This beast is insatiable. He must have lost count of how many kisses he gave her arms. There, where he has engraved the names of his children in ink and blood. Luis seems to have no limits. It is ratified before difficulties. It seems incredible, but 16 years have passed since that first goal in his professional career.
It happened in Central Park in September 2005. Nacional organized Paysandú FC. The tricolor coach, Martín Lasarte, sent him to the field with nine minutes to go.
Luis had no idea that some of his rival’s players were working. That the defender who pulled the ball that led to his goal had been repairing the windshield all week. He didn’t care. Got in and put an end to malaria. Without thinking that target would be the first in a long list of 500.
During these 16 years, Luis Alberto Suárez has not stopped partying. Often the perspective of the passage of time is lost. But one detail clearly marks the Atlético de Madrid forward’s performance: as he continues to score, those on the pitch that afternoon changed their category. What is the life of those who played that game today, 500 goals after Suárez’s first cry?
Mauro Basualdo he was a defender for Paysandú FC. The week before the game against Nacional, he fulfilled his everyday task: working in the windshield repair shop.
“That was Paysandú FC’s third year in professionalism and we were all players from the backcountry, especially from Paysandú, Salto and Tacuarembó. And they saw what the interior is like, if you don’t work you can’t live on your own. he said in conversation with Basualdo ESPN
The side Joaquin Burutarán, emerged from the River Plate formations, recalled ESPN the moment Suarez entered the field of play.
“They won 4 to 0 and put Luis who had half resisted because he was looking for his goal for several matches and had not been able to take it.”
Until, a minute after they appeared in court, the 9 ended with malaria. “Sebastián Vázquez defected, threw the center and Suárez hit him like a Chilean. I got her with my head on the line. But the rebound was for Vázquez who kicked, I took him back, and there it was for Suárez who scored. his first goal, ”said Basualdo, recalling that afternoon of September 10, 2005.
The defender was marked by history. He says there is no family gathering where he is not teased by saying that he helped Suarez with his first goal. However, his children tell their friends that their father had the luxury of playing for Atlético de Madrid.
“PERCHA”, THE PROPHE OF CAVANI
Christian González That afternoon it was the 9th of Paysandú. The Percha, as he was known, revealed to ESPN that “Suárez was not known and all I remember was that they beat us a barbaric beat. Nacional came back from a preseason in Spain and they came with a high rhythm.”
From that time on, Percha González remembers the friendship he had made with Valery Soné from Cameroon. “He was staying in a hotel and my family invited him to a weekend barbecue at home because he was alone. I’ve lost sight of Valery. ”
But look at what the things of destiny are. Over the years, González became a physical education teacher and trained Suárez ‘partner in the offensive of the Uruguayan team: 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, González was the one responsible for the preparation, as evidenced by the photos that Cavani himself uploaded to his social networks.
Another player who has settled in the land of Edi and Luis is Joaquín Burutarán. At the age of 40 he is an electrician and refrigeration technician. He works on construction sites and also repairs air conditioners. He was recently confirmed as the Salto FC coach who will return to the AUF tournaments.
“Not long ago I remembered Suarez’s first goal and put it on Twitter as one of the losses they gave for counting, because if Suarez scores you, it will be less painful in the end,” he said, laughing. ESPN
THE URUGUAYA MARADONA
With the game 5-0 in favor of Nacional and with seven minutes to play, Paysandú’s coach, Juan Carlos Blanco, sent a certain Uriel Pesce
Who was? The Uruguayan Maradona, like Humbertito Grondona, the former Argentinian coach who went through the national training sessions, had defined him.
“They called me the Uruguayan Maradona because Humberto Grondona, after winning a number of tournaments in Argentina and Brazil, compared me to Diego,” said Pesce. ESPN
On that afternoon of Luis’ first goal, he doesn’t forget some dialogues: “As I had played in Nacional’s practice, when I came in some former teammates, they jokingly said, ‘Now you’re going to turn the game.’ Then Suarez would. become what he became, ”said Pesce ESPN
Uriel was one of those who worked when he started playing that game. He did it in a printing house. He currently owns a pizzeria and is working on recommending players.
Jhonny Melgarejo is another with a past in Nacional. At the age of 17, he was brought to the capital to train in the first team that Hugo De León was technically leading at the time.
