Mario Kempes | 1977-1980

[Brezza]

Nickname: "El Matador"

Club: Valencia CF



Growth type: Early/Lasting

INFO:

Spoiler: show

Mario Alberto Kempes, born in Belville, Cordoba in 1954, began his career at local club Instituto Cordoba before quickly moving on to Rosario Central where he netted 85 goals in just 105 matches and established himself as a notorious goalscorer. Known as a hard-working forward, Kempes liked to attack from outside the penalty area with his surging runs goalwards and was not the traditional center-forward operating solely inside the box. His style was difficult for many defenders to handle. They never knew where they had him.

Kempes was the only foreign based player called up by coach Menotti before the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. The lanky forward had been topscorer in Spain's Primera Liga in each of the past two seasons and was determined to show on home soil that he could deliver against the best on the sport's greatest stage as well. In 1974, at 20 years of age, he failed to get on the score-sheet in West Germany and after the first round groupstage in 1978, his name was still missing among goalscorers in the tournament.

But things would change dramatically when Argentina's team was forced out of Buenos Aires because of ending up as runners-up in their group. Argentina's new venue for the second phase matches was Rosario, the city where Kempes' career took off in the early 1970s. It was here that "El Matador" found the goalscoring form that made him topscorer in the tournament.

First he sank Poland with both goals in the 2-0 win, then two more against Peru in the 6-0 demolition before he returned to Buenos Aires and the Final as a changed man. Kempes scored two more against the Netherlands and assisted Bertoni for Argentina's third in the 3-1 win. Needless to say, Kempes mopped up every major personal award after the finals.

In Europe he had two successful spells at Valencia (1976-81 & 1982-84). He helped them win the Spanish Cup in 1979 and the European Cupwinners Cup plus the European Super Cup the following year. Kempes made 247 appearances and scored 146 goals in all competitions for Valencia.

In 1981 he moved back to Argentina to play for River Plate - winning an Argentinian championship with them before heading back to Spain in time for the World Cup in 1982. It turned out to be a disappointing tournament for Argentina and Kempes. No goals for "El Matador" and Argentina bowed out in the second phase.

Kempes later moved to a smaller Spanish club, Hercules, before winding down his career in Austrian football for various clubs.

VIDEOS:

Spoiler: show

ADDITIONAL LINKS:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Kempes

http://www.planetworldcup.com/LEGENDS/kempes.html

http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/win ... rview.html

http://fourfourtwo.com/interviews/perfe ... ticle.aspx

http://hubpages.com/hub/Top-Ten-World-C ... uper-Mario

[Classical]

I am just wondering if Kempes ACC and TS ( as well as maybe the DS) stats could be reviewed?

It seems to me, by the videos, that he could claim one or two extra points on these parameters.

He was pretty confortable with the ball, putting some speed on his dribble and not just technique.

[HFClub]

Yes, mainly DS and ACC should be increased in my view.

[p1rha]

I think WFA/WFF should be 5/5 because u can clearly see from the videos that he was more accurate with his left.
Balance is overated, he was really thin an being fast and argentinian (just like italians there's a certain tendency to fall more often looking for the foul ) he won't stand much impact. I suggest 83~85
Response may be too high as well, he wasn't any poacher nor a box man, he made most of his goals from runs. Also his DA doesn't seem to be worth 87, it seems like it's more based on speed (wich btw i agree it coul be raised to Acc.:90/TS: 85 instead of DS, so he can get those deep runs into an unmarked position)

And i'm absolutly shure he should have left as his prefered side.

[Brezza]

Given a full update. One of my first set of stats and quite a few things were wrong. I made him to poacher ish and not as fast as he really was. I swear he looks taller than 182, but its probably his long legs playing tricks on the mind.

[bluto]

We need to raise his ATT value, IMHO. A guy called "The Matador", 86 goals in 116 apps at Rosario Central, 116/185 at Valencia, 20/43 in national team... he can't have 85.
If we consider him a CF, altough he's not the typical striker, i think he deserves minimum 90 in Attack.

[julgui]

Kempes also played de AMF and WF Left.

ATT: 90. Between 1974 and 1982, a couple of years before and after statistics taken here, became 181 goals in 250 match (0.724 for match). In 1977-1978 28 Golas in 32 Match in Valencia.

BB: I suggest: 91. It was a bull, the player with more body and strength of Argentine football. You just need to see the example of the first and the second goal against the Netherlands in the final. Unstoppable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ8E_EY2 ... re=related

SP: 89-90

P12 – Incisive Run
P15 – Goal Poacher
S01 - Reaction
S03 – 1-on-1 Finish
S05 – 1-touch play

Individual Trophy:
1974 Leading Scorer of Nacional
1976 Leading scorer of Metropolitano
1977 Pichichi Trophy with Valencia
1978 Pichichi Trophy with Valencia
1978 World Cup Golden Boot
1978 World Cup Golden Ball
1978 Olimpia de Plata
1978 South American Footballer of the Year


I hope you accept this noble suggestion.

[Brezza]

Attack value isn't directly related to goals for fooks sake, it was more down due his impressive shooting stats.
ATT 90+ make him too much of in the box poacher when in fact he liked to attack from outside the penalty area with his surging runs forwards, think of his as a superior version of higuain . Balance looks way too much looking at the ladders also.

Updated the rest though though

[julgui]

Perhaps, it happens that its power and "body balance" despite an attack by outside were his property.
I'll give you his description of "The Encyclopedia of Futbol Argentino": An exceptional scorer, because the fundamental condition to excel in soccer was joined by a great deal of technique.
Its overwhelming power, its electrifying and physical goals as projected privileged to fame inedudible.
So remarked that if there is something that distinguishes it was his great strength and body. Something similar to the case Adriano.
Just excellent update!

