Leonard Crossley
Association football goalkeeper
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leonard Crossley (1883 – 1958) was a British-born Uruguayan footballer.[1][2] Crossley, who played as a goalkeeper, made two appearances for Uruguay in home and away friendly matches against Argentina in April and November 1911.[3]
He was one of several foreign-born players to represent Uruguay in the early days of international football, a time when eligibility requirements were more lax.[4][5]
Biography
Crossley was not considered tall enough to play in English football at the top level.[6] He emigrated to Uruguay in 1906 to work as a stenographer for the Central Uruguay Railway and soon began playing Uruguayan league football for Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club (CURCC).[6][7] An innovator on the field, Crossley differed from many other goalkeepers of the time through his "tactical vision", including a willingness to play the ball short and actively organize his defence.[8][6] He rarely punched the ball, as was then common, instead "pocketing" it.[6]
Crossley retired from playing for Peñarol, the successor to CURCC, in 1914 and immediately joined the club's management team.[9]
