The harsh story of the former Uruguayan footballer who played in the World Cup final and is now homeless

It is necessary to position ourselves in 2011 in the The Under-17 World Cup is taking place in Mexico where the most promising young players from each team met. The tournament consisted of two phases: in the first, six groups of four teams each were formed and the two best from each area and the four best third-placed teams advanced to the next round. The 16 qualified teams formed the round of 16 in which the number of teams was reduced to eight for the quarterfinals, four for the semi-finals and finally two for the final. Aztec Stadium.

The two finalists: Mexico, at home, against Uruguay. In the match that before the eyes of almost 99 thousand spectators, Tricolore beats Celeste 2-0. The curious thing is not the match or the World Cup, but a footballer in particular: Sebastiano Canobrathe promising footballer of 2011, who at 17 years old came on to play the last minutes of that final against the Mexicans.

The one trained in Athens of San Carloshe was one step away from playing for Peñarol in Uruguay: “I went with desire and expectation. It was a different moment, I went with euphoria, another mentality. With desire to grow and aspirations,” he remembered at that moment. But unfortunately, a torn cruciate ligament and meniscus broken he cut short his dream.

The months of recovery have turned into years and it is at that point that the person begins to rethink whether it is really worth continuing to try to play football. Sebastiano did it. Curacao received it, more precisely RKSV Scherpenheuvel where his last football appearance was recorded in 2018.

Now, Twelve years after being the young star of the Uruguayan national team, Sebastián is a man who finds himself homeless, due to an addiction, in the city of Minas, Lavalleja department. In recent days the news was leaked by a Facebook user: “He is a young man of 29 years old, who wanders in our city of Minas, he is homeless. Talking to him, he told me his life story, he asked me for help and says he wants to have a job, a place to live”.

In that same publication he added a quote from the player, who asked to ennoble himself as a person and he expressed his desire to play football again. This user called a group to find a place for Canobra to live, a job and find a soccer team where the former youth player would get minutes. “I know it may be interpreted as madness to believe you can help someone who has fallen into an addiction, but you have to believe and trust in the wiles that want to move forward”he explained his action.

A few hours later, that post was deleted because, due to its enormous impact, It came to one of Canobra’s brothers. In the same social network the man asked for respect towards the family: “No one except us knows what we went through and the help we gave him until the last day he asked us for help. Everyone has the right to comment, since it has been made public, but I ask for respect and, if you are not familiar with the topic, skip the comment.he expressed.

In December 2023, the department’s Ministry of Social Development also made itself available to Sebastián and offered him a place in a reception center for people in his situation, but the former footballer withdrew from the center. “I mix it”was the answer he gave.

The latest news about his present came on Friday, when the family decided to travel from Maldonado to Minas to admit him to a rehabilitation center, as reported. The observer. The place where Sebastián will remain will be kept private at the request of the Canobras. On the other hand, the Uruguayan mutual association for professional footballersit was also made available to the Canobra family.