A gold in football in Barcelona 92 ​​despite everything

The Spanish national team receives the gold from the hands of Samarach. Agustí Carbonell

Surprisingly, the corner kick was taken by Chapi Ferrer because regulation time had already expired, because otherwise they would go to extra time and there was a hurry.

Kiko tried a Chilean and did not hit it, but the ball reached Luis Enrique, who hit it with his left foot.

Capricious, the ball bounced off a rival and fell, now, at the feet of Kiko, who controlled it and stung it before the goalkeeper came out to lodge it in the net.

It was the culmination, the ecstasy, the last move of the game -as soon as Poland was taken out of the center by the referee so indicated- and the Olympic gold medal, on August 8, 1992, for a Spanish team that had to overcome many adversities.

With everything against and only with football in favor, Spain achieved the unthinkable.

Three months before the tournament the problems began, when the Spanish Football Federation called the team captains (Roberto Solozábal,

Abelardo and Luis Enrique) to negotiate the premium.

Need that was born from the Federation itself because they had discarded the ADO plan and the team did not have a company that sponsored it in the rest of the sports.

“They said we were professionals.

But the tennis players, the handball players, the basketball players..., they were too, ”says Solozábal, who considers that they asked for adjusted amounts and for objectives.

A figure that they rejected because they alleged that there was no money, while they leaked a phrase from the captain to the journalist José María García to cover their backs.

“I told them that if they didn't have money, they should sell a building, but it was joking,” says the captain;

“and sticks fell on me everywhere”.

So the captains chose to dismantle the federal arguments and refused to charge a premium for playing,

Well, everyone wanted to do it to live an experience that they could never enjoy again.

"We said no out of dignity," explains goalkeeper Toni Jiménez, now Pochettino's assistant.

“It is that the relationship was very bad with the Federation.

They didn't trust us, we didn't have an official photo until we took one at the hotel, they didn't give us any facilities…” adds Alfonso Pérez, then a striker.

The tension was palpable.

It was for the coach Vicente Miera, who knew in advance that he was going to be fired after the tournament and had to see how the senior coach, Javier Clemente, joined the group from time to time.

And it was for the players, who noticed the lack of support from the Federation, because after a concentration in Cervera de Pisuerga (Palencia), they were put in a three-star NH hotel in the center of Valencia for a month when they asked to go to El Saler, where the national team used to stay.

"We did not have space, it was not an open space, we were not comfortable," recalls Alfonso.

"Every day we endured an hour and a half of traffic to go to Paterna to train because we did double sessions," adds Solozábal, who soon had another fire.

It was the day after beating Colombia (4-0),

because the opening ceremony was being held and the Federation forbade them to attend because they had another match two days later.

“Being in Valencia, far from everything, we wanted to experience the parade.

If not, what tournament were we in? ”, Exposes the captain, who maintained a pulse with the federations until they put a plane on them, even though they stuck 16 hours on the trip because they took the cheapest.

“The other day I saw a photo of that day with the stadium full and I got goosebumps.

There we were.

Roberto was at the height of a great leader”, adds Toni Jiménez.

"All these setbacks made us get together, make a great group," Alfonso resolves.

who maintained a pulse with the federatives until they put a plane on them, even though they stuck 16 hours on the trip because they took the cheapest.

“The other day I saw a photo of that day with the stadium full and I got goosebumps.

There we were.

Roberto was at the height of a great leader”, adds Toni Jiménez.

"All these setbacks made us get together, make a great group," Alfonso resolves.

who maintained a pulse with the federatives until they put a plane on them, even though they stuck 16 hours on the trip because they took the cheapest.

“The other day I saw a photo of that day with the stadium full and I got goosebumps.

There we were.

Roberto was at the height of a great leader”, adds Toni Jiménez.

"All these setbacks made us get together, make a great group," Alfonso resolves.

That and the affable character of the technician, who was not one for great speeches, but was an exceptional group manager well helped by the famous Ladislao Kubala.

Thus, he innovated with the system of three central defenders for the national team and was concerned with an aspect that at that time was frowned upon or, at least, viewed with suspicion;

he incorporated a psychologist to the expedition, Jesús García Barrero, now deceased.

“He entered as one more, without wanting to impose anything, knowing us.

He was very smart and beat us all”, Solozábal acknowledges.

“He was a phenomenon.

He taught us to manage emotions, to visualize what was going to happen… ”, Alfonso points out.

“He was very productive because he not only listened to you but also helped you”, adds Toni Jiménez.

And the ball kept going in because they also beat Egypt (2-0) and Qatar (2-0) to find themselves in the quarterfinals against Italy (1-0),

first match in which the fans went to Mestalla because to date no one believed in the possibility of medals.

"That game, that victory with a goal from Kiko, was the key," the three expose;

“Because he was a great rival and we realized that we could beat anyone”.

So they also beat Ghana (2-0) in the semifinals and fought for the gold against Poland, a team made for the moment because it was two years without variations and with the impossibility of leaving the country because the employer's sponsorship required it. and patron Boris Korbel.

But Spain, the team of Toni, Lasa, Ferrer, Abelardo, Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Solozábal, Manjarín and company, with a goal from Kiko at the buzzer, won 3-2 at the Camp Nou.

that triumph with a goal from Kiko was the key”, the three expose;

“Because he was a great rival and we realized that we could beat anyone”.

So they also beat Ghana (2-0) in the semifinals and fought for the gold against Poland, a team made for the moment because it was two years without variations and with the impossibility of leaving the country because the employer's sponsorship required it. and patron Boris Korbel.

But Spain, the team of Toni, Lasa, Ferrer, Abelardo, Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Solozábal, Manjarín and company, with a goal from Kiko at the buzzer, won 3-2 at the Camp Nou.

that triumph with a goal from Kiko was the key”, the three expose;

“Because he was a great rival and we realized that we could beat anyone”.

So they also beat Ghana (2-0) in the semifinals and fought for the gold against Poland, a team made for the moment because it was two years without variations and with the impossibility of leaving the country because the employer's sponsorship required it. and patron Boris Korbel.

But Spain, the team of Toni, Lasa, Ferrer, Abelardo, Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Solozábal, Manjarín and company, with a goal from Kiko at the buzzer, won 3-2 at the Camp Nou.

a selection made for the moment because it was two years without variations and with the impossibility of leaving the country because the sponsorship of the businessman and patron Boris Korbel required it.

But Spain, the team of Toni, Lasa, Ferrer, Abelardo, Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Solozábal, Manjarín and company, with a goal from Kiko at the buzzer, won 3-2 at the Camp Nou.

a selection made for the moment because it was two years without variations and with the impossibility of leaving the country because the sponsorship of the businessman and patron Boris Korbel required it.

But Spain, the team of Toni, Lasa, Ferrer, Abelardo, Guardiola, Luis Enrique, Solozábal, Manjarín and company, with a goal from Kiko at the buzzer, won 3-2 at the Camp Nou.

There was no premium from the Federation, but they did take a Seat Toledo for the whole group that they gave to an NGO and also the

, a retirement plan from La Caixa that they have all been collecting as they have turned 50 .

Because despite the sorrows, all the disappointments and adversities, Spain won the Olympic gold.

And yes, they were all at the closing ceremony because even if it didn't seem like it, it was also their tournament.

You can follow EL PAÍS Deportes on

50% off

Subscribe to continue reading

read without limits

Keep reading

I'm already a subscriber