Maximiliano Benozzi
07/22/2020 - 9:35
- Clarín.com
- sports
"How are you doing, bo?"
The "Uruguayan" appears as soon as Antonio Alzamendi (Durazno, June 7, 1956) answers Clarín's callfrom his home in Cardona, a city in the Soriano department. And before giving free rein to an entertaining talk, he makes a clarification regarding the commotion that originated from a note in which he said that he would take Cavani to River or Independiente and not Boca. "They will think that I am a millionaire but nothing to see, we are very humble and simple. I said that Cavani can play anywhere but he preferred that he do it in River or Independiente and not in Boca. And then everywhere they put that Alzamendi said he was going to put money to bring Cavani to River or Independiente. No, it can not be. Didn't they understand that it was a joke? They will think that I am a millionaire and I am not. I can't buy a kilo of chorizo, look if I'm going to buy Cavani ”, says Alzamendi gracefully.
Nor should it be taken literally. The kilo of chorizos is also a “joke”. She has for much more than a kilo of sausages and she shows it in each photo that she uploads to her Twitter account in which a developed culinary facet is discovered.
"I have two grills but I like to cook in the tank. I do well with stews, I make meat whatever, pork chops, Milanese as it comes, with empanadas I defend myself quite well, pots come out very good. And what I don't do is homemade pasta, those are from my lady. And I use the grill when my children or my lady's children come. When we are a band, we put everything on the grill, but I manage with the tank ”, he describes.
Alzamendi and his passion for cooking in a tank.
Alzamendi is passionate about cooking and getting together with his family. And life continues to surprise him. As it happened on his birthday, June 7. "They all came. My wife organized and said nothing to me. It was very nice because I hadn't seen them for five months with all this pandemic and quarantine. "
As if he were a rapporteur who gives the formation of a team, he recites from memory the members of that large family: “My children, Marcelo, 42, Damián, 37, Juan Manuel, 34, who works as a teacher in Nacional, and Vanessa, 24, is a psychologist, is working at the Rentistas club and is a fan of River. To my grandchildren, Luciano, Sofía, Agostina, Valentino Antonio (who thank God they gave my second name, heh), Franco Manuel, my other grandson of the heart, Thiago, who is my wife's grandson and there was also my great-grandson Barnabas who is two years old. He is the son of my granddaughter Sofía, who is 21 or 22 and the grandson of Marcelo, my oldest son, who is Argentine. He was born a day before the championship that I won with Independiente in '78 ”.
Alzamendi and a family collage.
"Did I say them right?" He asks, pulling his voice away from the phone to speak to his wife. "You saw that I'm already old and some of them confuse me there," he adds with a humorous tone. And when you receive the affirmative answer, it generates satisfaction. And he says: “I also have many nephews. Imagine that we are seven brothers, I had four children and another sister too, and the others had three each. The band is very big ”.
His wife is Luján Martínez, Antonio's partner for 16 years. The one that surprises him and also helps him with technology. It is that her husband is already making an influencer career. On Twitter she can be seen next to a disc or a grill, with an apron that has the drawing of a soccer field, or on a synthetic field. Also in black and white, with a guitar in hand.
Alzamendi with his wife, Luján, in the farm of the house.
-You play guitar?
-No, no, what am I going to play? I grab it for the photo. Los Tacumontes is a group of friends with whom we eat barbecue, sing, play the guitar. Here has come (Julio, a Uruguayan tango and folklore guitarist) Cobelli who is very famous. I love folklore, I am a fan of Larralde, of all kinds of music, of Los Chalchaleros, I listened to a lot of folklore, also Sandro a Rafael. In the 80s, romantic music played in the concentrations, I am from that fierce era.
Alzamendi and the guitar in one of the encounters with the musical group "Los Tacumontes" of his friends.
-And the candombe?
-Yes too. I like candombe and I love murga, I'm a murguero. It is one of the roots that we have. But look, I'm also a half villain huh. I also like to go to the cumbia recitals.
The cuisine and music lift Antonio's spirit. That spirit that was a little down because the pandemic stopped his work activities that are attached to his house. “I have a lot of place here in my house. We were putting it together with my lady. We made a party room and a soccer field five. With the pandemic everything was paralyzed and now I have authorization to open the fields but I go little by little, with the necessary care. And then I have a big space of half a block, I have fifths, chickens ”, describes the man who scored the goal that gave River the Intercontinental Cup in 1986.
Alzamendi sharing some mates with his oldest son, who is Argentine, and his oldest grandson.
-What did River mean in your life?