“I was on the national team and I had the opportunity to join the Casal group. Through some contacts with Chijane, they took me straight to a preseason at Nacional on Posta del Lago,” said Melgarejo. ESPN
500 goals after Suárez, Melgarejo manages to live. He doesn’t have a steady job. “Today I try to do what I can, I have no work and still play football. I worked with my old wife who runs a clothing store and I lend her a 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 FrontánThe former player, who started Suárez’s first goal that afternoon, works in a butcher shop today.
Some of Luis’s teammates are still active that afternoon, such as goalkeeper Jorge Bava, Mauricio Victorino, Juan Albín and Gonzalo Castro. Others are coaches or dedicated to representing players.
Mauro Basualdo, the man who inadvertently empowered Suárez for his first goal, continues to work in the workshop and is also a hygiene and cleaning supervisor at Comepa (Paysandú Medical Corporation).
Today he is retired and from a distance he cannot believe he was playing against Luis Suárez: “ That afternoon we knew Nacional had fast forwards, but you don’t even think Suárez would become what he is now, otherwise I would to do that. asked him for the shirt and I was going to have it framed. But if you want to send one for a charity, there’s 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 came out of Nacional’s formations and was promoted to the first team at the same time as Luis Suárez. He emigrated from Switzerland to Locarno in 2009 and after a long pilgrimage that included Hungary, Belgium and Bulgaria, he finished playing in 2014. Currently he 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 had distanced himself from football and devoted himself to agriculture and livestock. He has recently resumed activity and is the coach of Rentistas’ fourth division.
Daniel Leites – 38 years old
The last thing known was that he was defending Villa Teresa in the Second Division.
Rodrigo Sebastián Vázquez – 40 years old
He was preparing to become a coach.
Fernando Machado – 41 years old
Alexander Medina’s technical assistant at Talleres de Córdoba.
Alberto Silva – 37 years old
He obtained his PhD together 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 technically the best of all the players Nacional has from the First to the Seventh Division, he has a sensational left leg. 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 at the foot, in a different condition from the rest ”. Totonito as he was known lives in Montevideo, but his activity is unknown.
Juan Albín – 34 years old
Soccer player in activity. He ended the contract with Defensor Sporting.
Gabriel Álvez – 46 years old
He works at a player representation company called The 9.
Gonzalo Castro – 36 years old
Soccer player in activity. He recently ended his relationship with Nacional.
Cristian Zermatten – 47 years old
He is a coach. After retirement, he started working in the lower ranks of Argentinos Juniors, a club in which he emerged as a player. In 2015, he was a field assistant for the coaching staff of Humberto Grondona, who led the Argentina Under-20 National Team at the World Cup in New Zealand.
Luis Romero – 52 years old
He became a coach and worked at River Plate.
PAYSANDÚ FC
Ignacio Bordad – 44 years old
Goalkeeper trainer at Rentistas.
Gustavo Díaz – 46 years old
Coach who even managed 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 hygiene and cleaning supervisor at Comepa.
Joaquín Burutarán – 40 years old
After professionalism he settled in Salto. He is an electrician and refrigeration engineer. He is self-employed and works at home. He was a technical assistant in the Salto team that won the last national team championship. He was designated as DT from Salto FC returning to compete at AUF level.
Gustavo Tejeria – 40 years old
He lives in Paysandú, where he works as a producer in the countryside.
Richard Frontán – 41 years old
He worked in Pili for 12 years until the sanducera company closed its doors. He currently works in a butcher shop where he is a cashier, but if he has to cut back, he does too.
Christian Callejas – 42 years old
Coach, he worked in the Danubio formations.
Jhonny Melgarejo – 38 years old
He lost his job, but continues to play football in Paysandú. Today he lends his mother a hand in a clothing store and works as a barbecue at a friend’s barbecue.
Ramiro Bruschi – 39 years old
Based in Honduras, he played with Tela Fútbol Club of the Honduran club’s second division last year.
Cristian González – 41 years old
Based in Salto, he devoted himself to physical preparation and last year trained Edinson Cavani when he canceled his contract with Paris Saint Germain and took refuge in his hometown.
Walter Kuder – 38 years old
The Argentinian stopped defending Atlético Gualeguay in 2018.
Valery Soné – 35 years old
Cameroonian player whose teammates lost contact.
Uriel Pesce – 45 years old
The so-called Uruguayan Maradona to Humberto Grondona performs various tasks. He is a coach, runs a business and pizzeria, and recommends players.