Uruguay’s unbeatable goalkeeper Andres “El Buzo” Mazali was presented with this 1924 Paris Summer Olympics gold medal after the Uruguayan national soccer team shocked the world to win the Olympic soccer tournament. Uruguay, the first South American nation to participate in Olympic soccer, then the most prestigious global tournament in the world, stunned the European nations with an incisive and unpredictable brand of possession based, passing soccer instead of the bullish and brutish type of soccer prefered by the physical European nations. 

Uruguay claimed the gold medal with a decisive 3-0 shutout win over Switzerland, with Mazali placing himself between the sticks for Uruguay’s triumph. Four years later, Mazali helped la Celeste complete the rare Olympic double in Amsterdam and solidify Uruguay’s bid to host the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930. Mazali played his domestic soccer for Club Nacional in Uruguay, winning five Primera Division titles with los Albos and three South American championships with the national team.

This offered Olympic gold medal has “VIII Olympiade Paris 1924” etched in high relief surrounded by a high relief etching of sports and musical equipment. On the reverse side is a high relief etching of one athlete helping another rise to his feet over an etching of the Olympic Rings. The medals were minted by Andre Rivaud. Mazali’s name is etched on the side of the gold medal. This item comes with a LOA confirming it is part of the Rony Almeida Soccer Collection. 

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