Roberto Alfredo Perfumo (3 October 1942 – 10 March 2016) was an Argentine footballer and sports commentator. Nicknamed El Mariscal, Perfumo is considered one of the best Argentine defenders ever. At club level, Perfumo played for Racing, River Plate and Brazilian team Cruzeiro. With the national team, he played the 1966 and 1974 World Cups.
Biography
Perfumo was born in Sarandí and his first approach to football was to play in his neighborhood team, named "Pulqui". In 1960 he debuted at the 5th. division of River Plate. Perfumo then became player of Racing Club, where he debuted in January 1964 in a friendly match against Flamengo played at Santiago, Chile.
Perfumo's first position at the field was midfielder but he began to play as right back in the Racing reserve team. He debuted in Primera División promoted by Néstor Rossi during a match against Ferro Carril Oeste. Playing with Racing Club Perfumo was regarded as one of the best Argentine defenders, winning the Primera title, the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup. In all those tournaments Perfumo was praised by media and fans as the most notable player of Racing Club.
After retirement, he worked as a football commentator for ESPN and for TV Pública show Fútbol para todos.
Perfumo died at 73 from a skull injury after falling from a stairway while dining with fellow journalists at a Buenos Aires restaurant in the neighbourhood of Puerto Madero, on 10 March 2016.
Honours
Player
Racing Club
Primera División (2): 1961, 1966
Copa Libertadores (1): 1967
Intercontinental Cup (1): 1967
Intercontinental Champions' Supercup runner-up: 1969
Cruzeiro
Campeonato Mineiro (3): 1972, 1973, 1974
Campeonato Brasileiro runner-up: 1974
River Plate
Primera División (3): 1975 Metropolitano, 1975 Nacional, 1977 Metropolitano
Copa Libertadores runner-up: 1976
Argentina
CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament: 1964
Manager
Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata
Copa Centenario (1): 1993
Individual
Diario La Nación 25 Argentinian Heroes: 1998
Martín Fierro Awards Best Sports Journalism: 2009
Clarín Awards Greatest Argentinian Central Defenders of All times: 2013
AFA Team of All Time (published 2015) IFFHS Argentina All Times Dream Team: 2021