighty-two.
Throughout his illustrious career, Kempes received numerous accolades, including the South American Footballer of the Year, the Onze d'Or European Footballer of the Year, and the World Cup Golden Ball in nineteen seventy-eight. In two thousand four, he was honored as one of the Top one hundred twenty-five greatest living footballers during FIFA's one hundredth anniversary celebration. His impressive legacy in football has earned him the affectionate nicknames El Toro and El Matador.