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Feliciano Rivilla
	Rivilla in 1962
Personal information
Full name	Feliciano Muñoz Rivilla
Date of birth	21 August 1936
Place of birth	Ávila, Spain
Date of death	6 November 2017 (aged 81)
Place of death	Madrid, Spain
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Right back
Youth career
	Ávila
Senior career*
Years	Team
1952–1953	Ávila
1953–1954	Murcia
1954–1968	Atlético Madrid
1955–1956	→ Plus Ultra (loan)
1956–1958	→ Rayo Vallecano (loan)
Total
International career
1959	Spain U21
1960–1965	Spain
Medal record
Representing Spain
European Nations' Cup
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Feliciano Muñoz Rivilla (21 August 1936 – 6 November 2017) was a Spanish footballer who played as a right back.

He spent the better part of his 16-year senior career with Atlético Madrid, playing 356 competitive games and scoring seven goals. He won four major honours with that club, including the 1965–66 edition of La Liga.^[1]

A Spain international in the 60s, Rivilla represented the nation in two World Cups and the 1964 European Championship, conquering the latter tournament.

Club career

Born in Ávila, Castile and León, Rivilla started playing football with local Real Ávila CF, moving to Real Murcia from Segunda División at the age of 17.^[2] At the end of the season with signed with La Liga club Atlético Madrid, who them loaned him for three years to Plus Ultra and Rayo Vallecano, with both teams hailing from the Community of Madrid and competing in the second tier and where he featured mostly as a winger.^[1]

Rivilla played his first top-flight match with Atlético on 21 September 1958, in a 2–4 away loss against Valencia CF.^[3] He scored his first league goal the following 1 February, in a 3–3 away draw with Sevilla FC.^[4]

Already reconverted to a right back, Rivilla was an undisputed starter for the Colchoneros in the following years, notably winning two Copa del Generalísimo trophies and the 1966 national championship, contributing one goal^[5] from 24 appearances to the latter conquest. Additionally, he featured in nine games in the team's victorious campaign in the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup of 1961–62.^[6]^[1]

After having Pelé and Santos FC appear at his testimonial match in September 1969, one year after retiring at 32, Rivilla went on to work in home appliance and act as president of Atlético's veterans association.^[7]^[8]

International career

Rivilla won 26 caps for the Spain national team over five years, his debut coming on 10 July 1960 in a 3–1 away friendly win against Peru.^[9] He only played once in the 1962 FIFA World Cup due to a foot fracture, but was the starter when the country won the 1964 European Nations' Cup held on home soil.^[10]^[8]

Rivilla was again selected to the 1966 World Cup, being an unused squad member in England. He also took part in the under-21 side's first-ever game, against Italy in 1959.^[10]

Death and personal life

Rivilla died on 6 November 2017 at the age of 81, in Madrid.^[11]

His grandson, Álvaro Muñoz, played professional basketball.^[12]

Honours

Atlético Madrid^[1]

Spain^[1]

UEFA European Championship: 1964

Individual

UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 1964^[13]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Guijarro, Miguel Ángel (14 December 2004). "Nobleza y clase de un lateral que creó escuela" [Nobility and class of a fullback that set a standard] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 January 2011.
^ "Feliciano Muñoz Rivilla, un lateral para la leyenda" [Feliciano Muñoz Rivilla, a fullback for the ages]. Diario de Ávila (in Spanish). 13 March 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
^ "Valencia, 4 – At. Madrid, 2". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 22 September 1958. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
^ "Sevilla, 3 – At. Madrid, 3". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 2 February 1959. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
^ Pina, Nivardo (21 March 1966). "At. Madrid, 2 – Córdoba, 0". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 November 2017.
^ Vega, Javier (5 September 2012). "La Recopa del Atlético cumple 50 años" [50th anniversary of Atlético's Cup Winners' Cup]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 November 2017.
^ Pina, Nivardo (18 September 1969). "1–3: El Santos, de Pelé, venció al Atlético Madrileño" [1–3: Santos, of Pelé, beat Atlético Madrileño]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 November 2017.
^ ^a ^b Guijarro, Miguel Ángel (14 December 2004). "Nobleza y clase de un lateral que creó escuela" [Nobility and class of a fullback that set a standard] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). p. 2. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
^ "Perú, 1 – España, 3" [Peru, 1 – Spain, 3]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 11 July 1960. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
^ ^a ^b "Feliciano Rivilla, un héroe que cumple 78 años" [Feliciano Rivilla, a hero who turns 78] (in Spanish). Royal Spanish Football Federation. 20 August 2014. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
^ "Muere Feliciano Rivilla" [Feliciano Rivilla dies]. ABC (in Spanish). 6 November 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
^ Martín, Rafa (6 July 2015). "El nieto de Rivilla, leyenda del Atlético, jugará en Alemania junto al hijo de Stockton" [Grandson of Rivilla, legend of Atlético, will play in Germany alongside Stockton's son]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 November 2017.
^ "1964 team of the tournament". Union of European Football Associations. Retrieved 14 May 2020.