“PERDÍ 500.000 DÓLARES EN EL CASINO” EMILIANO VECCHIO HABLÓ DE FÚTBOL Y DE SU PROBLEMA CON EL JUEGO

0:00I liked going to the casino . I’d

0:01leave Arroyo Seco , with my house this

0:02way and the casino that way . I’d

0:04arrive at 2 in the afternoon , and

0:05wouldn't leave until 10 at night .

0:06Instead of turning this way , you turn

0:07that way . The only thing that matters

0:08is playing . You don't care if your

0:10child is sick , you don't care if your

0:12wife needs something , or how your mom

0:14is doing ; you don't care about anything

0:16.

0:16>> Do you have a rough estimate of how

0:18much you spent ?

0:19>> A lot , a lot . More than half a million ,

0:25maybe . I’ve played 200 games in the

0:26first division , and you’re going to

0:28teach me how to choose ? Oh , yeah . I

0:29told him , " I’ve got 20 million bucks

0:31in the bank , pal . " When you're a

0:34Central fan , they basically teach you

0:35to hate Newell's , and when you're a

0:36Newell's fan , they teach you to hate

0:37Central . You might like a girl , but if

0:39she's a Newell's fan , maybe you don't

0:41date her . Central at that time was a

0:44total mess . The guys weren't getting

0:46paid , we didn't have balls , we didn't

0:47even have practice jerseys , and the

0:49fields were in bad shape . A coach comes

0:51in , and they told him , " If you take

0:52over Central , you have to take Emiliano

0:54off the team . " I knew you'd only last

0:5610 games , and I had to leave . " And this

0:58person , how long did he last ? 11 games .

1:00>> President , player , and you married to

1:02the daughter

1:03>> and ex-wife of a club legend . And there

1:07were people who were very close friends

1:08of his , and they didn't take it well .

1:10Punches were flying , literally flying .

1:13Yes .

1:14>> There’s a story that you guys threw

1:16the game , man . Listen , man .

1:19>> There have been several locker rooms

1:20that threw games to get the coach fired

1:22, right ?

1:22>> Yes , it happens . There were moments

1:24back then . I didn't have enough to eat ,

1:26>> because I couldn't afford it .

1:27>> Ideal weight ?

1:28>> 85 kg .

1:29>> In Chile was when you almost reached

1:30100 . I was there 7 or 8 hours , I’d

1:35pay the ticket , leave , walk around , and

1:39go right back in .

1:41>> I swear to you it's all scripted , and

1:42he gave me what I need to say these

1:44lines . He was in a locker room with 30

1:47mates and has 30 million . He played

1:50with Ronaldo the fat one , and Gabo told

1:52him he was fat , that he ate too much .

1:54He hooked up with the daughter of the

1:55president of the club where he played .

1:58He killed off a brother to go to his

1:59own wedding . He was almost kicked out

2:02of Qatar for stripping naked in front

2:04of everyone . Today we're going to talk

2:06about soccer , life , and everything with

2:08Emy Vecchio . Hello , my friend .

2:10>> What an introduction .

2:13>> I asked you , you told me yes , we’ve

2:15got good vibes . You told me , okay ,

2:16Juaco , let’s do it .

2:17>> And I think you held back a bit .

2:19>> Now we have two or three hours to

2:21either debunk or go deeper wherever you

2:23want . Uh , you know what I like about

2:25you , man ? That always , I always say it ,

2:28I feel like players from our generation

2:31, who are around the same age , talked

2:34more , said more things , shared a bit

2:37more of the behind-the-scenes . It’s a

2:41different generation , I mean , I lived

2:43through that whole transition and

2:45it’s a different generation . Uh , I

2:49think the kids today , uh , there’s a

2:55lot of individualism , uh , they walk

2:57into a locker room and well , this

2:59>> phone ,

3:00>> sure ,

3:01>> they’re on their phones all day ,

3:03practically , you don’t know

3:04anyone’s life , uh , the stories back

3:06then were something else , they were

3:08something else . There were different

3:11codes , there was a different way of

3:13handling things . Well , we’re going to

3:16get into that , we’re going to talk a

3:17lot about it , but first of all , I want

3:19to tell people who don’t know Los

3:20Inmortales : it’s the pizzeria that

3:21makes this interview series possible

3:23today , which is doing very well . But

3:25honestly , from me : if you haven’t

3:26tried Los Inmortales , I invite you to

3:28eat the best Buenos Aires-style pizza .

