Qatar 2022: Bono, Morocco’s hero on penalties, said he was inspired by a historic Argentine goalkeeper

Yassine Bounou, the Moroccan team’s goalkeeper and national hero after his consecration performance on penalties against Spain that secured their historic qualification for the quarter-finals of Qatar 2022, said he was inspired by Argentina’s Sergio Goycochea

“Bono”, as the Sevilla goalkeeper is also known, was referring to those performances of “Goyco” at the 1990 World Cup in Italy in which Argentina advanced to the final thanks to his saves also remembered in the penalties against Yugoslavia in the quarter-finals and against the blue guest in the semifinals

“Also my regards to Goyco,” said Bounou after stopping two of the penalties against Spain (the first crashed into the post) stating that “of course I know him and his saves in Italia 90 caused a sensation” , he stressed. when confessing who has watched the video images several times to learn from the former Argentine goalkeeper in this type of definitions.

The hero who had a great responsibility in the historic ranking of the “Lions of the Atlas” in Qatar, He emulated Goycochea, who saved two penalties against Yugoslavia and another two against Italy for the advance of Argentina, arrived in Italy in 1990 as world champion in Mexico in 1986 at the hands of Diego Maradona and fell in the definition of the title with Germany, the defeat in the final played four years earlier (which would later be repeated in Brazil 2014)

Bounou, born in Canada, was inspired by “Goyco”, present in Qatar as commentator of the Cup, but his love for Argentine football began many years ago

In the post-match against Spain, the Moroccan goalkeeper confessed to being a fan of River Plate, a club where Goycochea was able to stop, after moving to Atlético Madrid, coached by Argentine Diego “Cholo” Simeone, then joined by compatriot Germán “Mono” Burgos, two with a past in the “millionaires” club.

It was they, he acknowledged, who transmitted his passion for the white shirt with the red sash, to the point of being a privileged witness of the historic final (revenge of the duel they staged at La Bombonera) that River Plate beat its eternal rival, Boca Jrs, at the Santiago Bernabéu for the 2018 Copa Libertadores

“But I’m from River because of Ariel Ortega”, explained Bounou, confessing his admiration for “Burrito”, the old glory of the Argentine club that has been able to play three World Cups, one of which was in France ’98, hence the Argentina said goodbye in the quarter-finals after losing 2-1 to the Netherlands, in a match in which the striker ended up being sent off for heading Dutch goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar

Argentina pulled that plug in the 2014 Brazil semi-final, knocking out the ‘orange’ team on penalties with Lionel Messi on the pitch and a great defining performance from goalkeeper Sergio ‘Chiquito’ Romero’s 12 passes

Destiny wanted the same two teams to meet again this Friday in the quarter-finals in Qatar, after having also faced each other in the group stage of the 1974 World Cup in Germany and in the historic first consecration of Argentina as world champions in the edition which he hosted in 1978

Today the Argentine goal is defended by Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez, another specialist in saving penalties (as he did in the 2021 Copa América in Brazil which then allowed the “albiceleste” consecration), even if he could only face Bounou in a hypothetical final

Of course, for that to happen, Argentina would first have to overcome the Netherlands and then the winner of the duel that Brazil and Croatia will also support on Friday, while Morocco, Portugal’s rivals in the quarterfinals, would clash with the winner in the semifinals. of France and England, duel with a final flavor in Qatar

Either way, Bounou confessed to receiving an autographed River Plate shirt from his idol Ortega and acknowledged that “apparently it brought me luck against Spain”, so if the former Argentine forward asks him for a Morocco shirt , “he would send it immediately.” (HANDLE)