The Uruguayan player who watched Riquelme as a boy and was impressed with the Bombonera

Manuel Ugarte is fresh in the memories of Argentine fans. The midfielder was one of the great figures in the victory of Marcelo Bielsa’s team during their visit to La Bombonera for matchday five of the Qualifiers for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. But also, the current player of the Paris Saint Germain is remembered for a confrontation he had with Rodrigo De Paul and Lionel Messi in that match that ended with a Uruguayan victory, being the only fall for Lionel Scaloni’s team since Qatar 2022.

Juan Román Riquelme marked an era. Many they have him as an idol. Ugarte revealed that as a boy he was inspired by the current president of Boca.

“As a child I watched Román a lot, he is a player that I always loved. “Before, I played further forward and looked at him before the games.”, said the Uruguayan in dialogue with ESPN. The midfielder was one of the figures in La Celeste’s great 2-0 victory over Argentina.

On the other hand, the footballer recalled the experience of playing in La Bombonera: “It is a stadium with a lot of history. It is characterized because there is a lot of pressure there. The people of Argentina are very passionate, just like in Uruguay. A match at La Bombonera is very complicated for the visitor because it is very close. Many screams can be heard from the fans and the boxes. It is an environment that is enjoyed”

In turn, the midfielder referred to the current Boca striker and second top scorer in the history of the Parisian team and stated: “On a tour of Japan with Uruguay, Cavani told me about the club, the facilities, how they train and that was very important for me. “Here in Paris he is very loved, they love him.”

By dint of a great physical display, the midfielder, who was in Talleres’ sights in 2019 and was acquired by PSG in mid-2023 after a great season at Sporting Lisbon, managed to settle into Marcelo Bielsa’s scheme. The Gauls bought the signing of the midfielder who emerged in Fénix for 60 million dollars, making it the second most expensive sale in the history of the Portuguese club.