3:29It’s synonymous with Buenos Aires . So

3:32whenever you want , go try the pizzas

3:33and the empanadas , they’re incredible

3:35,

3:36>> eh ? I don’t know if you’ve had the

3:38luck or not . I don’t know if you like

3:39pizza , empanadas ,

3:40>> in that order . In that order . So

3:42we’re going to try them .

3:43>> And connecting to this sponsorship , uh ,

3:46I wanted to ask you about food , right ?

3:49>> In your life , I mean , because it’s

3:51always a topic , uh , the physical side ,

3:53hey , Gabo said you were 8 kilos over ,

3:55what was it ? Bad habits ? Was it

3:58quantity ? Was it other excesses ? The

4:01thing is , um , with all the

4:03nutritionists I’ve worked with , they

4:05can tell you . I have a body type that

4:08is very different from the prototype of

4:10player they look for . I mean , no , I

4:13mean , I’ve been , uh , in an

4:17anthropometry test regarding body fat ,

4:19maybe at a top level , and you never end

4:22up looking like Neymar physically

4:24because my build is different , because

4:26I have a lot of muscle mass . There were

4:30even nutritionists who told me , " Emi ,

4:32let’s drop some muscle mass , right ? "

4:33I mean , it can even lead to an injury ,

4:36you know ? " But well , Fernando , in that

4:38sense he was at the other extreme , I

4:40mean ,

4:43>> if your ideal weight was 88 , he’d

4:45tell you , " Well , you have to weigh 85. "

4:47So those 3 kg were tough .

4:49>> I mean , you’re almost 1.80 , like 1.77

4:51or so , right ? Uh ,

4:53>> ideal weight

4:54>> 85 kg .

4:56>> And it was in Chile that you almost hit

4:58100 . Son of a gun .

5:07>> Listen ,

5:10>> that's huge , eh ? I was gaining weight ,

5:13I mean , I wasn't eating and I was

5:14gaining weight .

5:15>> Because you played well in Chile .

5:17>> I killed it , man .

5:19>> During the first period , the coach , we

5:21had coach Cana ,

5:22>> who would tell me , he weighed me every

5:24day , and I kept getting fatter , it was

5:26crazy , I kept gaining weight . I was 22 ,

5:28about 3 years . And one day he says to

5:31me , I had , he wanted me at 89 kg and he

5:33says , " Did you weigh yourself today ? " "

5:35Yeah , I weighed myself . " I tell him , "

5:37How much ? " " 89.5 . " I tell him , " We were

5:39on the pitch , he tells me , well , let's

5:41go to the scale . " " It was 200 meters

5:43away . " When we got to the scale , I

5:45weighed 94 and a half . I said , " Coach ,

5:48I think I gained a little on the way

5:49over . "

5:50>> No , it was , listen , no , I almost

5:52reached 100 , I played at 96 and a half .

5:54>> And did you feel good or did you feel

5:56like you could be a better player ? When

5:59I got on the pitch , my youth allowed me

6:03to be able to play and not have any

6:06issues . At 37 , I weighed 96 kg , no , but

6:09I was 22 years old , I had a lot of

6:12energy , and maybe Chilean soccer gave

6:15me the space to play , but I wasn't

6:18exactly a pig .

6:20>> That was due to bad habits of

6:22>> bad habits , really bad habits

6:24>> of eating and eating .

6:25>> I started incorporating habits when I

6:27arrived at Colo-Colo . In 2013 , I had a

6:30coach , a Uruguayan named Marcelo Yaruzo

6:32, and he — and that’s when I lost 10

6:34kg .

6:36>> And he taught me how to eat , he taught

6:38me how to nourish myself , and well ,

6:40from there I was able to maintain a

6:42line until I got to Racing , where I

6:43wasn't fat in Racing , but Fernando

6:45still wanted me to lose a bit more

6:47weight , so it was in Colo-Colo where I

6:49started that nutrition process and

6:50started to straighten out a bit .

