La Boca full of goals: Langoni shouts the winning goal Photo: Juan José García
At the Central Norte de Laferrere social and sports club there was a small boy who stood out on the La Liga pitch, located one block from the venue. He looked so small wrapped in that green and white t-shirt because his potential was huge. To such an extent that he has captured the attention of a talent scout. For today, a note was enough in the hands of the right person, his mother Jacqueline, just over fifteen years after that meeting, Luca Daniele Langoni will be embodied in the new star of Boca.
In addition, of course, the injuries of Exequiel Zeballosanother of the jewels of the quarry of The candleand of Sebastiano Villa, which accelerated the process. Langoni jumped out of the Reserve, made his debut on 19 June at the hands of Sebastián Battaglia against Barracas Central, but exploded in two unforgettable matches. It was a magical break-in, with a brace that allowed Boca to lower the Atlético leader Tucumán and a decisive goal for the victory against Colón in Santa Fe, just before the Superclásico.
As if it were a tribute to Sumo, whose leader inspired his rocker father When they choose the name of their youngest child, fans will be able to sing “Shine your light for me”. And the splendor of this 20 year old boy, born in Barrio La Liga, kilometer 24 of Route 3 in Laferrere, illuminated blue and gold attack. Also, the eyes Ramon Maddoni, That compared him to Carlos Tevez for that full power start.
And it changed his family’s life, of course. Because he turned on in the middle of the 2002 crisis. He did not like football, but he loved the boots of the brothers Franco and Rodrigo. His father, who is also called Rodrigo, promised him that he would buy him the same shoes if he devoted himself to the game. It was the push he needed to tap into his potential. It is the beginning of a career that he began to build in the children on board with a great sacrifice.
“He was wounded twice, broke his collarbone, was unemployed for three months. Then the knee. And he continued. He is very self-critical, when things don’t go well, he gets annoyed. But we were always together to accompany him. Lately, we’ve sworn because we haven’t seen him smile. You have left out many things. Many friends have fallen on the street. Basically, he was bred by Boca. The discipline he has is incredible. The race is very tough. When November or December came, we talked to him and wondered what he would do if he was released. Y Luca always told us that he would live on football. The only thing we want with mom is for her to be happy. What is happening to him is priceless “, Rodrigo says with the pride of that father whose chest is swollen from a dream come true.
Some time ago he left his mother’s house and lives alone in Loma Hermosa. However, every time she returns to the neighborhood she creates a stir. It happened in June, after her debut. A large group of neighbors welcomed him with a trailer, smoke and batucada. “I’m not down yet, it’s impressive to score a goal, I never thought I’d score two”, he said after his extraordinary night against the Tucumans. He nor he imagined that, a week later, he would again make his mark on the net against Santa Fe.
Although their parents are separated, Jacqueline and Rodrigo are above Luca. The mother said she fed him on the bus because the journey to La Candela and then to La Boca was long. And there is another pillar in Langoni’s life and career. This is Carlos Claudio Cenci, his representative. He was a Boca midfielder in the 90s. He also emerged from the bottom, he played just 9 games with the blue and gold jersey, but was two-time champion (Apertura 1992 and Gold Cup 1993). He continued his way to Estudiantes de La Plata, Gimnasia de Jujuy, San Lorenzo, San Martín de Tucumán and retired to the click by Casero. Today he is the owner of the Sin Limites Sport Agency.
“He went to Boca from an early age, at the time he played for a while at the Parque. Later, as a child he didn’t play anymore. He was always Boca, a very good boy and family, calm, polite, with mind of effort, sacrifice, with the dream and humility to play. The challenge is to establish yourself and aim more in your career. As a company, it is to guide you in the best way, keep your feet on the ground and work for your progress as a professional and as a person “, says Cenci a Clarione.
Today everyone is talking about Langoni. In Laferrere, the usual neighborhood. In the media, they begin to tell the boy’s story on the covers of newspapers, magazines and portals. And also among former players. What is the Langoni ceiling? Will he be able to stay at this level in the First Division?
“I threw myself right or left, it wasn’t 9, but I scored 80 goals. And this guy has the same ability, “says Angel Clemente Rojas, a living legend with more than 200 games in Boca and five titles from 1963 to 1971. And while playing with his nephews Agustín and Emanuel, Rojitas points out in dialogue with Clarione: “You have to let it be. He is a guy with a great future. We must not be in a hurry “.
For Alejandro Mancuso, who wore the Boca shirt from 1993 to 1995, Langoni is “A bucket of water in the desert”. And he expands: “It’s an incredible discovery. She has given me a lot of happiness. It was crucial for the team, especially after what happened with the ape. It was good for the club and for the intimacy of the team, he was able to decompress a situation that would have been irreversible in the league. And he has that well understood irresponsibility of youth, he plays without pressure. Boca need a player who is encouraged to dribble when the chips are hot and who has appeared with decisive goals. I am reminded of the Burrito Ortega from the 1990s in River or Thiago Almada in Vélez. And now the club has to take care of him, it has to urgently tie him from the contract to the emotional. It’s normal for these guys to have these appearances and then get off. It happened to all of us. “
Diego Latorre, who represented Boca in two phases (1987-1992 and 1996-1998), analyzes: “It cannot be said that this guy is just a wing because he is very complete. One associates those types of players with imbalance, overflow, heads up, but this guy has the intuition. He goes to get the ball, he has the goal in his sights. In two things I noticed: firstly, in the zapallazo he played against Atlético, he defined with surprising certainty in a hot moment of the match. Then, when he’s about to attack the ball, he knows where the attack will go, how to position himself behind the 9, how to get there and have that second to resolve … The perks of the area are a snap. It has an internal caller and is very valuable“.
The sports commentator also detailed: “When playing with three forwards, the goal is usually reduced to” 9 “or some inspiration like Villa. But this guy no, he scores a goal from a scorer, from someone who knows how to stay in the area. Also, has the courage to play, the stage, the atmosphere does not weigh it down … Grab the ball to dribble, live in risk. He has a brake, he is skilled, he changes pace, he goes outside, inside, looks for the wall, I see many conditions for him, hopefully in this immediate world, where everyone seems to be a commodity, they allow him to receive a receipt. He has shown that he is emotionally suited to play for Boca. You don’t have to miss out on the joy of playing, because later more demands will be made, expectations will be higher and you will have to live up to it. He must be helped by the coach to improve even more ”.
For Carlos Navarro Montoya, one of the most important goalkeepers in history xeneize who was in the coordination of the minor leagues, Luca has a fundamental condition. He knows the club very well, he has been there since the days of children and this helped him in the formation of him. Since he was 7, when he came to La Candela ”. And he adds: “Because of his physical nature, he was usually put on the outside, as an outsider, but he has always been an adventurer. He liked to break through in the middle, it is one of his characteristics, added to another also precious as the gambeta, which is the door. He is not a scorer, but he is a striker with a goal. And for someone who starts from the outside for his wing characteristics, it is very important ”.
and close the Arch: “In recent years Luca has added a physical development, but without losing his biotype he is an explosive player, who comes out on the right or left. He has a phenomenal start and, coupled with his personal status, made him settle into First. The road is long, but he has all the conditions to consolidate ”.
Langoni hits the jump and doesn’t want to go down. The duel with River will be a new challenge for this boy who suddenly found himself with Primera del Boca, goals and lights. And that he tries to continue, much more in the Superclásico.
Daniele Avellaneda
Source: Clarin
