Ricardo Bochini, in Spain: “Young people know me because there are a lot of videos on YouTube, although half of everything I do is there”

Ricardo Enrique Bochini will receive One Club Man 2022 this Saturday at the Athletic de Bilbao stadium. What is this particular award about? Simple to explain, but hard for most players to do. Ang bowl will be known for wearing only one shirt in his successful career as a footballerthat of the Independent Athletic Club.

A story of love, loyalty, gambetas and goals that lasted -on the green grass- 19 years without interruption and the former number 10 achieved everything he set out to play for Pula.

Therefore, the recognitions are infinite. The world champion already has his own street in Avellaneda, a statue and was recently named by the club he loved the stadium after him. But now, from across the lake, they want to too recognize it for him “honesty Y promise“.

Maradona’s idol traveled to Europe and as soon as he set foot on Spanish soil he wrote on his Twitter account: “Very happy with my arrival“In addition, he put up an image that expects the rivalry between Athletic and Valencia to be held this Saturday morning at the San Mamés stadium, when they will award him the prize given by the Spanish institution since 2015 and also knows he figured out how to win Italian Paolo Maldini, Spanish Carles Puyol and Welshman Ryan Giggs, among others.

In an exclusive dialogue with ClarionRicardo Bochini did not hide his emotions. “There are a lot of fans of Independiente. People from the Madrid rock. A lot of people,” he said. And, just like when he was a player, he stopped the ball and thought of the next play: “Tomorrow, I’ll also see a lot of Bilbao fans when they give me the prize.”

-In Argentina, they gave you all sorts of awards, but now it’s in Europe. What are you feeling?

-And … it’s an international recognition. Because I did my whole career in Argentina, but coming from a foreign team was exciting. Moreover, this is the first time they have given it to someone from South America, where it is very difficult for a player to spend his entire career at the same club.

-What do you think you left to football fans in general and why do they love you so much?

-Respect. No one will be charged because you won a game or a championship. Win, celebrate with your family and nothing else. I feel a lot of respect in general for the fan. They love you as a player, because of the style of football I play. Facing, dribbling, passing a ball or finding a wall. One more, because I always play here and they see me playing well against them. That’s why.

-What is the biggest award you have ever received?

-The most important thing for me is my name in the Independiente court. Diego Maradona always asks for it and that’s special to me. I remember how nice he treated me from “Night of 10”.

-Another recognition from an important club in the country came recently. Riquelme invites you to watch the Boca-Independiente match in the Bombonera box …

-It was a moment I did not expect because it was the first time a manager like Riquelme had called me from another club to invite me to the field. Now Vélez also gave me a platelet, but I couldn’t go to pick it up, I can’t remember why.

– Years pass and you don’t expire. Why do you think young people know you?

-Now there are a lot of videos to watch on YouTube, though half of everything I did was there. If everything is recorded, more things can be seen. Now everything is recorded in high quality, but there are great games from that era and games that are not recorded.

-Do you think there are no more players of your style of play?

-There are still some players like this to tackle, dribble or score a pass. For example, Luka Modric from Real Madrid, left hand Bernardo Silva or De Bruyne, both from Manchester City.

-Recognition is for you, but I think by now you remember your colleagues …

-What if. I had great companions. For example, Daniel Bertoni, Jorge Burruchaga, Enzo Trossero, Hugo Villaverde, Néstor Clausen, Miguel Ángel Santoro, Ricardo Pavoni, Norberto Outes and Antonio Alzamendi. And much more…

-Surprisingly, the only game you played against Athletic Bilbao, a friendly one that finished 0-0 in 1985, you were sent off …

-I don’t really remember the eviction. I think they beat me and two or three times I protested to the referee and they warned me. Then they fired me. This is a strange thing because you usually don’t get fired with a sociable.

What is “One Club Man”

Why is Athletic Club de Bilbao responsible for paying tribute to Bochini? This team is responsible for awarding ‘One Club Man’ to footballers who have shone throughout their careers at the same club. The award was born in 2015 and considers these values ​​as its own, to which it added honesty, promise, responsibility, being playful Y respect.

President Aitor Elizegi personally called Bochini to announce that he was elected a few days ago. This way, the Zárate native will return to the pitch in San Mamés this Saturday, where he only played once, a friendly with Independiente that ended 0-0. “Bocha” is the figure, but surprisingly he was expelled in that fight due to the accumulation of yellow cards.

At the awards ceremony this Saturday, along with the Argentine, will be German Jennifer Zietz, 38, who will receive One Woman Club for her extensive career at FCC Turbine Potsdam, a historic women’s football club in the town of Potsdam, near Berlin.

Bochini has had a successful career as a footballer for Pula in the 70’s and 80’s where he won at Intercontinental Cup twice (1973 and 1984) and the Copa Libertadores four times (1973, 1974, 1975 and 1984). His numbers transformed him as the highest idol of the Avellaneda institution. He played 714 games between 1972 and 1991, scoring 108 goals and rising to 13 titles in total.

His official retirement: on May 5, 1991 when the Independiente welcomed the Estudiantes de La Plata to their stadium. Bocha is 37 years old, but the magic is intact. The same magic that is now recognizable in the territory of Spain.