6:53>> Spectacular , Emy , me too . I was in

6:55Rosario , you told me you were from the

6:57Las Flores neighborhood . Very spicy .

7:00>> Did you like it ?

7:01>> I loved it . They treated me great . I

7:03really like Rosario because I like to

7:05get involved . The Las Flores

7:07neighborhood is in the south , it's one

7:09of the toughest , generally speaking ,

7:11and all that . A lot of history , but

7:13honestly the people are great ; I wanted

7:14to ask you what your childhood was like

7:16there . No , I think it's the same

7:17neighborhood as Angelito Correa's .

7:19>> And honestly , I remember my childhood

7:22very well ; I mean , it was a different

7:26time , a time totally different from now

7:29. I think the issue of drugs , drug

7:33trafficking , and everything that has

7:36grown over these last few years —

7:39because back then , all this didn't

7:43happen . I grew up , and my childhood

7:48friends , unfortunately , with all this

7:51— in quotes — the easy things ... ...

7:54>> they got led into it , and well , they

7:55started getting involved in drug

7:57trafficking , in the drug scene . And

7:59today , I have many friends who are no

8:01longer here . Well , Walter , Tata , well ,

8:04a ton of friends who are no longer here

8:06because of that , but I remember my

8:08childhood as the best , I mean , lots and

8:11lots of soccer , lots of open fields ,

8:13lots of green space , things that don't

8:15exist anymore today . Nowadays they

8:18build houses and buildings ; there are

8:20no more open fields , but my childhood

8:22was spectacular . Yes .

8:23>> I mean , there were many things missing ,

8:26you could say , economically , but when

8:28you're a kid , you're happy with very

8:30little . For us , with just a ball , we

8:33were already happy .

8:35>> I was reading a bit about the interview

8:38to prepare , and I even read that you

8:40ate from the trash , brother .

8:42>> Yes . I mean ... Well , my old man worked

8:49in a factory , a metal shop , and my mom

8:52was a housewife , and well , when my dad

8:55passed away , my family was left in my

8:58care , my brother , who was little , my

9:00older brother , and well , there was

9:03always something missing .

9:06>> How old were you ? I was 12 , 11 or 12

9:08years old , I was just a kid , but ...

9:12Today , one ... When you're older and you

9:19have kids , you see it with a sense of

9:20tragedy that you might not see at that

9:22age , you know ? When we were kids , we

9:26would get by however we could ; I mean ,

9:29there was no other way either , there

9:31weren't many resources , and well , it

9:34just happened .

9:36>> I mean , your brother , he was like 15 ,

9:3816 , maybe , I don't know .

9:39>> My brother was 16 years old . Yeah ,

9:41years .

9:42>> He was just a kid , my brother ; no , he

9:45didn't have much of a childhood really ,

9:48he had nothing because at 11 years old

9:51he already started working with my old

9:53man out of necessity , and well , I was

9:56still a kid . My old man kind of spoiled

10:00me a bit . He was always very hard on my

10:03older brother , who was the oldest , but

10:06well , today he's a gentleman . Today my

10:08older brother is a super upright person

10:11, with lots of values , but well , back

10:14then he had it tough . We also had my

10:17grandfather living in our house . And

10:21well , truth is , it wasn't enough , it

10:22wasn't enough when my dad was working ,

10:24and when he wasn't there , it was much

10:26worse .

10:28>> They give you 20 million bucks to spend

10:30.

10:31>> The first half would end and he’d

10:32drink half a liter of Coke .

10:33>> Oh , come on . But .

10:34>> Listen , I spent it so poorly . I’ve

10:36always been a bit of a squanderer . Did

10:38you notice ?

10:38>> And were you already playing there at

10:40the club ?

10:41>> I played for Central . They had taken me

10:43to Central . When I was little , a guy

10:45came to look for me . My dad , I always

10:48tell this story and maybe Central fans

10:50get a bit annoyed , but my dad was a

10:52Newell's fanatic and he would take me

10:54to practice .

10:56>> Look at that .

10:57>> And I didn't want to , I didn't like it .

11:00I’d say , " Dad , I don't like the

11:01colors , I don't like it . "

11:03>> But you weren't from Central by birth

11:04then , or rather ...

