José Velásquez (footballer, born 1952)

José Manuel Velásquez Castillo (born 4 June 1952 in Lima) is a retired Peruvian footballer who played as a midfielder. Nicknamed "El Patrón", he stood out for his elegance, presence, courage and technical play, being recognized as one of the players with the most personality that Peruvian football has given and the best defensive midfielder in the history of his country.^[1] He was nominated for the Global Ballon d'Or by FIFA in 1977.^[2]

José Velásquez

Velásquez playing for Alianza Lima
Personal information
Full name	José Manuel Velásquez Castillo
Date of birth	(1952-06-04) 4 June 1952 (age 72)
Place of birth	Lima, Peru
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Defensive Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1971–1978	Alianza Lima		(44)
1979	Independiente Medellín
1980–1981	Toronto Blizzard	28	(2)
1982	Independiente Medellín
1982–1984	Alianza Lima	50	(3)
1984–1985	Hércules	12	(0)
1986–1987	Deportes Iquique	29	(8)
1987	Alianza Lima	13	(4)
International career
1972–1985	Peru	82	(12)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Peru Copa América Winner 1975 1979 1983
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 2008

Famed for his elegance, leadership and technical game, along with Víctor Benítez he is recognised as one of Peru's most important defensive midfielders ever.

"El Patrón" was probably the best midfielder defensive player in South America between the late 1970s and early 1980s. He was a containment midfielder with an enormous defensive display, great passing game and strong personality that combined his dominant physical presence with a very technical and elegant game. He formed with Alianza Lima debuting in 1971 at the age of 17 as a central defender, although he was soon positioned in the midfield and became one of the greatest "blue and white" leaders, winning the Peruvian Primera División and integrating one of the best teams in the club's history during the two-time championship in 1977 and 1978. In 1979 he emigrated to Colombia to join Independiente Medellín, in which he coincided with his compatriot Hugo Sotil, and then he also went through the Toronto Blizzard and Hercules of the Spanish First Division.

He was a member of the Peruvian team that won the 1975 Copa América and participated in the World Cup in Argentina 1978, where he reached the quarterfinals of final and Spain 1982 where it was important in the qualifiers to eliminate Uruguay and Colombia.