[Jokeer]

Like julgui has said, Kempes played AMF so I suggest to add it.

[Classical]

looking better!

[Brezza]

Apologies julgui ,attack can be raised based how we rate it nowadays but with lower response. The combination of dummy runner chasing back should replicate him picking the ball up from deeper positions. Reaction didn't suit him either so switched that with long ranger.

Not sure about agility he could be quite nimble at times but preferred to beat players more with his pace on the ball and decent strength. Also shot tech might be a bit too high excellent finisher but relied more on accuary than superb technical strikes. Great under pressure as well but thats understanble given his pace/strengh. ST could be on a closer value to Diego Milito and Fernando Torres.

Compilation from the 78 world cup:

[Diego]

i am far from being a kempes expert, but there is something that concerns me about current set... As every weekend i was on tv watching, espn ( where he is working nowadays as a journalist ) , and in a interview with quique wolf, after remembering about a particular goal with his head, Kempes himself stated that it wasnt one of his best qualities, not that he didnt go for headers, just that he wasnt precisely succesful at challenges in the air, even joked (hope so ) that he did more defensive use of his head than offensive... So i'd finally like to ask is his jump and head values deserved? Head value which would Be the same of fit pazzo, idk now i dont see it.

Maybe i could find the interview in web, but you people wouldnt understand it anyway

[Diego]

btw here is his konami set in case anyone would like to have it a look

Name: Kempes

Club: ?
Number: ?
Position: CF*, SS, WF
Nationality: Argentine
Age: 23 (xx-yy-1989)

Foot: L
Side: B

Length: 180
Weight: 80

Attack: 85
Defence: 38
Balance: 83
Stamina: 80
Top Speed: 82
Acceleration: 86
Response: 85
Agility: 82
Dribble Accuracy: 82
Dribble Speed: 85
Short Pass Accuracy: 77
Short Pass Speed: 72
Long Pass Accuracy: 75
Long Pass Speed: 76
Shot Accuracy: 92
Shot Power: 83
Shot Technique: 90
Free Kick Accuracy: 80
Curling: 83
Header: 88
Jump: 85
Technique: 85
Aggression: 90
Mentality: 80
Keeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 80

Injury Tolerance: B
Condition/Fitness: 5
Weak Foot Accuracy: 7
Weak Foot Frequency: 5

S01 - Marauding
S03 - 1-on-1 Finish
S05 - 1-touch Play
S15 - Shoulder Feint Skills
basicaly, just from the look of the video, and few knowledge, I think CB should stay, though, I see him closer to the values that konami give on ts/acc/agi and like pr1ha (or jmvp ? ) mentioned on his earlier post, BB. Thoughts?

[Brezza]

Tested and it plays alot better imo.. made him way too explosive. I still think lower response suits his style better so that he doesnt become too poacherish in the box, not sure why Konami lowered his attack from previous versions either. I'd say his distribution and close control were a touch better than what they gave him as well.

[daft_pablo]

Dribbling accuracy 85!! this site is crazy! well on every stat i think he is underrated, but specially on DB Acc and DB Speed.

DA:90
DS:91-92 (he wass full of pace, he was truly unstoppable) both goals of 78 final are a combination between Attcack, Acceleration, control (DB Acc) and pace. so quick that he could dribble in the center of the defence and score, one ability very rare to see now days.

Higher Balance and Acceleration, also. many player who played with him, talk abou his physical strenght and power when running.

Acceleration: 90-92
Balance: 88-89

Attack: 92-94
Technique: 90 at least.
Teamwork: may be increased too. 87-88

other thing: he wasnt a Header player. in many interviews he stated that he didn't head the ball at all, and that was very rare for him to score goals with the head. so that 88 is absolutely false! he score one in WC 78 but it was an unsusual thing.

othe false thing or mith is hat he wasn't a CF! more like a Left AMF or a Left SS. in an ESPN documentary on him he talks about when Di Stefano was coach of [club]Valencia [/club] and in one match (Recopa's final, i think) he put him as CF and it was like, ''noooo! i have to go to the sacryfice!''

[vinnie]

this site isn't crazy, it's vast and undermanned. if you have a good view of a certain player or team etc, it's always helpful... but these petty remarks aren't

daft_pablo, could you show some video examples for the values you suggest?

[daft_pablo]

ok. to me it is very clear in the video by Zouzinho5, which is up there in the main post of Mario.


if you compare it with regular 85 DB Acc players as Rooney or Bobby Charlton, he is way more accurate and aggressive in his running dribbles. watch the video and tell me if he doesnt deserve a 90 on DA. considere the quality of the pitch on those days... to accomplish such driblings was a real amazing stuff.

i think Konami's 94 stat on attack was right, considering he played as an AMF and not a CF. i think a 92-94 stat should be fare enough considering he was very attacked minded, playing only with 2 MF (Ardiles and Gallego), and also could get down to defend and rush the opposition MF's.

[jurgens]

Dribbling accuracy 85!! this site is crazy!

What a fine way to start of posting. Implying that only your opinion is correct, and all the work of others who put time and effort into this set are just... well, crazy!

DA:90

Not close to a 90. Smart player and makes the right choices at the right time in his dribbles, but his control is not anywhere near the level of players on 90.

DS:91-92

Don't see that at all, as fast as di maria on the ball? Just havn't seen that at all.

Acceleration: 90-92
Balance: 88-89

89 balance? I think we had something like that in the past, and it was just bizzare to me. I even question his 86.

Attack: 92-94
Technique: 90 at least.
Teamwork: may be increased too. 87-88

In future before making posts like ^ that, read the site rules. I'll delete them on sight from now on.

This set is really good imo.

[reckless]

I think 88 is a good value for DA, he had impressive control.