What happened to the life of Julio César Bayón, the forgotten Qatar 1995 Under-20 world champion

Julio César Bayón didn’t hesitate, the sentence came from his soul. Even today, 28 years later, he doesn’t quite know why he did what he did. An impulse seized him when the elevator door of the luxurious Doha hotel opened and he observed the young Raúl González Blanco (yes, the one from Real Madrid), Iván De la Peña (the one from Barcelona) and the coach Andoni Goikoetxea. The scene took place in April 1995, one day before the semi-final of the Under 20 World Cup between Argentina and Spain, the great animator of the tournament, the one who didn’t stop beating. In silence, the four went up a couple of floors until the Argentine reached his destination. “With this team they play very well, it’s true, but the kick you gave Maradona was rude”Bayón told Goikoetxea, that Athletic Bilbao central scorer who broke Diego’s left ankle in 1983. And the 19-year-old Argentine boy went down leaving tension in the air.

“I was born to tell you why in the previous one we had football in mind in Maradona. Spain were a great team, everyone praised them and we managed to beat them 3-0. Let’s get off the cuckoo”Bayón remembers from Catamarca, its place in the world.

It is worth reviewing the story of Julio César Bayón, the emperor. From an early age he played for Defensores del Norte, his neighborhood team, The pilot, there in the heart of San Fernando del Valle. At the age of 15, he made his debut in the First Division in the Catamarqueña League. One afternoon he was invited to audition for Rosario Central: a talent scout was in the area. “First they played category 73 and 74; then 75 and 76, including me. I went first to see the first match and they put me in because there was a lack of people. I was lucky. The test was in January and February I was already living in the Centrale pension”points to clarion.

In just a few months in Rosario, Bayón went from playing in the local league to playing in the AFA. Even if it was difficult for him to adjust. “When I arrived, a boy told me that if I didn’t gain 12 kilos I couldn’t play. I was very thin. In three months, with gymnastics and vitamins, I was able to recover my teammates“, he explains. And continues: “Shortly after Mostaza Merlo mentions me for some friendlies with the Under 20s and then I stayed out of the South American in 1995, already with José Pekerman as coach”.

Bayón’s football career was on the rise. He made his debut for Rosario Central on 12 March 1995 in a 1-1 draw between Gimnasia and Esgrima between Jujuy. Pedro Marchetta was the coach. He played the classic against Newell’s in round 5. That’s where the Teacher salary. And he was called up to participate in the 1995 World Cup in Qatar, in which he played 4 games and won the gold medal. “I didn’t get to physical well and I had to do a lot of kinesiology there. But I had fun. At Central, playing Kily González and Darío Scotto lent me some boots and when we arrived in Doha I signed a contract with Adidas and they gave me 8 pairs. It was crazy”assures.

-Did they win that World Cup well?

-Yes. We had a meeting after Portugal beat us in the group stage and we improved from there. We beat Spain, who had a great team, in the semi-final and Brazil in the final. It’s not little.

-Who were the best players on the team?

-I liked Walter Coyette, that way of carrying the ball was crazy. He broke it. After, panchito Guerrero made a lot of difference every time he came in and nervous Sorín already had a lot of presence, the same as Sebastián Pena.

Bayón was champion again in Rosario and continued to have minutes in Rogue: In total he played 6 matches. The future winked at him. He played in the historic triumph of San Lorenzo in The little giant of the stream with the purpose of Galician Gonzalez. “It was the goal against what hurt me the most in my career because we lost a barbaric prize. I didn’t have a contract and I only received a per diem, plus a bonus for each game played. That day we had an extra who came from La Plata: I lost a few dollars with Gallego’s goal”says Bayón between laughter.

After that brilliant first semester of 1995, Bayón was very impressed by the farewell of Marchetta da Rosario. Ángel Tulio Zof, the new coach, lowered him to the Reserve commanded by Edgardo Bauza. At the end of the year he was released. “Due to an agreement, I had to return to Defensores, my home club in Catamarca. Jota Jota López, who was Marchetta’s assistant, called me to go to Racing. But Defensores asked me $40,000 for let me out and I didn’t have that money” remember the emperor.

What was to come would be the toughest days for Bayón and not just in football. After regaining his footing after a short trial, he closed his incorporation in Gimnasia y Tiro de Salta by word of mouth. But in order not to sit still for a couple of months, he joined Salta Norte to play in a regional tournament. And it happened in a match in Andalgalá the move that changed his career.

“I was fouled and I fell with the ball close to my chest. When I grab it with my hands, already on the ground, I see a kick coming. They split my skull. It was a Saturday. I woke up in the ICU on Tuesday“, accounts.

That injury required more than 12 months of rehabilitation for him. “The people of the club have been very good with me because they took me to Córdoba to be treated. The doctor decided not to operate on me and to wait for me to heal on my own. I still have hangovers: I can’t stay warm for long because the whole area of ​​my skull softens”follow the story.

-Have you ever met the person who impressed you? Did you hold a grudge?

-No not at all. I know you live in a city around here. Once they wanted to meet me on the radio, but for what? He was an older boy and had a reputation for being tough. Already in the first leg, on our field, I had kicked a couple of times.

Life went on for Bayón. After more than a year of recovery, he went to try his luck in Chile and subsequently played for El Porvenir and Deportivo Armenio. Tired of the Buenos Aires way of life (they tried to rob him twice), at 28 he returned to Catamarca never to move again. In his land he has played, among others, in Obreros de San Isidro, Villa Dolores, Valle Viejo, Américo Tesorieri and San Martín del Bañado retired, in 2021, at the age of 45.

-How is your life now, Julio?

-I live in Catamarca and I have been in charge of the Corte dei Conti’s car fleet for 17 years. I drive 6 trucks and 2 motorcycles, plus drivers. I like what I do. I have 6 children and 5 grandchildren and I try to enjoy them as much as possible.

-Six children!

-Yes, and the little problem is that they are with 5 different women. But luckily I get along with everyone. Their names are Giuliana, Ezequiel, Karen, Juliana, Nazarena and Zoé.

-Were you able to make a difference with football?

-I didn’t make any money. I allowed myself some pleasures like buying a car and a motorcycle. Now I’m paying in installments for a house that I took on behalf of the Province. I can not complain.

When reviewing the list of champions in Qatar 1995, Bayón’s name is the one that resonates the least. He hasn’t had a celebrated career like the rest of his peers, though he prefers not to call it successful. “If you compare me with Juampi Sorín, with Lombardi, with Sebastián Pena or with any of the guys, you could say that I have had less career, or that I have had less success. nor training with Primera and that now they don’t enjoy me so much I choose to see the bright side“explains the former midfielder.

It could also be pointed out that Bayón is the forgotten champion. Even if the most correct thing would be to explain that he is forgotten by the big media in the Federal Capital and in Greater Buenos Aires because in Catamarca, his land, the Emperor is always present. “They recently threw me a going away party and also told me they would try to put my name on one of the stands in the stadium. Bicentenary, although I suppose it could also be a political issue”, He says. And he clarifies: “I am the only world champion of the Province”.

Planning to go to a World Cup match? Did they invite you as champions?

-Something was discussed in the group we have, but after that nobody said anything else. It would be an honor for me to be able to go to a game and say hello to Mascherano. Another thing I would like is to go back to the Ezeiza Estate and shake Messi’s hand. Let’s hope it happens one day.