Lorenzo Luchino, the only ‘foreigner’ and guardian of the illusion of the Under 17 national team: “I wouldn’t change Argentina for anything”

The cases of Argentine footballers who are part of the diaspora of the early 2000s, and who had to grow abroad, are increasingly constant. Lorenzo Lucinogoalkeeper recently called up to the Argentina Under 17 national team to play the South American Championship in Peru which will start this Friday, It is one more but, at the same time, different. Because the young goalkeeper, just 17, is the only one that comes from European football and protagonist of a particular story.

The Spanish melody is notated in its first word. And it makes sense. when dealing with clarion Before the trip to the Inca lands, the first thing he wants is to tell about his career, how he got this call to the national team, the feeling of meeting the world champions in Qatar 2022 and many other things.

Generally in youth teams it is not very common that there are players who play abroad. In fact he is the only one of the 23 called up by Diego Placente to have this condition. Even if they are older, Nicholas Paz AND Alexander Garnacho They may be a recent story of players having the option of opting for the Spain national team, but all the guns would be pointing at them dressed in blue and white.

The most recent story of a player who has played abroad with a South American Under 17 is that of Benjamin Garrénephew of Oscar Garré, world champion with the Argentina national team in 1986. In 2017, Garré was a Manchester City player and was called up for the youth tournament that took place in Chile.

But let’s go back to Luchino, goalkeeper in the 2006 category. He was born in Córdoba, more precisely in Río Cuarto, and has been living in Europe with his family for some years. His first steps were Rio Cuarto students -the club he comes from Paul Aimar-, But for work reasons the parents have decided to go to work abroad.

“I spent 4 or 5 years at Estudiantes de Río Cuarto and I started as a goalkeeper. I didn’t go to Spain for football reasons. In Spain I started playing in academies and small clubs. At first it was like going on vacation and coming back, but at 8 or 9 I went to live permanently”, detailed.

Although he had already been summoned on other occasions, this occasion filled his chest, filled him with happiness, but also surprised him. In a certain sense he knew he was on the radar, even if he didn’t imagine the call-up for the South American tournament. “It took me a bit by surprise because obviously you don’t expect something that big. I was having a good run at Sevilla and suddenly there was a call-up and a call. I discovered it and it was very nice”he counted between smiles.

On the eve of his debut this Friday against Venezuela, he said he was very well received by both his teammates and the coaching staff led by Diego Placente. “They welcomed me very well. I think they couldn’t have received me better. I expected a little more courage, but there were ten of my teammates and coaching staff. They welcomed me very well, they welcomed me, it was fantastic “he expressed.

On the other hand, he said that the preparation has been very good and underlined that Placente has the task of giving confidence to the group: “Diego Placente and the coaching staff are giving us confidence to play and a lot of encouragement to the group. We are eager to play and start with everything”.

His arrival at Sevilla dates back to a few months ago. He used to go around some amateur clubs and it was at Puerto Malagueño, which, according to him, is one of the biggest clubs in Malaga. But, despite the short time spent with Sevilla, he has already had some contact with the first team and, in fact, had the opportunity to share training sessions with other Argentine players :.

“I’ve already done about 4 or 5 workouts with the first one and I didn’t expect it either. When I went there, there were Papu Gómez, Lamela, Acuña, Ocampos, Isco. It was really great”claimed.

Obviously his goals are to be able to make his debut in Seville and reach the goal of the Argentina national team, but he is aware that he is taking his first steps and that he still has a long way to go. “My goal, like every boy, is to make my debut with the Argentina national team and first with Sevilla. I hope it will be given to me. Obviously I’m very young and I still have a lot of career left, but the truth would be beautiful.”revealed.

But the possibility of a call-up for the Spanish team also appears on the horizon. Even if his posture seems to be aligned with his dream.

-Did they call you from Spain?

-No not yet.

-In any case, is the dream to face for the Argentine national team?

-Obviously, I don’t really change it for anything. My classmates always jokingly asked me if I preferred Spain or Argentina, but since I was a little girl I always said that I would choose Argentina because my parents raised me that way.

An example of the feeling he has for Argentina is reflected in the way he experienced the coronation of the team led by Lionel Scaloni in the lands of Qatar. “He It was beautiful. He shouted it as if he were in Argentina. There was another Argentine and we were very happy,” he said about the way he lived getting the third star.

To know him a little more about his style, it is necessary to know that he has an excellent poise, as he measures 1.90, and that he has defined that “one on one” is his greatest strength under the three sticks. His biggest reference in his position is Yassine Bounou, the Sevilla goalkeeper, but when he was consulted by an Argentine goalkeeper he didn’t hesitate. “Dibu Martínez is, of course, my Argentinian point of reference.”

Speeding up processes often ends up, as they say in football jargon, burning the youngest. This is why Luchino’s evolution must be done little by little and with the knowledge that he still has a lot of experience to do. A priori, the South American will be the first competition he will play with the Argentine national team and, therefore, the first opportunity he will have to show himself to the fans.