Oscar Ruggeri
, world champion with the
Argentine National Team
in 1986, the year where he also won the Libertadores and the Intercontinental with River Plate, was sincere and expressed his love for the Millionaire, contrary to the relationship with Boca Juniors, a club of which he "ceased being fan".
Because?
The central defender arrived at River in 1985, after leaving Xeneize free, which caused a great controversy in the Boca World.
Despite having done all his inferiors there,
Ruggeri
found a broader panorama on the opposite sidewalk and it didn't take him long to notice the differences.
“
It was the best decision of my life to come to River, I was there for three and a half years and I was happy
,” said the former defender in an interview with La Página Millonaria.
Since in that decade Núñez's team had a better present, the former footballer had to live golden years there.
“They were the best moments I experienced in my long career because we didn't lose, we won everything we played.
It is not normal to be in a club for two years, three years and win everything, it was crazy
,” she reasoned.
Of course, Oscar Ruggeri retains the First Division title in 85/86, the Copa Libertadores in 1986, the Intercontinental in 1986 and the Interamericana in 1987;
Despite having had a good performance abroad, he confessed that “it hurt me when I went to Logroñés”, a club that allowed him to join Real Madrid.
Ruggeri with Caniggia, two of the great team figures that River had.
The big discrepancy that he noticed with Boca Juniors was the level that one club had compared to the other.
“
When I arrived at River it seemed to me that I was arriving in Europe
, and I was not wrong,” he explained, referring to the club's current positive situation at an institutional level.
But it didn't stop there, Ruggeri traced the great differences that the classic rivals experienced towards the mid and late 80s. "
In Boca we painted our numbers on our shirts
, we didn't concentrate, each one went with his car, we met for an hour and half before to play a game, it was crazy,” he said and highlighted that “in River it was the complete opposite.”
Oscar Ruggeri, who scored goals in each of the seasons he played in his career, continued to praise the team he formed with the red band.
“We knew we were going to win, it was a tremendous team on all lines, from the goalkeeper to the substitutes.
Well, if I start naming, there was Beto Alonso at one point as a substitute... Imagine.
On that team we had Nery (Pumpido), I was there, Tolo Gallego, Negro Enrique and Beto Alonso...
We had five world champions!
It was tremendous!
”, he praised.
The former coach of Independiente and San Lorenzo was clear: “
I stopped being a Boca fan and I am a River fan
, I want him to do very well and I want this president to do very well.”
For the first time, Ruggeri spoke as a River fan and predicted what was to come: “I love Martín Demichelis and I want him to do very well but the problem is in the middle.
We are not finding the middle of the court
.”
And remembering his golden passage through Núñez, he added: “
There is missing that River that was ahead of you
and that the forwards could press, that they would not let you leave because they suffocated you, the forwards did not let you touch the ball from behind, you had to throw it and divide it, the defenders played in the middle of the court and put pressure on you.
It seems to me that he is missing that.”
Due to the multiple criticisms that Demichelis receives based on his football criteria, tactical approach and his way of relating to the River Plate environment, the rain of criticism does not take long to arrive in each of the games;
That's why the big head came out to bank it.
“He stood there, he has presence, he is a good person, I love him and I hope he does very well,” he said, highlighting the tough decision to replace an imposing and winning figure like his predecessor Marcelo Gallardo.
Finally, he also highlighted the coaching staff that accompanies the coach and how they accompany him.
“For example, the other day when Demichelis shouted the goal in Córdoba, which was a normal outburst, Pinola quickly hugged him and wanted to take him away.
“Those details are worth it,” he remarked.