‘Burru’ took a deep breath and, suddenly, the applause drowned out the story of Víctor Hugo Morales who resurrected his goal against Germany in the Mexico ’86 final, the one that made Argentina Champion from a screen. of the World for the second and last time. This Monday, the Argentine Embassy in Spain, based in Madrid, celebrated the trajectory of Jorge Luis Burruchagawho on October 9 is traveling across Europe with his wife to celebrate his 60th birthday.
“I am one of those who believe that justice sometimes takes time to arrive. But in the long run it comes. And in our case, sports justice came just as it was supposed to, with the goal of the final in Mexico ’86 ”.said the former player of the national team in one of the halls of the residence of the Argentine ambassador and guest of the homage, Ricardo Alfonsin.
“After three years in which a country wanted to lynch us. We have had very difficult times. They wanted to kick Carlos (Bilardo) out, “recalled Burru, who was part of Bilardo’s squad during the eight years he was coach of the national team, between 1983 and 1990.
“I had to score the goal of the final. I said it, and it is in the archives, that it was my turn to score the goal, but we all did it, “underlined the man from Entre Ríos, who retired in 1998.
summoned by legendsthe largest collection of international football memorabilia to become a museum in Madrid, Burruchaga traced his personal and football career.
He intertwined them, he was honest, he tore his tears and he also confessed what he feels today, when a father with a small child stops him on the street and wants his son to understand that he is “the one who scored the goal. that I said about you. “
“As a supporter of Independiente (the Burruchaga club played eight years, in two halves), Jorge gave us immense joy – said ambassador Alfonsín -. But also, as an Argentine, it was he who scored the goal that it allowed us to win the World Cup in 1986. It was very nice for us in those years of democratic transition to give joy to all Argentines ”.
The president of Legends, Marcelo Ordascalled him “one of the most important legends of world football”.
“Burruchaga was a versatile and modern player who played in all positions. After the 3-1 between Argentina and Germany in Düsseldorf in 1984, with a goal from Burruchaga, (Franz) Beckenbauer said: ‘Burruchaga is a modern player, he is a player of the 3000’. The football we see today reflected the 1980s in a player walking around the pitch, ”Ordás recalled.
And he saved Bilardo’s response during the 1986 World Cup when they asked him, before each match, how he would form the national team: “Bilardo said: ‘Diego, Burru and the others, let’s see’. They were the two who couldn’t miss out on the pitch ”.
Burruchaga, who was also a coach, manager of the national team and sports director of Independiente, spoke more about Bilardo than about himself: “Carlos loved my game, me. He had me as his he fetish-he admitted-. My companions took me. They told me: ‘You are Carlos’s son’. When I had to tell them something they would say to me: ‘Go tell him yourself’. And I must admit that he transformed me. He transformed us all. What seemed crazy, what we thought was unattainable is what you see and play today ”.
He also recalled that his father did not approve of him devoting himself to football. “He was not profitable at the time. The money was fortunately not earned today. But the illusions and dreams were the same – said Burru-. My father didn’t like it. He didn’t want us to play soccer. My mother loved it. That’s why, when I kneel a little in front of the door (in the final in Mexico ’86), I look at the sky – his father died when he was 13 – and I say: ‘To think you didn’t want to’ …“.
In front of a group of supporters registered with the Independiente Madrid supporters club, Burruchaga repeated, with some pride: “I have not played for any other club than Independiente, in the First Division, since 82 to ’85 and from ’94 to ’98 “. Were 266 games and converted 80 goals.
With that team he won the Metropolitan 1983, the Libertadores and the Intercontinental 1984, the 1995 Super Cup and the Cup Winners’ Cup. He also played for Arsenal, Nantes and Valenciennes, in France.
Andrés Bianchi, president of the Independiente Madrid supporters club, handed him a plaque. Burru looked for his glasses and read aloud: “For drinks. For your goal in the 84 Libertadores final in the match that was called ‘perfect’. For your impossible goals. For having returned them all to the foot and for those magical passes. For so many joys and the most decisive goal in Argentine football. Thanks Butter “.
The man from Entre Ríos embraced those who honored him and was moved by an Argentine national team shirt which, motionless and behind a protective acrylic, revealed a small spot on his chest, next to the AFA shield.
He is number 7, the one that Burruchaga exchanged with the Belgian Raymond Mommens at the 1986 World Cup. “It was in the semifinals, the one with the two splendid goals that Diego scored and, in one of these, I was lucky enough to give that magnificent pass that led us to that result and to the final. It makes me happy to see this number, ”Burru said Clarione.
The 7 of ‘Burru’ is an iconic ball, to the collection
“The only shirt I kept was the one from the 86 final. Because this didn’t exist before. We gave them to friends, to those who accompanied us -he admitted-. I have shorts, but I gave the shirt to my mother, who passed away in 2002. She is the only garment I have at home ”.
“That was what led us to a world final that few believed in and that made us world champions three days later,” he recalled.
“Carlos (Bilardo) told us: ‘You don’t make money in the national team, but you will earn gratitude and they will thank you for life,’” Burruchaga said.
And that’s what happened this Monday, in Madrid. Ambassador Alfonsín handed him a plaque “in recognition of his football career and his contribution to the transmission of values through sport”.
Y Oscar Mayeven the general manager of the Spanish La Liga, which supports the Legends project to become a world football museum, also honored it.
Burru, for his part, brought a ball that he put in Ordás’ hands, to add to the legends of Legends: that of the 1990 World Cup with which Argentina played the semi-final against Italy. And he won.
“This ball marked the 1990 World Cup for us. It was the sporting embarrassment, that embarrassment that helps you, enlarges you-confessed Burru-. We all got injured: Diego, Giusti, Pumpido, me … On the day of the match against Italy there were four, five players who could not play, according to Dr. Madero (who was the doctor of the Argentine National Team). Bilardo came to ask us: ‘Are you here to play or not?’ We played, we won on penalties and we qualified for the final ”.
He was at the San Paolo – now renamed Diego Armando Maradona – in Naples. “Diego played with us. Diego, who yesterday (Sunday, October 30) was his birthday, was ours, “Burru insisted.
“Diego Maradona told me: ‘The Burruchaga was fundamental and exceptional’. Bochini told me the same thing. Those who are fundamental and exceptional are those who become true legends, peoples have their name tattooed in their hearts forever and this is the person we honor today, ”Ordás recalled.
The party was drawing to a close and Jorge Burruchaga had already thanked everyone when, from the back of the room, the Independiente fans made their debut with the “We’ll be back, we’ll be back, we’ll be back again …” which grew until Burru, alongside Ambassador Alfonsín, joined, with his arm raised and his eyes glassy with emotion: “We will be champions like in 86”, he shouted like another fan.
A few minutes earlier they had asked Ambassador Alfonsín how much he would give to rejuvenate Burruchaga and see him in the national team who will make his World Cup debut in Qatar in a few weeks. “More than I would give to rejuvenate myself,” he concluded.
Madrid. Corresponding
Source: Clarin
