This beast is insatiable. He probably lost the number of kisses his arms gave him. There, where he has the names of his children engraved in ink and blood. Luis seems to have no limits. He is empowered before difficulties. It seems incredible, but 16 years have passed since that first goal of his professional career.
It happened in September 2005 in Central Park. Nacional hosted Paysandú FC. The tricolor coach, Martín Lasarte, sent him on the field with nine minutes left.
Luis had no idea that some of his rival’s players worked. That the defender who dropped the ball that led to his goal repaired the windshield all week. He cared a little. He went in and stopped the malaria. Without imagining that goal would be the first in a long list that reached 500.
During these 16 years, Luis Alberto Suárez did not stop celebrating. Often the prospect of passing time is lost. But one detail clearly marks the achievement of the Atlético de Madrid striker: while he continues to score goals, those who were on the field that afternoon changed their category. Today, 500 goals after Suárez’s first cry, what is the life of those who played that game?
Mauro Basualdo was a defender for Paysandú FC. A week before the game against Nacional, he fulfilled his daily task: to work in the windshield repair shop.
“This was Paysandú FC’s third year in professionalism and we were all inside players, especially from Paysandú, Salto and Tacuarembó. And they saw what the inside is like, if you don’t work you can’t live on football alone,” he said he Basualdo in chat with ESPN.
Side Joaquin Burutarán, left the River Plate formations, he recalled ESPN the moment Suarez entered the field of play.
“They won 4-0 and put Luis, who was half against it, because he spent several games looking for his goal and couldn’t get it.”
Until, a minute after they were on the field, the 9 ended with malaria. “Sebastián Vázquez overflowed, threw in the center and Suárez hit him like a Chilean. I took it out on the line with my head. But the return remained for Vázquez who kicked, I took him back and there he was for Suárez who scored his first goal, “Basualdo said, recalling that afternoon of September 10, 2005.
The defender was marked by history. He says there is no family reunion in which he is not teased by saying that Suárez offered him assistance for his first goal. However, his children tell their friends that their father had the luxury of playing for Atlético de Madrid.
“PERCHA”, THE PROFESSOR OF THE CAVANS
Christian González It was the 9th day of Paysandu that afternoon. Percha, as he was known, revealed them ESPN that “Suárez was not known and the only thing I remember was that they gave us a barbaric beating. Nacional was returning from a pre-season in Spain and they came at a high pace.”
From those times, Percha González remembers the friendship he established with Valery Soné from Cameroon. “He was staying at a hotel and my family invited him to have a barbecue at home for the weekend, because he was alone. I lost track of Valery.”
But look what the things of destiny are. Over the years, González became a physical education teacher and came to train Suárez’s partner in the Uruguayan team’s offensive: Edinson Cavani.
González, who is 41 years old, settled in Salto and when Cavani ended his relationship with Paris Saint Germain, he went to train alone in his country. There, the one who took care of its preparation was González, as shown in the photos that Cavani himself uploaded on his social networks.
Another player who settled in the country of Edi and Luis is Joaquín Burutarán. At 40, he is an electrician and refrigeration technician. Works on construction sites and repairs air conditioners. He was recently confirmed as the coach of Salto FC, who will compete again in the AUF tournaments.
“Not long ago I remembered Suárez’s first goal and put it on Twitter as one of the losses they counted because, if Suárez scores you, in the end it ends up being less painful, “he said, laughing ESPN.
URUGUAYAN MARADONA
With the match 5-0 in favor of Nacional and with seven minutes left in the game, Paysandú’s coach, Juan Carlos Blanco, sent a certain Uriel Pesce.
Who was? Uruguayan Maradona, in the role of Humbertito Grondona, the former Argentine coach who went through national training, defined him.
“They called me Uruguayan Maradona because Humberto Grondona, after winning several tournaments in Argentina and Brazil, compared me to Diego,” Pesce revealed. ESPN.
On the afternoon of Luis’ first goal, he did not forget a few dialogues: “As I had played in Nacional’s training sessions, when I joined former teammates they jokingly told me:” now you will return to the game “. then that Suárez will become what he has become, “Pesce said ESPN.
Uriel was another of those who worked when he went to play that game. He did it in a printing company. He currently owns a pizzeria and works recommending players.
Jhonny Melgarejo is another with a past in Nacional. At the age of 17, he was sent down to the capital to train in the first team that Hugo De León was technically leading at the time.
“I was in the national team and I had the chance to go with the Casal group. Through some contacts with Chijane they took me directly to a pre-season with Nacional at the Posta del Lago,” said Melgarejo ESPN.
500 goals after Suárez, Melgarejo manages to survive. He does not have a constant job. “Today I try to do what I can, I’m out of work and I still play football. I work with my old woman who owns a clothing store and I give her a helping hand. I also work at a barbecue for some friends,” Jhonny said.
