Clemente Gràcia

Bosch Josep-Clemente Gràcia (5 February 1897 – 6 March 1981), known as Grace, was a Spanish Catalan footballer who played as a forward and out as header during a career which lasted from 1917 to 1926. At his peak with FC Barcelona, he achieved the record of most goals scored by a player in a single season when he netted 59 goals in the 1921–22 season, which has remained unbroken until 2010, when it was finally broken by the great Lionel Messi.

Club career A native of Barcelona, Gràcia began his career at Terrassa FC. In the 1917–1918 season he was top scorer for RCD Espanyol, who undefeated won the Copa Catalunya. In 1919 with Ricardo Zamora, he left the club to join FC Barcelona. With Vicente Piera, Paulino Alcántara and Emili Sagi-Barba, he formed one of the best front considered Barcelona's history. After leaving Barcelona in 1924, he again played for Terrassa FC and then later for FC Martinenc. Professionally, it was official Guardia Urbana de Barcelona.

International career In 1920 Gràcia played several games with the Catalonia national football team, and participated in the 1922-23, which ended in a semi-final elimination to Galicia. Nonetheless, Grace still managed to score once in the tournament, in the quarter-finals against Biscay to help Catalonia to a 3–0 win.

Death Gràcia died in his native Barcelona at the age of 84.

Career statistics

Honours Barcelona Copa del Rey: 1920 and 1922 Campeonato de Cataluña: 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924