11:05>> My mom was a Central fan .

11:06>> So , you were caught in the middle .

11:07>> In the middle , because in Rosario ,

11:09that's very normal . I mean , my younger

11:12brother with his partner , when there

11:14was a game between Central and Newell's

11:16, he’d go with the Central fans and

11:18she with the Newell's fans . I mean .

11:20>> What a mess your house was on the day

11:21of the superclásico .

11:22>> Tremendous , just tremendous . It's

11:24always very divided . And well , I would

11:26tell my dad , " Dad , I don't want to play

11:28for Newell's , I want to play for

11:29Central . I like Central , Central ,

11:30Central . " And well , my mom started

11:32taking me ; she arranged it with a man ,

11:34Héctor Garzón , and the guy would pick

11:36me up in his pickup truck and take me

11:38to practice every day . So.

11:39>> And your dad never .

11:41>> No , no , because my old man , my old man

11:43actually didn't even know what a ball

11:44looked like ,

11:45>> right ?

11:45>> My dad liked boxing , he liked other

11:48things , and my mom was always more of a

11:50tomboy , she liked soccer , she played in

11:53the neighborhood , so , nothing , I got

11:55the genes mostly from my mom ,

11:57>> I ask you this because , let's see , I

11:59think Rosario is one of the cities

12:01where the rivalry is felt the most . Of

12:03course ,

12:04>> I mean , it's like even at school you

12:06already saw it , if ...

12:08>> It's just that when you're a Central

12:10fan , they teach you , it's like they

12:12teach you to hate Newell's . It's

12:14madness . And when you're a Newell's fan

12:16, they teach you to hate Central , I

12:17mean , the rejection one has is so

12:19strong

12:20>> that even , for example , maybe you like

12:22a girl , and if she's from Newell's , you

12:23don't go out with that girl . It's a lot

12:26, I mean , it's too much . It's like the

12:28madness and the sickness lived in

12:30Rosario for soccer transcends

12:32everything . It's very , very hard to

12:34explain , right ? I've been in very

12:37soccer-crazed cities , eh , where I also

12:39lived other derbies , other places that

12:40are very passionate , but no , no , no .

12:42>> And where do you say they teach you to

12:44hate ? At the club , at school ,

12:45>> everywhere ? I mean , it's like naming

12:48them is like a bad word , right ? You

12:50don't name them . No , it's very , it's

12:53very rough . Look , I had to play in the

12:56Racing-Independiente derby , and it's a

12:59derby that , on a national level , we

13:01would be talking about the second most

13:04important , but it doesn't reach the

13:06passion they have in Rosario .

13:09>> In what way do you feel that ? In the

13:10pressure from the people in the daily

13:13grind ,

13:13>> the daily grind , in everything , in the

13:14day-to-day . You play the derby on a

13:18Sunday , and 10 days before , 15 days

13:20before , you're already living it , and

13:22you live it for 15 days after . You win

13:25it , the city is yours ; you lose it , and

13:28I don't know , you're embarrassed to

13:30even go to the supermarket to shop . Do

13:33you remember something that happened to

13:35you regarding a derby where you say , I

13:37don't know , man , you go out scared , I

13:38mean , because the pressure is really

13:40that high , but , I don't know , maybe

13:41you're having a somewhat weak season

13:43and you know that game often saves the

13:45season in Rosario .

13:46>> Yes , yes . No , no , I don't know . It was

13:49a lot . I was talking about it with

13:51Marcos ; Marco , Marcos Ruben is , he's a

13:54legend and an MC . And for me , no matter

13:57how many classics I play , no matter how

14:00many goals I score , I ... The nervousness

14:05I feel when I play that match is very

14:07hard to explain , and it happened to all

14:09of us , both Central players and

14:11Newell's players , because well , you go

14:13to the greengrocer's and the girl

14:15working there knows soccer and supports

14:17Central or Newell's ... everyone knows

14:19soccer , it's a very soccer-crazy city

14:21and there's a lot of pressure .

14:24>> Has it ever happened to you , you know ,

14:25sometimes people apologize ? Have you

14:27ever played a bad classic and felt like

14:29you had to apologize to your mom ?

