Gabriel Bordi and his “D” Day: the three goals against Chicago with All Boys

The same thing has happened every March 20 since 1999. The cell phone rings and the voice of a fan or a journalist forces us to Gabriel Miguel Bordi to remember. “There are always moments that mark. They are of joy and of difficulty. I prefer to choose a very happy moment. It was that classic with Nueva Chicago, in 1999 and that I lived with All Boys. We won 3-0 and I had to score all three goals. It was a very beautiful moment for the fans. In a classic those things are marked. And after 20 years they keep reminding me of it. It is something very beautiful that I remember with great joy. I still feel proud to have made so many people happy at that time “recalled the 45-year-old from Cordoba when World D, proposed the choice of the D-Day of his career.

Bordi, who had appeared at Racing de Nueva Italia in 1994 and had passed through the Institute, chose “the” moment that made him go down in history for the Mundo All Boys and that changed his life: a few months later, he bought it the then top representative Gustavo Mascardi, and took him to Napoli in Italy, where Maradona had left the door open for all Argentines. He could barely play a few minutes and, the following year, he returned to the country to play for Quilmes, a club with which he played several finals to promote.

However, he soon returned to the Old World to play for Sporting Braga de Portugal (twice) and several clubs of the Spanish ascent, before returning to Racing in 2011 to retire shortly after.

“It was a very happy moment. I remained in the memory of the fan. At that time I was a National B scorer. It is a feeling that cannot be explained. There are games that mark the life of an athlete like that,” added Bordi, who he scored 38 goals in 73 games for the Floresta club. Yes, more than half a goal per game.

That day, the Cordovan showed all the power and opportunism to be able three times. In the 1-0, Cristian Yriarte’s mark held his back, he threw the wall with Fernando Sánchez whose shot opened his hands to César Labarre and, on the rebound, he sent it inside. In the 2-0, Pizzaro executed a free kick from the right and Bordi sent it inside in the small area and at the end of the first half, he received from Maximiliano Castano and made the pass to the net for the final 3-0.

There would be no other day like this so beautiful for Bordi. He had become a National B scorer on a team that had really backed him. To the aforementioned Sánchez, Pizarro and Castano it was necessary to add Sergio “Checho” Batista -world champion in 1986- and his brother Fernando -today DT of the juveniles-.

“That day I wanted to share it with the people I loved. With my family. It was a very special day. When you are happy you want to share it. One is aware and remembers all the efforts that were made to reach that moment. The small goals that were they were getting celebrated. It was not easy. You always need effort and a bit of fortune, “reflected Bordi.

Now that the pandemic is on, Bordi found the times to remember some parts of his playing career. He took back the pasta factory he had when he was a player, the family joined in and the customers returned. And with them, the questions about that game, his past for Racing and for Napoli. The return to football also allowed him to regain his role as a coach.

-Already at the time of the Institute you were always seen carrying some boxes to practice?

-That’s how it went. What a good group it was. Then, he was put aside to continue with football. Now, with the confinement that stopped everything, we went back to the factory. I restarted it after several years. I had the support of my family to do what one wants and likes, always. It was nice. Currently, I became a Atalaya coach. I’m in the fourth division. I thank Piero Foglia and the people at the club for the opportunity. I’ve known him my whole life. I trained when I was a player. I know where it comes from. I try to continue on this path that is football and that has given me so much joy. I hope to continue like this and achieve something as a coach. The most important thing is to help the guys I manage to evolve as players and as people. Hopefully I can help with their growth. I am proud to be able to do that. I also have a sports complex called the Colonial, near the airport and several clubs of the Cordovan League have played there.

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