Andrés Vombergar, the “Slovenian” of Villa Luzuriaga who made San Lorenzo happy in five minutes

“I remember I was about to play at the Tiro Libre club, in Villa Luzuriaga, two blocks from my house. When I was 4 I only spoke Slovenian and the teacher told my old man I was weird because I didn’t. I don’t understand anything, ah. L ‘year later I came back already knowing Spanish and I started “. Andres Vombergar shares his earliest memory of kicking a ball when he still didn’t know a word of Spanish. “It is that at home we spoke in Slovenian to maintain the habits and I learned that language first”, explains the particular story of him the new forward of Saint Lawrencearrived ten days ago and began with the winning goal on the first ball touched when he entered the final against Argentinos Juniors.

His four grandparents came to Argentina from Slovenia as children, fleeing the Second World War. Settled in La Matanza, province of Buenos Aires, they grew up and formed a family. Andrés and his parents are Argentine, but they have never forgotten their roots. Of course, the blond of almost six feet feels above all Argentine: “I’m from Luzuriaga, forget it. There I have Slovenian customs, but I look at the World Cup like an Argentine “, explains the nine who has just come out of San Luis de México.

“My grandmother and my sister over there cook typical dishes there and when I was little I wore the typical costume every now and then”, he says. Clarione on the lawn of the Nuovo Gasometro, which will meet the public this Sunday against Estudiantes.

The last round was his debut in the local football elite. From Free Kick he moved on to the Malvinas Argentinas club and then to the La Marca club, all at Villa Luzuriaga. He later arrived in the Seventh Division in Ituzaingó and, after spending a year in the Inferiores de River, he returned and made his debut in the top category of the C.. It was in Fénix and Los Andes. He played in all the Ascenso series until he decided to go to his grandparents’ country to continue his career and be close to the other side of the family.

Since he got off the plane a few days ago, Vombergar did not stop. He was unable to unpack and Boedo’s heart started winning with just five minutes played and a goal. the Slovenian bomb it’s nicknamed on the nets and quickly became a rage.

-How do you cope with everything that has happened to you since you arrived?

– It’s all crazy. I arrived a week ago. I haven’t fallen yet. I take it very calmly, in a couple of months I’ll tell you what happens, ah. For now I have no drama. Social networks don’t touch me because I don’t even read them much. My family sometimes shows me something, but I try to isolate myself a little from it because otherwise you will go crazy. The other day, fortunately, the ball went inside, but it can happen that he has a bad game and that all the memes turn against him.

-Why did you decide to go to football in Slovenia?

-At that time I was playing in Los Andes and I was 22 years old. I had a good campaign and received offers from some First Clubs. But I was already determined to move to Europe and I had a family in Slovenia. It’s not one of the strongest leagues there, but I also dreamed of playing for the national team there. I spent a year and a half in Olimpija and we came out as champions. Then they sold me to Russia. That’s where the pandemic caught me and I returned to Slovenia. Then I went to Mexico.

-And how is football in Slovenia?

-And look, I was at Olimpija and the classic rival is Maribor, who played in the Champions League. (Mauro) Camoranesi was there as DT. We played in the pre-Champions League, but we didn’t manage to qualify. The level is … The best teams there would fight here for the first places in the First National. When I arrived I was surprised that there were a lot of young players on loan from other major leagues. And there are also bigger players who played the World Cup with Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia.

-And did you join the Slovenian national team?

– I was very close. I played a friendly against China with team B, which was unofficial. I made a goal. It was made up of players who were in the local league and some from outside. At that precise moment I was given the transfer to Russia (to FC Ufa) and I spent almost a month without training, in January. In March it was the call to the official team and the coach told me he was out of pace and the opportunity passed.

– Were you known there?

-Yes, but people there don’t ask you for photos or autographs. This way he recognizes you and stares at you and nothing else. They are more reserved.

-Do they already recognize you here?

-I go to buy Chinese or super close to home and nobody recognizes me, ah. I’m calm for now.

-What does the family living in Slovenia say about all this?

–They are like crazy. Also, I dedicated the goal to my little cousin who is there. The party was for him. He told me that if I scored a goal, I would have to do as Messi once did with his head. He is a fan of Messi. He was given to me and I dedicated it to him.

– Were you surprised that an Argentine team was interested in you?

-The truth is that if. My contract in Mexico had expired and I returned to Slovenia. Already when I was packing my bags they had told me about the possibility of San Lorenzo. At first I wanted to see if anything would come out and I had no intention of returning. But when they told me, I gave up because I wanted to take it as a challenge that requires enormous responsibilities.

-What did your family tell you when you told them you were going back to the countryside?

– They were surprised. They weren’t expecting it because the situation in the country wasn’t helping either. But deep down they were agitated and happy to have me around again. They can go to court to see me now.

-Was going to La Paternal the other day a bit like making your debut again?

-Yup! It was basically that. I was very anxious and wanted to get in because the game was closed. Also, the coach kept me for a couple of minutes to see if I would get in or not. The feeling of entering was incredible, a lot of things go through your head.

-Tell me the truth: did you enter more to take the balls against the last minutes than to attack?

-I do not know. Insua told me “keep your balls, go everyone”. And later, I don’t know if it was so verbatim, but I remember him saying something like “if you have one left, I’ll take it slow”. Luckily Legui (Iván Leguizamón) sent that action to the right and I was left in front of the cleared area.

And what are those things that went through your mind?

-All the things I went through as a child. My parents went looking for me at night. I was going to train at the Pilar, at the Monumental, I got up at 5 in the morning and spent two or three hours in bondi. In the afternoon I went to school and on Saturday to the Slovenian community school. I was missing all of this, all the sacrifice that was worth it at the time.

-The San Lorenzo fan does not know you because he only saw you for 5 minutes. What kind of striker will he meet?

– I’m a classic nine. I love being within the area. I used to play more on the outside, but today my strength is being on the inside and the aerial game. I also sacrifice, I like to run towards the central defenders, to fight. I’m not that gifted technically, which is why I compensate for it with a lot of dedication.

-What references did you have as a child and what do you have now?

-As a boy I liked (Martín) Palermo and the Chilean (Marcelo) Salas. I have been watching Benzema, Lewandowski, Suárez for a long time. They are all beasts.

-What are your goals?

-Before physically recovering to be available to the technical staff. So I want to add as many minutes as possible. I want to play as a starter and score many goals.

Does this presentation with a goal make it easier for you to integrate into the group and fit in?

-Can be, yes. She helps a bit because she enters with her right foot. If I hadn’t gone in it would have been different. With this goal it becomes a little easier. my colleagues told me “what the hell … what have you got”, ah. Everyone is very cool from day one. I found a group with many young people who wanted to work and keep it going. And also the referrals, I have already chatted. They ask me about my story because it also arouses some intrigue for them.

-Do you think you will adapt quickly to Argentine football?

-I hope so, until the age of 22 I played in Argentine football. It shouldn’t cost me. I know there is a different pace here, another demand and another pressure, which is why it will be a challenge for me.

-How do you say in Slovenian “We will have our camp in Boedo again”?

–Bomo imeli spet svoj stadion against Boedo.