# Leopoldo Luque

Leopoldo Jacinto Luque (Spanish pronunciation:; (3 May 1949 – 15 February 2021) was an Argentine professional footballer who played as a striker.

## Club career

In a career spanning from 1972 to 1984 he played for Unión de Santa Fe, Rosario Central, River Plate, Racing Club de Avellaneda and Chacarita Juniors.
On 22 February 1976, Luque scored all five goals in a game in which his team, River Plate, defeated San Lorenzo de Almagro 5–1.

## International career

With Argentina he was 1978 World Champion, scoring four goals in the tournament, including a spectacular long distance volley against France during the first round. During that tournament, his younger brother Oscar died in a traffic accident on the day that Argentina played against France. He also seriously injured his left elbow in the match against France, the second game of that championship, forcing him to miss two matches. He was back for the last three matches of the tournament, including the final against the Netherlands.

## Later life and death

Luque was sports secretary of Mendoza Province.
In February 2007, Luque suffered a heart attack from which he recovered. He died from COVID-19 on 15 February 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina.

## Career statistics
### Club

Appearances and goals by season and competition :
| League | League | League | Continental | Continental | Total | Total |
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Primera División | 261 | 100 | 31 | 9 | 292 | 109 |

### FIFA World Cup statistics

| | Apps | Goals | Result |
| 1978 FIFA World Cup | 5 | 4 | Champions |

### International goals

    Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Luque goal.
List of international goals scored by Leopoldo Luque :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 3 August 1975 | Estadio Olímpico, Caracas, Venezuela | Venezuela | 1–0 | 5–1 | 1975 Copa América |
| 2 | 3 August 1975 | Estadio Olímpico, Caracas, Venezuela | Venezuela | 3–1 | 5–1 | 1975 Copa América |
| 3 | 3 August 1975 | Estadio Olímpico, Caracas, Venezuela | Venezuela | 4–1 | 5–1 | 1975 Copa América |
| 4 | 10 August 1975 | Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario, Argentina | Venezuela | 11–0 | 11–0 | 1975 Copa América |
| 5 | 8 April 1976 | José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Uruguay | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1976 Copa del Atlántico |
| 6 | 9 June 1976 | Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay | Uruguay | 1–0 | 3–0 | 1976 Copa del Atlántico |
| 7 | 27 February 1977 | Estadio Boca Juniors, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Hungary | 3–0 | 5–1 | Friendly |
| 8 | 27 February 1977 | Estadio Boca Juniors, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Hungary | 5–0 | 5–1 | Friendly |
| 9 | 29 May 1977 | Estadio Boca Juniors, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Poland | 2–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 10 | 24 August 1977 | Estadio Boca Juniors, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Paraguay | 1–0 | 3–0 | Copa Félix Bogado |
| 11 | 24 August 1977 | Estadio Boca Juniors, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Paraguay | 2–0 | 3–0 | Copa Félix Bogado |
| 12 | 23 March 1978 | Estadio Nacional de Lima, Lima, Peru | Peru | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1978 Copa Ramón Castilla |
| 13 | 19 April 1978 | Estadio Boca Juniors, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Republic of Ireland | 3–? | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 14 | 3 May 1978 | Estadio Boca Juniors, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Uruguay | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 5 | 2 June 1978 | Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | Hungary | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1978 FIFA World Cup |
| 16 | 6 June 1978 | Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | France | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1978 FIFA World Cup |
| 17 | 21 June 1978 | Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario, Argentina | Peru | 4–0 | 6–0 | 1978 FIFA World Cup |
| 18 | 21 June 1978 | Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario, Argentina | Peru | 6–0 | 6–0 | 1978 FIFA World Cup |
| 19 | 2 June 1979 | Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland | Scotland | 1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 20 | 2 June 1979 | Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland | Scotland | 2–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 21 | 21 May 1980 | Praterstadion, Vienna, Austria | Austria | 2–0 | 5–1 | Friendly |
| 22 | 16 December 1980 | Estadio Olímpico de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina | Switzerland | 2–0 | 5–0 | Friendly |

## Honours
### Club

River Plate
* Primera División: 1975 Nacional, 1977 Metropolitano, 1979 Metropolitano, 1979 Nacional, 1980 Metropolitano
* Copa Libertadores Runner-up: 1976

### International

Argentina
* FIFA World Cup: 1978

### Individual

* Copa América Top Scorer: 1975