Enzo Pérez waited his whole life for a call to fulfill his great dream and ended up as River’s last idol

No need to clarify why it is called Enzo. His father, a fan of River and admirer of Enzo Francescolidid not hesitate for a second about what name to give his son when he was born, on February 22, 1986. Two weeks before, the Uruguayan had portrayed one of the great football moments by drawing a bicycle kick in the remembered 5-4 of the team of the Bambino Veira to the selection of Poland in Mar del Plata.

Born in Maipú, a city in Mendoza, Enzo Perez He came into the world in a humble home, with a family that was “nomadic”, for not being able to pay the rent and having to go from house to house. They even lived in a garage. His father, a bricklayer, had jobs for certain periods. He even had to sell the wedding ring to buy food and his wife pretended to have stomach pains so that the boys wouldn’t be left without their plate.

The eldest of four brothers, Enzo always says that that stage remained very engraved in his head. And perhaps he has been the driving force behind his effort to grow in football and not stop as far as he has come. The ball was always present, since he could remember. He would come home from school, throw away his backpack and start kicking. The passion for River, immediately began to flow through his veins as well. And he always dreamed of putting on the red sash and playing for the Monumental. Also, with meeting Francescoli, his idol.

He met the Uruguayan when he was playing for Estudiantes. He drove them crazy Leonardo Astrada y Hernan Diaz so that they could present it to him. And one day, to a surprise, they did it. Enzo had gone to see his son Marco, who played in the Inferiores del Pinch and the meeting took place, with a photo included. The first of several that would come years later…

Pérez and Francescoli met again in 2017 in River. One as a player, the other as a manager. The dream of that little Mendoza boy came true. But before that there was a long journey, which began at the age of 9, when he started playing for Deportivo Maipú, where he cut his teeth with kicks and stomps. There he remained until he was 17, at which time he jumped to Godoy Cruz.

Al Tomb It came thanks to a selective group with kids from the region that put together the Gato Oldrá, whom Enzo defines as a “football father.” In Godoy Cruz, Pérez was a member of the team that was promoted to First Division in 2006. That year, curiously, he visited the Monumental. The passion for River was always present.

So, after a Saturday match with Independiente, Enzo took the car with his wife, his brother-in-law and his father-in-law and the four of them traveled together to Buenos Aires to see River-Boca the next day. (played on October 8, 2006) that ended 3-1 with Higuaín’s cue goal. They bought resale tickets on the street.

A year later, already wearing the Estudiantes shirt, Enzo would play for the first time at the Monumental, in a match that River won 4 to 2. Sanguine as alwaysended the meeting arguing with Millionaire players.

In La Plata, The midfielder was going to touch football glory for the first time, becoming champion of America in 2009, with Alejandro Sabella’s team., another technician who left him many lessons. That day of the final with Cruzeiro in Belo Horizonte, July 15, his first child was born, named Santiago Enzo. The first was worn by the mother, Florencia, and the second, by the father, of course. “It was for Francescoli, not for me”, he clarified. A few years later Pía would arrive.

From Estudiantes, Pérez made the jump to Europe to play for Benfica, where he became much more of a player. He even went back on the field to play as a double five (previously he played as a right midfielder or more advanced), under the tutelage of Jorge Jesús. Then he went on to Valencia. In between, he disputed the Brazil World Cup 2014, where he had a good performance in the final with Germany. AND I would also go to Russia 2018 four years later. He was on vacation in Rio de Janeiro when Jorge Sampaoli called him to replace Manu Lanziniwho had been injured.

In Valencia, already established as a central midfielder, the most anticipated call of his life arrived. Marcelo Gallardo wanted to have him. And Enzo did not hesitate. He left Europe, gave up money and returned to Argentina to put on the shirt of your loves.

Thus an idyll with the fans began to be born. Which had already started even before, when the player declared that “if I score a goal against Boca, I don’t know how I’m going to react.” Those fans of the red band who saw and see Enzo as one of them, from the stands, but on the playing field. Because if Pérez did not lack something, it was playing with his heart and leaving everything for the colors.

Enzo leaves River six years after his arrival in mid-2017 with 10 titles, among them the 2018 Copa Libertadores, won against Boca in the final at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, where another magical photo was taken with Francescoli, with the Cup in the middle. The last one was on Friday night at the Champions Trophy. AND wins against Bocawhom he also beat in the definition of the Argentine Super Cup in March 2018, and culminates his time in the club with a positive balance in the Superclásicos, winning 7, drawing 6, and losing 4, of the 17 he played.

Enzo left everything for River. He even put on the gloves to go to the goal in the remembered match against Independiente Santa Fe for the 2021 Copa Libertadores, which Núñez’s team won 2-1 amid the massive infections that the team had suffered during the coronavirus pandemic. “Shortcut me, Marcelo”Pérez gave to Gallardo when the Doll asked who was excited in a previous practice.

“I fulfilled all my dreams with this t-shirt”stated Enzo Pérez minutes after taking the Olympic turn after obtaining the Professional League in July of this year. It was a phrase that already smelled like farewell. Against Rosario Central, in Santiago del Estero, at 37 years old, he played his last game with the River shirt and the captain’s ribbon that, after the happy ending, was worn by each of his teammates as a tribute. He received a standing ovation. They lifted him on a litter before raising the last glass alongside Jonatan Maidana, another one who said goodbye. Yesand became an emblem and, for everything he did, he will have a well-earned place on the flag of the club’s idols.. That club that Enzo has loved since he was born.

• Argentine Super Cup 2017.

• South American Cup Winners’ Cup 2019.

• Argentine Super Cup 2019.

• 2021 Champions Trophy.

• Champions Trophy 2023.