the memory of the tragic end of Búfalo Funes, who retired and died at the age of 28

The cardiological problems that Sergio Aguero evidenced in 2021 during the match between Barcelona y Alavéswhich forced him to retire as a professional footballer, made more than one remember the story of Juan Gilberto Funes, who lived days of glory with the River shirt, had to retire prematurely due to aortic insufficiency and died at the age of 28. And in this special week in which ‘Kun’ made it clear that he could return to wear the Independenteverything was recycled.

Funes was practically unknown when River paid $400,000 to Millonarios de Bogotá for his record in July 1986. The Buffaloborn on March 8, 1963 in San Luis, had debuted at the age of 16 in Huracán in his city and had then worn the shirts of Estudiantes de San Luis, Jorge Newbery from Villa Mercedes, Sarmiento from Junín and Gimnasia de Mendoza before leaving for Colombia at the end of 1984.

With Millonarios he scored 55 goals in a year and a half, which aroused the interest of River, which three months earlier had won the local tournament and was beginning its journey in the Copa Libertadores, the tournament that had so often eluded it. “This is a dream. Any footballer wants to get to River and I am no exception. I want to be River’s number nine. There are very good players here and I will have to earn my place, but I have great faith in my conditions,” said the forward when he was introduced.

Funes ended up being a key piece in winning the continental tournament. He scored three goals, including two in the finals against América de Cali: the first in the 2-1 victory in the first leg at the Pascual Guerrero stadium and the only one in the victory in the rematch at the Monumental. “I was lucky enough to appear just and give River the chance to win the Cup. I thank the people who trusted me despite not knowing me well and who allowed me to live this unforgettable moment,” he said on the night of the consecration.

With Núñez’s club he also won the Intercontinental Cup, in December of that year against Steaua de Bucharest in Tokyo, and the Inter-American Cup, in August 1987 against Alajuelense of Costa Rica. And his good performances led him to the National Team: he was part of the team led by Carlos Pachamé that obtained the ticket to Seoul 1988 in the Pre-Olympic that was played in Bolivia between April and May 1987 and participated in the Copa América that year in Argentina (he entered the second half of the semifinal against Uruguay and the duel against Colombia for third place).

In November 1987, River transferred him to Olympiacos for 1.1 million dollars. In Greece he had a good first semester, but then he had clashes with the Polish coach Jacek Gmoch. To make matters worse, at the end of 1988 the Athenian institution entered a virtual acephaly due to the arrest of its president. Then Funes packed his suitcases and returned without even notifying the club.

“I couldn’t take it anymore. He was very bad, she had had attacks of hypertension. She couldn’t go on like this. Greece was hell,” she justified. Then he got special permission from FIFA and joined Vélez. “The earth and the blood pull. Also next year the World Cup is being played and I would like (Carlos) Bilardo to take me into account. On May 8 I turn 26 years old, I am whole and eager to play anywhere,” he explained in an interview published in Clarion on March 5, 1989.

A good year at Liniers opened the doors of Boca for him. In the mid-1990s he did the preseason with the Xeneize team in Huerta Grande, but a tempting offer from Nice changed his sporting destiny. And it also changed his life: in the medical tests prior to signing the contract, a heart condition was detected. that thwarted his pass.

“This murmur always came up in my medical exams: in Colombia, in River, in Vélez. At the age of 18, in San Luis, they had already detected it. But the doctors didn’t give it much importance. “I always felt good, strong, with desire,” he told Clarín on August 2. By then, the chance to disembark in Boca had gained strength again.

So much so that on August 9 he played a friendly against Banfield in La Bombonera (he entered for Walter Pico), he signed a contract a few days later and there was even speculation that he would make his debut in a match against Chaco For Ever for the fifth date of the Apertura Tournament. . But Dr. Alberto Gallo, cardiologist of President Antonio Alegreanalyzed the player’s studies and advised that Funes abandon professional soccer because that could put his life at risk.

The last word was had by a medical board made up of Raúl Oliveri, Carlos Bertolassi and Carlos Taquini, three cardiologists who analyzed the case at the request of Boca. The report was categorical. “Mr. Funes suffers from aortic insufficiency and, therefore, the patient is advised to stop all excessive physical activity.”“, considering that he should not participate in highly competitive sports such as professional football,” stated the professionals’ opinion.

On September 27, 1990, Funes announced his retirement. “I really was not prepared to face this decision, but I must make it definitively, since the doctors’ opinion is overwhelming and my life is at stake,” he explained at the Italian Hospital, where he had received the news.

Away from professional football, he participated in rally events in his province and in April 1991 he played a friendly with the Defensores del Oeste shirt, a team from the Sanluiseña League, against Sarmiento Juventud Unida de Tilisarao. That afternoon he scored three goals. “Someday not too far away I will return to Buenos Aires, I will do other studies and then I will surely return to Boca”he was excited.

But that never happened. In September of that year he had to be hospitalized and undergo surgery. It was the first of five surgeries in just four months. The last one, carried out on January 11, 1992 at the Güemes Sanatorium in the city of Buenos Aires (where he had been transferred six days before from San Luis) to replace his aortic valve.

“It had to be operated on, there was no other possibility. The diagnosis was bacterial endocarditis, with a large amount of vegetation that compromised the insertion of a valve prosthesis and the previously placed graft,” explained cardiologist Sergio Perrone, one of the members of René Favaloro’s team who had been in charge of the intervention. . A couple of hours after that operation, the former soccer player suffered a ventricular arrhythmia and cardiac arrest that led to his death.. She was only 28 years old.

Funes’ remains were transferred to San Luis, where he was laid to rest in the White Room of the Government House of the province. There thousands of people paid the last tribute to the idol, among them Diego Maradona, Ricardo Gareca, Oscar Ruggeri and Carlos Fernando Navarro Montoya. He was buried in the Rosario Cemetery in the provincial capital.

“I am devastated, Juan was dead inside, but on the outside he had incredible strength. He fought until the last moment. Now we have to support Ivanna (the ex-footballer’s wife) and Juampi (his son)”, Maradona said. The best player of all time, who at that time was serving a suspension for doping, kept his word: three months later, he organized a tribute match on the Vélez field in which many of the Argentine soccer figures of that time participated. The money raised went to the family of the Buffalo.