Horacio Baldessari

Horacio Baldessari
Personal information
Full name	Horacio Raúl Baldessari Guntero
Date of birth	November 21, 1958 (age 66)
Place of birth	Córdoba, Argentina
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team
1975	Sportivo Belgrano
1976–1977	Belgrano de Córdoba
1978–1979	Blooming
1980	Belgrano de Córdoba
1981	Racing de Córdoba
1981–1982	Oriente Petrolero
1983	Bolívar
1984	Blooming
1985	Bolívar
1986–1987	Destroyers
1988–1989	Belgrano de Córdoba
1989	Blooming
1990	Deportivo Municipal
1991–1993	Sporting Cristal
Managerial career
1994	Aurich-Cañaña
2000	Deportivo Municipal
2007	Juan Aurich
2008	Atlético Chalaco
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 12, 2008

Horacio Raúl "Pepa" Baldessari (born 21 November 1958 in Córdoba) is a former Argentine 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 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 Belgrano de Córdoba 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, and became a football analyst for several television and radio networks.

Club titles

Season	Club	Title
1983	Bolívar	Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano
1984	Blooming	Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano
1985	Bolívar	Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano
1991	Sporting Cristal	Primera División Peruana

Honours

Season	Club	Title
1979	Blooming	Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano top scorer: 31 goals
1982	Oriente Petrolero	Liga de Fútbol Profesional Boliviano top scorer: 25 goals
1991	Sporting Cristal	Primera División Peruana top scorer: 25 goals

References

Dos viejos conocidos y queridos at [dechalaca.com]
Raúl Horacio Baldessari: "La Pepa" remueve el pasado at [eldeber.com.bo]
Bolivian league topscorers at RSSSF