Julio César Cortés

**Julio César "_El Pocho_" Cortés Lagos** (29 March 1941 – 24 July 2025) was a Uruguayan footballer and manager. As a footballer, he played as a midfielder for teams in Uruguay, Argentina, Mexico, Guatemala, the United States, El Salvador, and Costa Rica. He notably played for Peñarol between 1966 and 1971, where he won two league titles, the 1966 Copa Libertadores, and the 1966 Intercontinental Cup.

He was capped 30 times for Uruguay between 1962 and 1970, scoring three goals. He played for Uruguay at three FIFA World Cups in 1962, 1966, and 1970. At the 1966 FIFA World Cup, he kicked referee Jim Finney after Uruguay's 4–0 loss to West Germany in the quarter-finals, which got him suspended for a year from international football.

After retiring from football, he became a manager. He mainly coached teams in Central America, and was also the manager of Guatemala two times, in 1987 and between 2000 and 2003. He also managed them at the 1987 Pan American Games, the 2001 UNCAF Nations Cup, the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup, and the 2003 UNCAF Nations Cup. At the 2001 UNCAF Nations Cup, he helped Guatemala win their first international title in 34 years.

After he was fired in April 2003, Cortés sued the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala (FEDEFUT) for breach of contract, and demanded payment of part of his remuneration as the national team's coach. The case was taken before FIFA, who in 2006, ruled that the FEDEFUT had to pay him part of what he demanded.

Cortés died on 24 July 2025, at the age of 84.

### Player

- Peñarol
- Copa Libertadores: 1966
- Uruguayan Primera División: 1967, 1968
- Intercontinental Cup: 1966

- Uruguay
- FIFA World Cup fourth place: 1970 FIFA World Cup

### Manager

- Suchitepéquez
- Liga Mayor A: 1983

- Juventud Retalteca
- Copa de Guatemala: 1984–85

- Guatemala
- UNCAF Nations Cup: 2001

- Jalapa
- Copa Centenario: 2005

## Infobox (football biography)

- **name**: Julio César Cortés
- **image**: Julio César Cortés c1970.jpg
- **upright**: 1.1
- **caption**: Cortés on a 1970 sports card
- **full name**: Julio César Cortés Lagos
- **birth place**: Montevideo, Uruguay
- **height**: 1.76 m
- **position**: Midfielder
- **youthyears1**: –1962
- **youthclubs1**: Sud América
- **years1**: 1956–1957
- **clubs1**: Centro Atlético Fénix, Fénix
- **years2**: 1958–1959
- **clubs2**: C.A. Peñarol, Peñarol
- **years3**: 1960–1961
- **clubs3**: Sud América
- **years4**: 1962–1964
- **clubs4**: C.A. Cerro, Cerro
- **years5**: 1965
- **clubs5**: Rosario Central
- **caps5**: 21
- **goals5**: 2
- **years6**: 1966–1971
- **clubs6**: C.A. Peñarol, Peñarol
- **years7**: 1972
- **clubs7**: Club de Fútbol Atlante, Atlante
- **years8**: 1973–1974
- **clubs8**: UNAM Pumas
- **years9**: 1974
- **clubs9**: C.S.D. Municipal, Municipal
- **years10**: 1974
- **clubs10**: Los Angeles Aztecs
- **caps10**: 19
- **goals10**: 1
- **years11**: 1974–1975
- **clubs11**: Alianza F.C. (El Salvador), Alianza
- **years12**: 1976–1978
- **clubs12**: A.D. Guanacasteca, Guanacasteca
- **caps12**: 80
- **goals12**: 4
- **nationalyears1**: 1962–1970
- **nationalteam1**: Uruguay national football team, Uruguay
- **nationalcaps1**: 30
- **nationalgoals1**: 3
- **manageryears1**: 1983
- **managerclubs1**: CD Suchitepéquez, Suchitepéquez
- **manageryears2**: 1984–1985
- **managerclubs2**: Juventud Retalteca
- **manageryears3**: 1987
- **managerclubs3**: Guatemala national football team, Guatemala
- **managerclubs4**: C.S.D. Comunicaciones, Comunicaciones
- **manageryears5**: 1993
- **managerclubs5**: Deportivo Saprissa, Saprissa
- **manageryears6**: 1997–1998
- **managerclubs6**: Cobán Imperial
- **managerclubs7**: Club Xelajú MC, Xelajú
- **managerclubs8**: A.D. Turrialba, Turrialba
- **manageryears9**: 2000–2003
- **managerclubs9**: Guatemala national football team, Guatemala
- **managerclubs10**: Aurora F.C., Aurora
- **manageryears11**: 2005
- **managerclubs11**: C.D. Águila, Águila
- **manageryears12**: 2007
- **managerclubs12**: Deportivo Jalapa, Jalapa
- **manageryears13**: 2007
- **managerclubs13**: A.D. San Carlos, San Carlos