14:31>> Uh , My mom , I think my mom is the most

14:36critical person there could be . I have

14:39an anecdote . My mom , we were playing in

14:412005 , 2006 against Estudiantes at the

14:44Central stadium and " El Polaco " Bastía

14:46was playing , I remember . I was a kid .

14:50And my mom will remember this , so I

14:52send a kiss to my mom , eh ? And I lose a

14:57ball like near the stands and I hear a

14:59curse : " You brat ! "

15:03>> And I turn around and it was my mom ,

15:04going crazy , swearing at me .

15:06>> And when the match ends I tell her , "

15:08Mom , I don't care , on the field you're

15:09a soccer player , not my mom , " no , my

15:11mom

15:11>> wasn't bothering me ,

15:13>> no , very demanding , very demanding . My

15:15mom , I would finish a match playing for

15:17Central and if I played very well I'd

15:19go , if I played badly I wouldn't see

15:21her because

15:24>> yeah ,

15:24>> the things she would say to me were

15:25terrible . My mom is always very

15:27critical .

15:27>> Among other teammates , you were , you're

15:29an '88 . And Fideo , who is

15:32>> '88 .

15:33>> '88 as well . We played together since

15:35we were little with ...

15:35>> So , you played in the youth divisions

15:37with Fide ?

15:37>> Since we were little , since we were

15:38about 8 years old , I think . But well ,

15:40you know , those are the things . At what

15:42moment do you say , " Hey , I'm standing

15:43before one of the best players in the

15:45history of the Argentine national team "

15:46? Well , look ,

15:48>> maybe you don't even realize it , and

15:51then with the experience he keeps

15:53gaining ,

15:55>> the '88 class was one of the best that

15:57Central had ; I mean , about 15 players

16:00made it , and in that '88 group , Angel

16:02always had talent , but he was always

16:05very skinny , very thin , very scrawny .

16:09>> And he didn't get many opportunities .

16:12That's the truth .

16:13>> He was a substitute .

16:14>> Yes . He wasn't playing for the coaches ,

16:17partly because of his physical build as

16:19well . He always had the talent , but

16:22they wouldn't give him the chance , and

16:24I don't think it ever really came until

16:27, well , until Don Ángel brought him to

16:29the professional squad and there ...

16:33>> He made everyone debut , Ángel made

16:35everyone debut , but no , but the thing

16:37with Angelito was ...

16:40>> It was tremendous . Angelito's first

16:42game was at Independiente's stadium ,

16:44the Doble Visera . I come off ,

16:47>> it's in the documentary , actually . I

16:50come off all calm .

16:51>> The jersey , yes , it's in the

16:53documentary . I didn't know that .

16:56>> I come off angry , besides , 17 years old

16:58, I came off angry and Angelito came on

16:59; I remember Pautasso was playing

17:01right-back . He gave him a runaround ,

17:03>> he played 20 minutes there . There .

17:06>> I didn't remember that the substitution

17:07was for ...

17:07>> Angelito came on . And it was crazy .

17:10>> Emi , for you , Central I think was one

17:13of those that occupies your heart , eh ,

17:15but perhaps the last stage wasn't the

17:18best . You left a bit ... they kicked you

17:21out , based on your own words . Kicked me

17:23out .

17:23>> Eh , do you want to tell me a bit about

17:25that situation ?

17:26>> I arrive at Central , I sit down with

17:29the president at that time , Rodolfo Di

17:31Pollina . I had had a very good career ,

17:34or a good career abroad , but here in

17:36Argentina , they didn't know me . So , I

17:39sit down and tell him , " Rodolfo , I want

17:42to play for Central . " And he says , " Why

17:44do you want to play ? " " Because I want to

17:45play for Central . " Central at that time

17:46was going through a complicated process

17:48, lots of young kids , the Kily was

17:50there , and the Kily did a spectacular

17:52job with the kids .

17:53>> This was already your second stint at

17:54Central for people who don't ...

17:55>> for the people who don't know . And I

17:57tell him , he says , I don't know , it's

17:59difficult . I say , " Look , Rodolfo , I

18:00don't know how much you're going to pay

18:02me . Whatever you pay me , if in six

18:05months I'm not the best player in

18:06Argentine football , I'll give the money

18:09back and I'll leave . " He knows it . And

18:12there were others present . I'm leaving .

