Franco Armani is already one of the most successful goalkeepers in the history of football: he has entered the top 5 and is aiming for even more

March 14, 2018 is one of the most remembered dates in Núñez. That day, River won the final of Argentina Super Cup TO Mouth in Mendoza. It’s at FrancoArmani It will always be a very special day because that evening at Malvinas Argentinas he obtained his first title as a footballer Millionaire. Six years later, the Santa Fe native won his tenth title with the club, reached the age of 26 in his career, established himself as the most successful Argentine goalkeeper in history and entered the Top five of the goalkeepers with the most titles in the world.

After lifting the Super Cup for the third time as keeper of the arch of River, the first with the captain’s ribbon, Armani joined a select group. With 26 career awards, he has matched it Edwin Van der SarDutch, legendary goalkeeper of Manchester United and his country’s national team, but who has already hung up his gloves and the Costa Rican Keylor Navaswith a past at Real Madrid and currently at Paris Saint Germain.

Above Armani are the Portuguese Vittorio Baiawho leads with 35, the German Manuel Neuerwho is 32 years old, Italian Gianluigi Buffonwith 28, and the Spanish Iker Casillaswith 27. Of all, the only one still active is Neuer, who defends the goal of Bayern Monaco.

Armani achieved this result thanks to 13 titles (Copa Libertadores, Recopa Sudamericana, six times Colombian League, three times Colombian Cup and two times Superliga) which he won during his stay at Atlético Nacional de Colombia, where he became an idol of the institution, the ten with River (Libertator Cup, 2 Professional Leagues, three times the Argentine Super Cup, one Argentine Cup, 2 Champions Trophies and the South American Cup Winners’ Cup) with River (7 in Marcelo Gallardo’s cycle and 3 in Martín Demichelis’ cycle) and the other three that he holds with the national team: World Cup, Copa América 2021 and Final.

Furthermore, with these numbers, the 37-year-old from Casilda allows himself to continue to conquer a place among the most decorated Argentine footballers. Even though he is far from the top positions, he has just taken over the place Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Mascherano AND Alfredo Di Stefanowho was 25. Come on Lucho Gonzalez AND Carlos Tevezboth 29, Angelo Di Maria (33) e Lionel Messi (43).

Armani has a great time again. And he plans to win more titles this year to continue expanding his personal showcase. He has a contract until the end of the year with River, but his idea of ​​him, in principle, is to renew it to continue being on the bench. “the largest arch in the world”as defined Amedeo Carrizo.

For him “kilos“, as he was nicknamed as a boy, in his native Casilda, getting to where he had arrived was not easy for him. After not being taken into consideration Students from La Plata and a short passage Ironcome to Deportivo Merlo, where continuity could have been achieved. In the western team of Greater Buenos Aires he was a character of the B Metropolitana and obtained promotion to B Nacional. And then came a very important challenge: Medellín National Team He noticed it and took it to Colombia.

However, the stay in the coffee-growing country was not easy for the Argentine goalkeeper. He practically didn’t play, he had a ligament injury and he thought his world was collapsing. He thought about returning to the country, but kept his faith and began attending church.

There he met a person who led him to speak with a medium, a fact that would forever mark his life and career. “An acquaintance took me to see a lady who was an angel channeler. She had a connection with my late grandmother and told me that I would reach the fullness of my career when I was 30. And well, it was like that”recognized the footballer in several interviews.

That supernatural experience had a profound impact on Armani, who soon began to own the bow of National Athletics. He became an idol and his grandmother’s prophecy was fulfilled: before reaching that age he won the Copa Libertadores and became regarded as one of the best in his position on the continent.

Then, Marcelo Gallardo He looked at it and brought it to River. And thanks to his magnificent performance at Núñez’s club, he landed in the national team, with which he was world champion and of which he is still part of the team he leads Lionel Scaloni.

Six years after his first title at River, in the final against Boca in Mendoza, of which for Clarion It was a figure (with 9 points), Armani continues to celebrate. Another Super Cup. The wheel continues to turn and the medals accumulate to continue writing history.