Uruguayan goalkeeper Andres Mazali wore these low-top soccer cleats during the 1924 Paris Summer Olympics. Mazali was one of the best goalkeepers of his day, combining his multi-faceted athleticism with a sharp analytical mind to great effect. Mazali steered Uruguay to three South American championships while manning the Club Nacional goal for five Uruguayan Primera Division titles. Mazali was not only a goalkeeper, but a South American champion in the 400m hurdles and a star basketball player for Olimpia in the basketball-mad River Plate region.

In the 1924 Paris Summer Olympics, Uruguay were the first non-European nation to compete in Olympic soccer competition. Their playing style was derived from the humble upbringing of the sport in South America, based on possession, passing, and the bewitching guile by which stars such as Jose Leandro Andrade, Hector Castro, and Perucho Petrone seemed to keep the ball glued to their boots. Uruguay waltzed – or more applicably, tangoed – through the tournament, defeating Yugoslavia 7-0 in their opening game before dispatching the United States, France, and the Netherlands to reach the gold medal match against Switzerland. Uruguay swept Switzerland aside by a 3-0 scoreline, having surrendered only two goals in the entire tournament, to win their first soccer gold medal.

These boots are constructed of well-worn leather, with white laces still present in the shoes. Seven cleats are attached to the soles of the shoes. The shoes show excellent signs of use, with some remnants of the French soccer fields still stuck on the soles. These cleats are a peerless example of early soccer history. This item comes with a LOA confirming it is part of the Rony Almeida Soccer Collection.

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