18:14>> You were coming with momentum .

18:15>> I was coming at 31 years old , I had

18:17done two months of the pandemic , double

18:19sessions , everything . I was flying , I

18:21was flying . I prepared for that because

18:23the Kily had already told me , " I want

18:24to bring you . "

18:26>> He gives me the chance . I go to Central

18:28. Central is not the Central of today .

18:31Management-wise , Central . At that time

18:33it was a chaos , the kids weren't

18:36getting paid . Uh , the hotel , the hotel ,

18:39instead of water coming out , sand came

18:41out . One day Nachito Ruso , Nacho Ruso

18:43comes over and says , " Emi , knock on my

18:45door . "

18:45>> Sand is coming out of the shower . God ,

18:47I don't know . It was crazy at Central .

18:50We didn't have balls .

18:52>> Well , Fatu , Marcos Sabes , we'd ask for

18:54balls , we didn't even have vests to

18:55train . The fields were in bad shape .

18:58Everything you can imagine , that was it

19:00. We had a good group and a good coach ,

19:02who was Kili , a good bunch of guys .

19:05Well , uh , that whole process goes by .

19:09In the last semester , I injured my

19:11Achilles tendon , I didn't tear it , but

19:15it got inflamed . So , I couldn't train .

19:19So , I stopped training . I didn't train ,

19:21I just played . I neglected my physical

19:24shape a bit , I wasn't doing well , but

19:27even so , I played and performed . And

19:30well , at that moment , there was a

19:32person in the management we didn't get

19:34along with , not just me , but Cristian

19:36and other people too . And well , uh ,

19:40after an argument , he told me , " Uh , as

19:43soon as I can , I'll fire you . "

19:47Literally , that was the vice president

19:50at the time . And well , it was said and

19:52done . Out of nowhere , they brought in a

19:55coach , they fired Cristian . A coach

19:57came in , nobody wanted to take Central ,

20:00a coach comes in , and , well , that coach

20:04came with , let's see , they told him , "

20:08If you take Central , you have to take

20:09Emiliano out of the team . "

20:12>> In the club , everything is known .

20:13Everyone told me ; I mean , there were 10

20:16people in the meeting , eight told me

20:18what happened and , well , this person ,

20:20since it was his first time , took the

20:22team , took me out of the team , and the

20:24first thing I told him was : " Look , I

20:27know you're only going to last 10 games

20:29at Central . "

20:30>> First , because you're a bad coach . I'm

20:33a very direct person . You aren't the

20:36profile for Central , and for Central .

20:38They are using you to get rid of me . I

20:42am going to stay at the club . I had two

20:44more years on my contract . You are

20:45going to leave , I am going to continue .

20:48Having said that , they started pressing

20:50me from all sides for me to leave ,

20:52because they wanted me to leave . I told

20:53them , I'll stay running around the

20:55field , I have no problem . They didn't

20:57want that , they wanted me to leave ,

20:58leave , leave . How did this happen ? I

21:00had to grab my bag , they gave me my

21:01clothes , my boots , everything . They

21:03gave it to me in a trash bag just like

21:05that , and I had to leave . And this

21:07person , how long did he last ? 11 games .

21:09But it seemed personal , like the guy

21:11really wanted to get rid of you .

21:13>> He wanted to get rid of me . He wanted

21:14to get rid of me because I didn't agree

21:16with how the club was being run at the

21:17time . I mean , at Central , I never went

21:20there to make money ; I went to fulfill

21:23a dream . My dream was to play for

21:24Central . I am a Central fanatic .

21:26>> Cristian gave me the chance to be

21:28captain . I fulfilled a dream , I played

21:30for Central , I did well , the people

21:33loved me , and I wanted to stay and

21:35retire at Central . I wanted to stay , I

21:37didn't want to leave . But well , this

21:40person decided I had to go , and I

21:42remember I drove my car , I arrived at

21:44the club after everything that had

21:46happened , and they wouldn't let me in ,

21:48I mean , they handed me my things in a

21:51trash

21:53>> bag , and I had to leave . Later , the

21:55Central fan gets angry or whatever and

21:56says , " Did you go to Racing ? " " No , I

21:58didn't go to Racing . " I was kicked out .

