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‘The Headlines of Puchungo’, through sport, He located the son of ‘Macho’ Gómez and convinced him to review his sports life together. Of course, it was difficult to convince him, since he is not one to talk much with the press; but this time he made an exception because it was a friend who left him the world of football. At 42 years old, the former pink player revealed little-known football episodes such as his truncated springboard to Real Madrid and what happened the night of the scandal at the Golf Los Incas hotel with the “everyone’s team”, which involved Claudio Pizarro.
What is the life of Mario ‘Machito’ Gómez?
Currently, at the age of 42, I work in the Municipality of Callao in the Sports Academies area. In addition, I am in the Legends Cup, former players, with whom I shared the playing field. The unfortunate thing is that I can’t play, since I had surgery on my knees and I’m still in rehabilitation. I spent a year and two months without training with Universitario to play said former players’ championship. I was also working in the Callao Region, in the area of supervising sports workshops.
Without a doubt, Callao is the cradle of neighborhood baseball players…
Definitely. Look at ‘Puchungo’, ‘Kukín’, the ‘Rabbit’, there are many, also in the selection. What makes us different? Well, the ‘chalaco’ played on the courts, streets, neighborhood, always with the moth. I even played without shoes, it was the best time, the one in the neighborhood.
The nickname of ‘Machito’ was for your father, the ‘Macho’ Gómez…
Yes. It was Freddy Ternero, who in the Under 15s of Peru, when he was practicing with the adult team, asked me if I was the son of ‘Macho’ Gómez. He put it on me. Calf was a good coach, a good person. I remember that I was in the youth team and played in La Videna against the eldest of ‘Chorri’ Palacios, Maestri, Solano and even Reynoso, who was in his last stretch as a footballer.
Is it true that you almost gave up football at the age of fifteen?
Yes, I tell you. It was when I was not promoted to the Under 15 of Peru with Professor Bolaños. So, I decided to quit soccer, I went to work in my neighborhood, but then there was a call from Alfredo Gonzales on the landline phone at home, and he told me that I had to show up the next day at the ‘Lolo’ Fernández stadium.
Who received you?
The ‘Puma’ Carranza and ‘Cuto’ Guadalupe. I was promoted by Oswaldo Piazza at the age of sixteen along with ‘Pompo’ Cordero, Matellini, ‘Polvorita’ Carrión. I fulfilled the dream of playing in the ‘U’ thanks to Alfredo Gonzales.
Who made you bookmark?
Juan Carlos Oblitas in the senior team. He played in the Sub 20, in Mar de Plata, and he told me that he should play as a marker, since in Peruvian soccer there were not many wingers. Later, the ‘Blind’ called me again for the senior team as a marker.
Have you always played as a left back?
No, Piazza made me debut as a driver, an unexpected position. I remember that all my promoted colleagues had made their debut, such as ‘Pompo’ Cordero, ‘Polvorita’ Carrión, ‘Coco’ Araujo, among others, but he was missing. Until, the professor told me in the talk about my debut, he gave me advice, also the ‘Puma’ Carranza, but he told me that he would do it as a down payment, out of ten.
Who did you replace?
To Paolo Maldonado. He was suspended.
What other position on the court did you play?
I tell you that I started in the minors of the ‘U’ as an attacker. He was a scorer. I arrived at ‘Garra Crema’ playing as a striker under coach Percy Vílchez, who helped me a lot in football. He got me a scholarship, gave away uniforms. Later I played as a midfielder, as a coach, the same teacher Vílchez put me in category 81. In the Sub 15 I was also ’10’.
What was Alfredo Gonzales’s personality like with the players?
For me, he was the best president at club level that I had in football. Many things can be said about him, but he left Campo Mar, the Monumental. In addition, he paid us, fought for the institution, there was leadership weight. He was very brave, he fought for the club.
You lived in the ‘Lolo’ Fernández. were they sorry?
Yes, when we were promoted by Piazza, he made us sleep, have breakfast, lunch and dinner at ‘Lolo’ Fernández. He wanted to see us and take care of us closely. Under the ‘Lolo’ Fernández rostrum, by the trophy room, they suffered a lot.