-River was great. Entering the great history of an institution that until then had not been the champion of America or the world was glorious. I had been before and it had not gone so well and I thought I was not coming back. But Paco (Casal) took me back to Hugo Santilli. I could not believe that Paco had done that. I came across all those player phenomena who are friends today. We recently put together a WhatsApp group with Negro Enrique, Pumpido and Ruggeri, the '86 world champions. We meet once and we continue in communication. The love of the people of River is priceless. Sometimes they ask me: 'Who do you love the most, Independiente or River? And it is ridiculous to answer it. Who do you love more? Dad or mom? They are two clubs that gave me everything and I cannot love one more than the other. There are loves like everywhere. I have four children and I love them all.
With the Intercontinental Cup in his arms. Alzamendi scored the goal with which River beat Steaua Bucharest of Romania 1-0 in Japan.Photo: Clarín File.
- Your second step through River was the best moment of your career?
-The best for the results but in terms of my football level I have had other spectacular years. The best year is not always when you are champion. I in South America from Uruguay have sent me great campaigns. Then I became champion with Independiente, Nacional and Peñarol. And I get this from River. Being champion of the Libertadores, chosen the best player in America, world champion and remaining in the history of a club like River in which not all who pass are lucky enough to do so. And that people love me and remember me with much affection. I was lucky to score that goal in the intercontinental final and being in history is not for everyone.
Alzamendi and a relic: the key to the Toyota car that he won for scoring the goal in the 1986 Intercontinental final.
- and the one of River was that the best moment in history or is it the current one?
-I screw with that but it seems stupid to compare the times. Those of our time are going to tell you that the best River was that of '86 and those of today are going to tell you that it is Gallardo's. Because many did not see us play. What I have no doubts about is that our River was a great team. And they ask us if we could play at this time. And I ask: could those of today play in ours? Admittedly, our team was formidable. And it bothers me that sometimes it is not recognized because it seems that everything formidable was from what Gallardo did. But we did huge things. And we played in a time when we were beaten everywhere. Today they give you a kiss on the knee and they charge you. What would happen to the VAR today? Five would end up on the court. You had to play with power and be seriously handsome. Today it is played freer, football is more butter (sic) I would say. But hey, journalists sometimes like to shove their spoon.
Family meeting of the Alzamendi
- Those differences that you mark between the soccer of before and the one of now are those that many maintain to differentiate Diego from Messi. Do you think the same?
-You can't compare. I always say that like Bochini I never saw in my life and like Diego neither. Today Messi is the best in the world. And there are other phenomenal players like Suárez, Cavani, Cristiano Ronaldo but I don't know if any of these would be left with so much freedom in my time. Diego was killed. Bochini was killed. Beto Alonso was killed. Rubén Paz was killed. Francescoli was killed. And yet they were handsome and they went out doing wonderful things. When Diego caught the ball, he filmed it. It was a delight to watch him play. The same when I went to Bochini's side. It was as if he had a camera, like those that go above the stadium and followed him when he was running. I was amazed at the things they did.
-And you, which was the one you best understood?
-I got along very well with Negro Enrique, there because of my band. He was a phenomenal player.
Like a good Uruguayan, Alzamendi with mate under his arm.Photo: Jorge Sánchez.
-And what was it like to face Maradona?
-It was very difficult, it was hard. In '86 I think we were also candidates. And Diego himself said that whoever won that match (of the round of 16 between Uruguay and Argentina) could be world champion. And we lost it. We were fine but the organization in Argentina was more stable than ours, with a coach with more personality.
-Today it seems backwards. Can you get to give Uruguay to return to be world champion in any of the next World Cups?
-You saw that in the World Cups a lot depends on the series that touch you and what doesn't touch you. In 2014 we beat England and Italy, we left them out. We are a very annoying country for everyone, we have some monsters. We are here to fight it. I do not know if we will be world champions but we are going to scare more than one, we are going to hit it.
-You were not given a world championship with the national team but you did win the Copa América ...
-Yes, and after beating Argentina with a goal of mine in the semifinals, in his country, which came from being world champion. We were left with blood in the eye of the World Cup match. And then we won a cup that they wanted to win at the time. And in the Monumental. It was a phenomenal thing.
-And Messi is going to be given the World Cup?
It depends a lot on Argentina to stop thinking only about Messi and build a team. Maradona was a phenomenon but it had phenomena next to it too. It was a team. It bothers me when they want to imitate a European team. If they are all our players. South American football is the best in the world for me. What happens is that they beat us in money. But when the teams come together, taking out Germany that is always there or someone who can appear as France did in the last World Cup after normally, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay fight it.
