La Máquina allowed footballers to explore depths of their flair, establish what it meant to be Argentine, and to do it all in their own way
Tag: river plate
At his best, Enzo Francescoli was as good as any 10 in the world, blending sublime grace with technical prowess. It’s why a young Zidane fell for him
Underrated in both Europe and his homeland according to Diego Maradona, Mario Kempes remains one of Argentina’s greatest strikers
At one point, Diego Buonanotte was talked about as the next Aimar. A tragic accident put paid to those hopes and he’s been rebuilding his life ever since
In a testament to his character, above the tournament-winning goals and trophies, David Treezeguet’s two season in the second tier define his career
“I can’t do any more than this, there is nothing more than this,” said Marcelo Gallardo in an intimate moment with his coaching staff during the on-field celebrations of River Plate’s epic…
Undefeated. That was the word on the minds of River Plate fans as their team marched into La Bombonera on 11 December 1994. Not once in their 93-year history had Los Millonarios won a trophy without losing…
“You’re too young to be playing that much football and moving from home – focus on your studies.” Ricardo Aimar wasn’t in any mood to allow his son’s life to be caught…
Few partnerships in football history have been as devastating, consistent and uplifting to an entire nation as Zamorano and Salas for Chile
THIS SUMMER MARKS the 40th anniversary of when Argentina first won the World Cup, a triumph shrouded in controversy from a time that cast a shadow over South America’s second largest country.…
The trajectories of career paths are influenced by factors far beyond the control of footballers. They could enjoy stable injury-free careers, or they could be soaring high in the stars before an…
Illustration by Federico Manasse When Alexis Sanchez gave Chile an early lead against Germany in a 2017 Confederations Cup group stage encounter, he brought an end to a 10-year record. It was…
Illustration by Federico Manasse The 1980s were arguably the greatest era for the fabled number 10 shirt, especially in South America. The digits are inextricably linked with the fantasista; the player who…
WHEN IT COMES TO SPORT, half the attraction for a supporter comes from being able to have your opinion heard. Our heroes demand respect, and we’ll gladly take on a conversation in…
This feature is part of The Masterminds: 10 Under 45 If Italy is the great training ground for great European coaches, Argentina must be considered its equal in the pressure cooker of…
PRIOR TO THE 2002 WORLD CUP, Marcelo Bielsa found himself deciding who to play in the most advanced position of the field for Argentina. On one hand, an ageing Gabriel Batistuta had…
FOR MANY, 11 September conjures up memories of infamous moments that have been seared into modern history. In the USA, in 2001, the attacks on New York’s World Trade Center; in Chile,…
AS HE SAT DOWN TO WATCH HIS NEW EMPLOYERS register a sodden display at Villa Park in 2001, little could Juan Pablo Ángel have known about what lay ahead. For the Colombian, one…