Who did you share a room with?
In concentrations with ‘Cuto’, ‘Foca’ and ‘Pachito’ Guzmán. There were cabins, but they were just as painful. He concentrated in the ‘blacks’ room, a mate of laughter, all day they scrubbed. I remember that they put ‘Pachito’ Guzmán in the center, they put several plates on him.
Those were the wonderful years at the Sports University…
The triple championship (98, 99 and 2000). Imagine, debuting in the ‘U’, the biggest team in Peruvian soccer, was everything. I went through very nice things. I learned from a captain like ‘Puma’ Carranza, a great leader. He was very supportive of the younger ones, he took us to eat, he fought for us. Also, he was always a great person. He seemed like the daddy to all of us. I was also lucky enough to play at the Monumental Stadium with a full stadium, an indescribable situation.
Who were the best technicians you had?
Osvaldo Piazza and Angel Cappa. Piazza made me debut and gave me confidence in football. He asked that he live in the ‘Lolo’ Fernández, as I mentioned. He gave us tremendous confidence, and Ángel was a great professional. He advised and taught a lot, they were the best.
How were the classics played?
With the knife between his teeth. He grabbed me by positions on the field with Waldir Sáenz, Darío Muchotrigo, Pepe Soto, they were bigger. The classics were played with anguish, to the limit.
Guess?
I had a wristband with my daughter’s name on it.
Is it true that you could be ‘blue and white’?
When I had Guillermo Cuéllar (agent), he told me that he had a proposal from Alianza. I remember that he had left the ‘U’. They even told him about the bar. There was worry and tension. What’s more, once on vacation they called me to play for a team from La Victoria, the ‘Porvenir grone’. I met the heads of ‘Comando sur’, I had no problems, but then the proposal to play for Alianza Lima came to naught. There were people who opposed it, but it stayed that way.
You had the opportunity to play in Denmark, in Argentina and even in Spain. Why didn’t they materialize?
At the age of seventeen I traveled to Denmark, alone, I made a stopover in Germany. Alfredo Gonzales got me everything to play there, but the businessman never came and I returned to Peru.
What did you tell Alfredo Gonzales?
He got upset, he sent me to train with the juniors, but the businessman only arrived when he had already returned to Lima. I also had the proposal from Independiente de Argentina, but because of my crazy head I returned. Baroni took me to Argentina. They also wanted me in France. They offered me a million and a half dollars, but it was next to the ‘Pompo’ Lamb.
What happened?
Alfredo Gonzales asked for more money and the proposal fell through.
And in Xerez of Spain?
Ángel Cappa recommended Xeréz from Spain to me. There was a whole football plan with me. I had to adapt to the game system of the German coach Bernd Schuster, who would later take the reins of Real Madrid. The idea was that he would take me after doing a good campaign.
Why did the press and the people blame Claudio Pizarro for the scandal of the selection at ‘Golf los Incas’?
I met with Claudio that night of the Golf scandal. He was my roommate in the national team. He didn’t do anything that happened there. They tarnished Pizarro’s image, they hurt him. Claudio never left his room, he stayed buying horses from his laptop.
Even the relationship Pizarro and ‘Chemo’ del Solar broke up…
They had a good friendship, but ‘Chemo’ has no malice. Of course, Pizarro did nothing that was discussed. Many left their mouths and there was never any punishment for them. They dirty it. Besides, Claudio wasn’t the father of all of us. Hopefully, in due course, Pizarro will be president of the Peruvian Football Federation, he is a prepared person.
Claudio Pizarro or Paolo Guerrero?
Paolo is a great striker, he is valid, but I prefer Claudio Pizarro a thousand times more.
Differences and friendship with Carlos Flores. How did you smooth things over with ‘Kukín’?
‘Caramelo’ Zegarra brought us together, and we put our egos aside. We share a campus in Universitario, and we almost played together in Sport Boys. Then we even spent a Christmas together.
What is the criticism you make for your bad decisions in football and private life?
I admit that I had a bad head, but also that there were friends who ran when I had problems. I understood that when you are without a club, the only ones who support you are your relatives.
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