-Did you have done much of your career in Europe today?
-No, I'm an old South American, leave me in South America. I went to Europe to play Logroñés in Spain but I am to the death of South America. I like South American soccer. And if I had anything pending, it was that I would have liked to play in Brazil. I had the chance to go to Flamengo before going to Independiente. And in Logroñés I had a wonderful time, huh. I went with Ruggeri and that was practically the end of my career because afterwards I had a short step through Mandiyú de Corrientes, just four months. I returned 50 thousand dollars and a car to the president because he understood I played very little. And then they asked me for a hand here in Rampla so they don't go downhill. There I played six games. And at the same time I had the pleasure of being champion with my neighborhood team, Racing de Durazno. I name Racing and the Independiente team kill me but it was my neighborhood team and I achieved the dream of playing for my neighborhood team. And there I retired and started my coaching career. And I do not rule out directing, hopefully something comes out. I always have the football bug. If it is not as a coach, it is to be in a role in football. Tano Gutiérrez gave me a hand, recently with an opportunity to comment on a game on television. It is always good to be in football.
Alzamendi gives directions to the boys in his soccer field 5
-And if you played at this time how much money would you have to put in to buy your pass?
- Paaaa ... Imagine what Maradona would cost today. Give me half or 70 percent of Diego. And today I would be on an island like Cristiano Ronaldo, I would have bought it, I would be fishing, I don't know… Before, it took you four or five years to buy an apartment. I bought my first apartment after playing four years at Independiente. Today a million dollars is earned by anyone. But I do not deny. I'm happy. And I was fortunate to have found a guy like Paco Casal who has been a phenomenon in my career, who helped me a lot, as well as many people in Argentina helped me: Hugo Santilli, Julio Grondona, the “Pato” Pastoriza, the group from Independiente, the group from '86 of River, with which I stayed in history. I am Uruguayan to death but I also feel Argentine. I have an impressive affection for Argentina, I adore Argentines.
-Antonio, as you said in one of the previous responses in reference to journalists: Will you let me put the spoon in?
-Of course, bo, come on, take it easy.
-What was the most important goal in the history of River?
-But have no doubts. Forgive me Quintero but my goal was the most important in the history of River. It was to become world champion. Let's see: Quintero's was very important because he did it to Boca in an American final. But there is no one like mine yet. For it to be the same, it has to be in a final of the world. It seems to me. I understand that Quintero's is very strong and that it affects so much because it was an American final between River and Boca. And Quintero is a great player, he plays great. At this point I don't have to go comparing anything, anyway. I know that my goal was very important and gave a world title. And that's it.
Grill ready. Alzamendi and the apron they gave him for his birthday.
Red fan and a very special fan
-Antonio, remember how you became an Independent fan.
-I am a fan of Peñarol here in Uruguay and of Independiente in Argentina. He had a brother-in-law who was an Independent fan and listened to all that formidable team that the club had at that time (between the sixties and seventies). We listened to the games on the radio above the roof of my house. There we grabbed the wave of Radio Rivadavia and there I became an Independent fan. And I tell you more: there is an anecdote that when we played I was Bertoni and my best friend was Bochini. We would be 13 or 14 years old. Bocha was just debuting professionally and I was leaving Durazno. And then they sell it to Bertoni in Italy and I come to Independiente. Do you know what it was like to get to that locker room? There I had my first Adidas ankle boots that the Beto Outes gave me. And I played next to Bochini. They took care of me like nobody, there I was formed and I became very strong and I missed almost nothing because they made me feel like I was at home.
Alzamendi was also champion with Independiente del Nacional '77 that ended in January 1978. Photo: Clarín Archive.
-And what was Independent in your life?
-One of the most beautiful things that happened to me. After having left a small team in Uruguay (South America), having found such a large club, of which I have also been a fan since I was 12 years old, was great. And in addition to the great players there were, Julio Grondona and “Pato” Pastoriza helped me a lot.
-What memories do you have of Grondona?
-Many. His mistress adored me. I remember that I met him once after a long time at Conmebol. And she said to me: 'You know I have a photo that you gave to my lady, signed, on my AFA desk and if I take it from there they will kill me'. And those things are cute. I know his gurises as boys. I was going to see Arsenal with Julio and I remember that I once saw him in Burruchaga and I said to him: 'Bring 8 from Arsenal to Independiente, who is a phenomenon.' I am very grateful to Julio. Both him and "Pato" Shepherd.