22:01I wanted to stay at Central for life ,

22:04but well , then I had to go . Is that

22:07normal , man ? The influence of the

22:10management in the locker room .

22:13>> Yes , I think that players , when you see

22:19a player who stays 15 years at a club ,

22:22I always say it's like this : either

22:24he's a star or he's a suck-up to the

22:29management , there's no other way . What

22:32happened to me ? We , or rather , I

22:34considered myself a good soccer player ,

22:36but I wanted the club to do well . I

22:39didn't care about the management . So I

22:42would confront them about things that I

22:44really didn't agree with . I mean ,

22:46Central was my home . Central taught me

22:48to read , taught me to write , taught me

22:50everything . And well , those people

22:53didn't like that ; they had their

22:55businesses and their interests , and I

22:57always say , and I learned this over

22:59time , when you go against the system ,

23:01the system takes you out . It's very

23:05difficult to beat it . And at that

23:07moment , the system kicked me out , it

23:09pushed me to Racing . But before going

23:11to Racing

23:13>> I wanted to ask you about the , uh , well

23:15, the chat you had nicely and in

23:17confidence with Merlos , man , where

23:19everyone tells him their net worth ,

23:21which I thought was terrible on your

23:23part , but I wanted to understand the

23:25context in which you say

23:29>> about me , you know ? Nothing , nothing .

23:31Besides , it was crazy .

23:32>> I think the exact phrase , what was it

23:34for the people who

23:35>> it was like this ? We , you know the

23:37Maradona Cup , we were knocked out . Yes ,

23:41>> We were with River's group , we were

23:42knocked out , we didn't have a very good

23:44team , it was the first semester and we

23:46were going to play at Banfield's

23:48stadium and we were eliminated , and a

23:49teammate of mine commits a foul , I

23:51don't know what he says to him , and he

23:53says : " Shut up , you're a scrub , you

23:55can't even move . " " I was the captain , I

23:58stayed quiet because my teammate wasn't

24:00very good , but not to the point of

24:01saying , ' Shut up , you're a scrub . ' " " Now

24:04I'm going to watch the video to see who

24:06the teammate was . "

24:06>> No , listen . No , he had a bit of a point

24:09, I have to see it , but no , but not all

24:11of it ,

24:12>> but not all of it . And well , three ,

24:14four games go by , the other tournament

24:16starts , first match against Argentinos

24:18Juniors , they commit a penalty on me .

24:20>> Ah , so , it was already a long time

24:21coming .

24:21>> It was already a long time coming for

24:22me , it stayed with me . A very clear

24:24penalty is committed against me ,

24:25Chávez the goalkeeper , and he doesn't

24:27call it , and the ball goes out , there

24:28was no VAR , the ball goes out , out , out

24:30, out , and it goes to our central

24:31attacking midfielder's corner . And I

24:33come running and I say to him , I say , "

24:35Andrés , Andrés , " and he looks at me

24:37and I tell him , " I don't know what

24:39criteria you have , but that was a

24:41penalty . Everyone saw it , the whole

24:43world saw it . "

24:44>> I mean , respectfully .

24:45>> Like that . I never fought with a

24:47referee .

24:47>> Come on , man . Don't lie to me , man . You

24:49spoke to him like that . If you spoke to

24:50him like that ,

24:51>> I promise you , and look at what he says

24:52to me . I promise you . I have a very

24:54good relationship with all the referees

24:56, I never fought with any of them . And

24:58he says to me , " Emi , I have 200 games

25:00in the first division and you're going

25:02to teach me how to ref ? " " Like that . "

25:04That was his phrase . So , what can I say

25:07to him to make him get angry ? But he

25:09wasn't going to send me off because I

25:10didn't do anything to him . So , I speak

25:12to him like that . He can't send you off

25:13. And I lied to him . To have tons of

25:16cash .

25:16>> What did you tell him ?

25:17>> I didn't have a dime .

25:18>> But what did you tell him ? I said , " Oh ,

25:20yeah , " I said , " I've got 20 million

25:22bucks in the bank , you bum . " " Yeah , " I

25:25told him .

