“It’s hard for me to move, I have the knees of a 60-year-old man.”

Franco Cangele is a name very familiar to the world Boca. Since his retirement in 2016, the former soccer player continued to be linked to the sport that saw him shine and, in addition, he dedicated himself to other activities such as paddle tennis, a discipline in which he enjoys competing with his former colleagues. The native of Francisco Madero, in the Pehuajó match, participated in a tournament in a complex of fields in Avellaneda along with other former soccer players and reached the final.

The former forward, at 40 years of age, spoke with Clarín about his present away from the fields and the current situation of the club where he was born and grew as a professional.“I’m fine, playing sports and having fun with former teammates, friends, having a good time”. Of course, he left a harsh reflection on his physical state: “It’s hard for me to move, I have the knees of a 60-year-old man.”. Most people tell me that I don’t move and it’s true. “I feel comfortable playing in the background.”

In an environment in which everyone knows each other, jokes and jokes cannot be missing and the former Independiente is no stranger to them: “Here we have a good time, we chat and have fun.” Furthermore, Cángele announced the bet that did with Alexis Blancoanother with a past in Red. “I just finished playing with Blanco and I told him that if he won a game I was going to give him the paddle, so if he beats me I’m going to have to give it to him.”

Although he played few games in Boca, 63 divided into two cycles, his career in Xeneize since his debut in 2002 was positive, and he always showed that he was a different player. Left-handed and very skilled, he dribbled at whoever marked him. However, injuries over the years prevented him from being the great player he was seen to be every time he grabbed the ball. Emerging from the youth ranks of the La Ribera club, Cángele is a wise connoisseur of the Boca World and their demands.

That is why he was encouraged to comment on Fernando Gago’s team, which today has his former teammate Juan Román Riquelme as president: “I see Boca doing well, but they needed to win a title. When you don’t win, it obviously happens that people ask you to win at least one championship a year.”

Taking into account the irregular functioning of Xeneize, he was honest and gave his point of view regarding the transfer market and the additions that Boca must make to improve its functioning and fight for competitions. “It seems to me that, if he strengthens himself well, Gago can put together a nice team, make it play well and if he manages to have a squad with good players, it will do very well. I think he needs four reinforcements, a defender, two midfielders and a forward, but they have to be good reinforcements.”

Franco was one of the 26 participants, including former soccer players and soccer players who were part of a new date of the FUPA circuit (soccer + paddle tennis), which had the former Boca playing as a couple with Luciano Olguin (a globetrotter who emerged in Racing in 2004) and reaching the final, where he fell with the duo of Renato Civelli y Emanuel Rivas. The event was held on the occasion of the first anniversary of La Mecca, a paddle tennis, 5-a-side soccer and beach volleyball complex located in Sarandí, whose ambassador is none other than Javier Zanettipresent at the scene.

The competition aims to reunite former teammates and rivals on the field, so they can spend time together and have fun. “Many years may pass, but when you meet again it is as if yesterday we were together in a locker room. That’s the good thing we footballers have.”said the man from Buenos Aires.

Contested in the heart of the shopping center of Parque Avellaneda ShoppingCivelli and Rivas became champions of the FUPA Gold Cup after a very even match that had to be decided in a super tiebreak. The Silver Cup, among those who were being eliminated, was left for David DroccoQuilmes player, and Lucas Marequewith a past in Independiente and River: they beat the scorer in the defining match Franco Di Santostill active, and the former footballer Diego Mendozaremembered in Huracán.

Group A: Franco Cangele – Luciano Olguín, Matute Morales – Diego Ceballos and Carlos Matheu – Gabriel Paletta.

Group B: Renato Civelli – Emanuel Rivas, Franco Di Santo – Diego Mendoza and Mariano Pernia – Mariano Campodónico.

Group C: Nicolás Navarro – Matías Giordano, David Drocco – Lucas Mareque and Omar Hassan – Bentrón

Group D: Valentín Viola – Hernán Lamberti, Adrián Calello – Orellana, Matías Gigli – Alexis Blanco and Jeremías Caggiano – Pablo Alvarado.