Another who lost his job after 12 years of activity in Pili was Richard Frontán. The former player, who started Suárez’s first goal that afternoon, is working in a butcher’s shop today.
Some of Luis’ teammates that afternoon are still active, such as goalkeeper Jorge Bava, Mauricio Victorino, Juan Albín and Gonzalo Castro. Others are coaches or have been dedicated to representing players.
Mauro Basualdo, the man who accidentally allowed Suárez for his first purpose, continues to work in the workshop, in addition to being a hygiene and cleaning supervisor at Comepa (Paysandú Medical Corporation).
Today he retired and, from a distance, he can’t believe he played against Luis Suárez: “That afternoon I knew that Nacional has fast strikers, but you don’t even think that Suárez will be what he is now. , otherwise I would have asked for her shirt and I would like to frame it. But if you want to send one for a charity, there is still time. Here is my address: Charrúa 1137, Paysandú, Uruguay “.
ONE X ONE: What do 500 goals do after Suárez?
NATIONAL
Jorge Bava – 39 years old
He returned to Liverpool after playing for two years in Paraguay, where he defended Guaraní.
Pablo Caballero – 34 years old
He left Nacional’s formations and was promoted at the same time as Luis Suárez to the first team. He emigrated to Locarno from Switzerland in 2009 and after a long pilgrimage that included Hungary, Belgium and Bulgaria, he finished playing in 2014. He currently works as a representative for Stellar Group Uruguay & Paraguay, whose director is Marco Vanzini.
Mauricio Victorino – 38 years old
Stay active, play on the Danube.
Diego Jaume – 47 years old
He moved away from football, dedicating himself to agriculture and animal husbandry. He resumed his activity a short time ago and is the coach of the fourth division of Rentistas.
Daniel Leites – 38 years old
The last thing that was known was that he defended Villa Teresa in the Second Division.
Rodrigo Sebastián Vázquez – 40 years old
He was preparing to be a coach.
Fernando Machado – 41 years old
Alexander Medina’s technical assistant at Talleres de Córdoba.
Alberto Silva – 37 years old
He was promoted along with Suárez and Caballero. At the time, he was said to be the best of the three. His former coach, Wilmar Cabrera, went on to say: “He is the most technically gifted of all the players that Nacional has from Division I to Seventh, he has a sensational left foot. One of his virtues is that, as soon as he sees his partner, he gives him the ball, but not only, he always plays it on his foot, a different condition from the rest ”. Totonito, as he was known, lives in Montevideo, but his activity is unknown.
Juan Albín – 34 years old
Football player in activity. He terminated his contract with Defensor Sporting.
Gabriel Álvez – 46 years old
He works for a player representation company called De 9.
Gonzalo Castro – 36 years old
Football player in activity. He recently ended his relationship with Nacional.
Cristian Zermatten – 47 years old
He’s a coach. After retirement, he started working in the lower ranks of Argentinos Juniors, the club in which he appeared as a player. In 2015 he was field assistant for the coaching team of Humberto Grondona, who led the Argentina national team under 20 at the New Zealand World Cup.
Luis Romero – 52 years old
He became a coach and worked at River Plate.
PAYSANDÚ FC
Ignacio Bordad – 44 years old
Coach to carry the Rentistas.
Gustavo Díaz – 46 years old
Coach who led even Nacional’s first team. His last painting was Everton de Chile.
Mauro Basualdo – 43 years old
He works in a windshield repair shop and is a hygiene and cleaning supervisor at Comepa.
Joaquín Burutarán – 40 years old
After professionalism he settled in Salto. He is an electrician and refrigeration technician. He is independent and works at home. He was a technical assistant in the Salto team that won the last National Team Championship. He was appointed as DT of Salto FC who returns to competition at AUF level.
Gustavo Tejeria – 40 years old
He lives in Paysandú, where he works as a rural producer.
Richard Frontán – 41 years old
He worked for 12 years in Pili until the sandwich company closed its doors. He currently works in a butcher’s shop where he is a cashier, but if he has to make cuts, he does too.
Christian Callejas – 42 years old
Coach, worked in the Danube formations.
Jhonny Melgarejo – 38 years old
He lost his job, but continues to play football in Paysandú. Today he gives his mother a hand in a clothing store and works as a grill at his friends’ barbecue.
Ramiro Bruschi – 39 years old
Based in Honduras, he played for Tela Fútbol Club in the Honduran club’s second division last year.
Cristian González – 41 years old
Based in Salto, he dedicated himself to physical training and last year he coached Edinson Cavani when he terminated his contract with Paris Saint Germain and took refuge in his hometown.
Walter Kuder – 38 years old
The Argentine retired from activity in 2018, defending Atlético Gualeguay.
Valery Soné – 35 years old
Cameroonian player whose teammates lost contact.
Uriel Pesce – 45 years old
The so-called Uruguayan Maradona after Humberto Grondona performs various tasks. He is a coach, runs a business and a pizzeria, and recommends players.