The premiere of Argentina’s Olympic football was in Amsterdam 2028 with unforgettable duels with the Uruguayans, a “guilty” and an impossible goal

He soccer went through different stages since entering the program of the Olympic Games, fundamentally due to changes in the status of players, between professionals and amateurs, and often in “hybrid” situations. That’s why, comparisons of levels and demands are impossible.

The current regulations – where the concept of amateurism no longer applies – establishes that Olympic football is for under-23 teams, with the authorization of three seniors. And under that standard, Argentina achieved glory on two occasions: Athens 2004 -led by Marcelo Bielsa- and Beijing 2008 -con Lionel Messi, Ángel Di María, Kun Agüero and Juan Román Riquelme who formed a kind of Dream Team-. In both schools he was Javier Mascherano, who has the record of being the only Argentine owner of two gold medals. Before, of course, there were some half-smiles, like the silver one on Atlanta 1996or hard blows such as the premature elimination in Tokio 1964 in an area integrated with the locals and Ghana.

But there is always a first time. And Argentine soccer had its Olympic debut almost a century ago, in Amsterdam 1928. And it was with a silver medal, after the eternal duel (resolved in a tiebreaker) with the Uruguayans, who revalidated the title won in Paris 1924 and which was also the prelude to the first soccer World Cup final, in 1930, the now legendary Centenario stadium in Montevideo.

Argentine participation took place after eight years in which Boca y Hurricane (Argentine Association) played on one side and River, Saint Lawrence, Racing e Independent on the other (Amateurs Association). The leaders smoked the peace pipe, the president’s award Marcelo Torcuato de Alvear through, and the Argentine Amateur Football Association. With a competitive team Selection He packed his suitcases and traveled to Europe for the first time.

The Association appointed José Lago-Millán, native of Pontevedra, Galicia, Argentine athletics champion and prominent physical trainer, as “coach.” Although his function at that time was mainly physical preparation, while tactical-technical issues were resolved on the field. The players were chosen by a Selection Commission made up of three leaders. The coach on the field of that National Team was Manuel Ferreiracrack the Students of La Platalater nicknamed The Olympic Pilot.

The basis of that work began the previous winter, when Lago took office and the National Team faced Uruguay in the traditional glasses Newton y Liptonto later recover the title of the South American Championship in Lima (with Humberto Recanatini as captain and coach on the field).

For the Olympic Games – which were also considered a “World Championship”– Argentina had its figures from that time, such as the aforementioned case of Ferreira. Or the historical ones Luis Monti y Raimundo Orsiwho would later emigrate to Italia and they would be part of the 1934 world champion peninsular team. Roberto Cherro He was beginning to be an idol in Boca. And the Olympic scorer was another Argentine and Xeneize, Domingo Tarasconiwhose eleven shouts in Amsterdam remain a Games record.

The starting lineup had Angel Bossio (RE Workshops) in the goal and, as defenders, Fernando Paternoster (Racing), Juan Evaristo (Palermo Sports), Second Medici (Mouth) and Ludovico Bidoglio (Boca). Monti (San Lorenzo) was the “central steering wheel” and the front line aligned Cherro, Ferreira, Bears (Independent), Tarasconi y Alfredo Carricaberry (Saint Lawrence).

The goalkeeper also played some games Octavio Diazthe defender Rodolfo Orlandinithe steering wheel Saul Calandra and the forwards Feliciano Perducca y Enrique Gainzarain. They shared the silver medal, even without entering, Alberto Helman, Second Moon, Pedro Ochoa, Natalio Perinetti, Luis Wheimuller y Adolfo Zumelzú. Of the main players of that time, and for different reasons, the only ones missing were Recanati and the scorer Manuel Seoane.

Uruguay, with Pedro Gianotti As a coach, he arrived with eight of the men who defended the gold in Paris 1924: Jose Nasazzi, Andrew Mazzali, Jose Leandro Andrade, Santos Urdinaran, Hector Scarone, Peter Petrone, Jose Cea and Peter Arispe. They had excelled in those Paris Games and were applauded after beating the Swiss 3-0 in the final. To repay that ovation, they went around the Colombes Stadium field. And thus the concept of the Olympic return was born..

The draw was much more favorable for Argentina than for Uruguayand thus the path to the final became simple: rout 11-2 over the United States in the debut, 6-3 to Belgium in the quarterfinals and 6-0 to Egypt in semi-finals. The Uruguayans, on the other hand, had to fight against the locals to a 2-0 lead in the first round, then beat Germany 4-1 in the quarterfinals and suffered a 3-2 win against Italy in the semis.

The Argentine debut, on May 30, was a resounding victory over the United States where Tarascone (4), Cherro (2), Ferreira (2), Orsi and Ferreira scored. In the match with Belgium, on June 2, Argentina took a 3-0 lead, but the Belgians tied at the start of the second half. Then Argentina liquidated him. Four days later, against Egypt it was easier and there Tarasconi (3), Ferreira (2) and Cherro (1) scored.

The Olympic Stadium field was in poor condition after heavy rain in the previous hours. It is estimated that there were about 28 thousand spectators, of which 25 thousand paid their entrance and the other three thousand were guests. In Uruguay, captain Nasazzi returned – who had missed the semi-final due to suspension, after being sent off with Germany – but Castro was in place of Scarone, while Argentina did not have Cherro – injured – and Gainzarain was in his place.

On June 10, 1928, with Job Mutters, from the Netherlands; as a referee, Uruguay and Argentina tied 1-1 in the Olympic final. Petrone scored for the Uruguayans at 23, while Ferreira tied for Argentina at 5 in the second half. And the score did not change in the half-hour extension, forcing a playoff matchthree days later.

If these types of matches need a “culprit”, for Argentina the unfortunate Gainzarain was left.. The chronicle of the newspaper La Argentina tells: “There were only two minutes left in the match, when the Argentines were about to win. Carricaberry receives the ball from Monti, quickly passing to Gainzarain, who executes a powerful shot that Mazzali admirably stops, saving with the confident intervention of him somewhat confidently.. In another box, it is read that Gainzaraín “He sent a shot into Mazzali’s hands” and ““It was more difficult to miss the goal than to do it”.

In April 1961, Clarion brought together the Olympic champions in Montevideo Andres Mazzali y Jose NasazzYo. Mazzali said in that note about Gainzarain: “He was blamed for not having won, or even less, the game. I’m seeing him cry at the end of the game. ‘What I did,’ Mazzali says the Basque said, ‘what I did, I have no forgiveness.’ I swear it hurt me. In my opinion he could not have done anything other than what he did. Shoot from where he could and where he could”. That same day, April 30, 1961, Clarion He also published an interview with Gainzarain, now retired: “The scene will never be erased from my memory. What was said about it does not interest me even though it affected me.”.

For the tiebreaker in Amsterdam, Scarone returned as the Uruguayan starter and they formed: The Uruguayans took the lead, with Figueroa at 17 minutes, Monti equalizing at 29. At 28 minutes into the second half, Scarone sealed the game with a shot from outside the area. It was after a pass from Borjas and the Uruguayans made a myth of that play. “It’s yours, Héctor,” Borjas shouted. “She’s yours…” he remained forever.

The graphic qualification: “Scarone takes Amsterdam away from us”. Tarasconi would regret it for a long time: “We lost the final in an incredible way –he said–. The Uruguayans were always lucky in the defining matches. We tied the first 1-1. In the tiebreaker, Scarone scored a goal from 40 meters against Bossio, an impossible goal. We missed the tie. I entered the race and pulled hard. The ball went past the goalkeeper and a Uruguayan defender jumped over the line and managed to take it out.”.