Known as "the Gardel of Football"[2][3] and El Mago ("the Magician") due to his extraordinary skills with the ball,[4][5] Scarone was considered one of the best players in the world during his time.

[4] With the Uruguay national team, Scarone won the South American Championship four times: in 1917, 1923, 1924, and 1926, and the Olympic gold medal twice:[8] in 1924 and 1928 recognized as FIFA World Cup.

[9][10] At the age of 19, he scored the goal that gave Uruguay the title at the 1917 South American Championship, in the final against Argentina, his fourth international match.

[citation needed] Scarone finished his international career by leading Uruguay to the 1930 FIFA World Cup, and although his international career ended that same year, the 31 goals in 52 matches (actually 52, but 21 goals were in unofficial matches) he scored for his country stood until as of 2011[update] as the national record[citation needed].

With his goal against Romania on 21 July 1930 Scarone was the last player born in the 19th century to score in a World Cup final tournament.