25:26>> Oh , I didn't know about the " bum " part ,

25:27man .

25:28>> I said , " No , he can't fire you for that

25:30. "

25:30>> No , no . And him , what happened ? He

25:32turned beet red because he wanted to

25:34kill me , he wanted to fire me , he

25:36wanted it all . So , being very clever ,

25:38what does he do ? Since the cameras and

25:41mics were there , he talks to Fatura

25:44>> so they could hear . And I'm just a

25:46simple guy , I'm a small-timer , I'm a

25:48rube . Because he says , " He told me he

25:51has 30 million , not 20 , " I tell him ,

25:53right ? And so if I didn't say anything ,

25:56nobody would know that his word counted

25:58,

25:58>> his word , but I said , " No , 20. " And

25:59there I messed up . I got a fine from

26:03the club , a fine from Fatu , it was

26:04nothing , you know what it was ? They

26:07drove me crazy until this very day .

26:09>> Fatu , what does he say to you in that

26:10moment ? Because Fatu told me that he

26:12feels he knows you messed up .

26:14>> Yeah . No , he didn't say anything to me

26:16and I was already out of it , but he had

26:17already given me a yellow card . So ,

26:19>> but everything happens in the locker

26:20room ,

26:21>> they weren't laughing ,

26:22>> they were goofing around ,

26:23>> they were messing with me . There was a

26:25Forbes magazine and they'd put me in it

26:27, you know ?

26:27>> They'd put my picture there with the 20

26:29million . I had 20 million pesos , the

26:31devaluation hit me , it killed me .

26:33People were laughing , I remember it to

26:34this day . How much do you have left ?

26:36None . I never had 20 million anyway .

26:38>> You don't have anything left .

26:40>> Oh , how can I explain it to you ? Eh , 90

26:43% is held by the mothers of my children

26:50and I have three breakups , I have five

26:52kids ,

26:54>> I have Sandra , Julieta , my first

26:57partner Sandra , Julieta , with Anabela I

27:00had Gian and Emilia , and with Mercedes ,

27:03eh , Victoria and Valentina . And well ,

27:09it kept dwindling , what I have , I mean ,

27:11I try , I have a few little things , I

27:16work , I work ,

27:17>> I'm working as a footballer today ,

27:20>> a footballer , and looking at a few

27:22things to do , eh , because I'm also

27:23realistic , I finished the coaching

27:25course , I'm aware that there's not much

27:27left of my career either .

27:30>> but but always looking for things to do

27:32, I mean , there there are many things

27:35to do , but 90 % ended up getting lost

27:37along the way , that that little bit of

27:39money .

27:40>> because I don't know if it was 20

27:42million green ones or not , but you

27:44played in Dubai , you played in Arabia

27:46too .

27:47>> Yes . Let's see , I see , I see , for

27:49example , it happens to me now , right ? I

27:55see , I see , they tell me , right ? Uh ,

27:59women , right ?, people I know , their

28:02partners separate , you see ?

28:05millionaires , uh , they give them

28:07pennies , but literally , literally , when

28:11you're a soccer player they ruin you ,

28:13they ruin you , they don't forgive you .

28:17Sometimes you have to pay child support

28:19that is ridiculous , you understand ?

28:21That you say , why ? Why so much if a kid

28:25doesn't need that much to live ? I mean ,

28:28you understand ?

28:30>> But well , uh sometimes justice in

28:32Argentina is also kind of it's kind of

28:34weird . in handling a soccer player's

28:36money , I mean , we have , I have

28:38acquaintances who blew it , I mean , I

28:40had a guy who maybe got paid and went

28:42to the casino , literally . Well ,

28:44Jonathan , you have acquaintances too , I

28:46mean , Jonathan , what Jonathan Gómez

28:48told in an interview , I don't know him

28:50personally , but what he said , I feel it

28:52could happen to many teammates that I

28:54don't know , and more so nowadays . But

28:57you think , you think , I come from a

29:00family uh with zero uh financial habits

29:03, I mean , my family didn't

29:07>> financial culture , nothing . In my

29:08family , it was whatever you had , you

29:10spent . Uh , and and in general , soccer

29:13players , honestly , 99 % come from the

29:15lower class . We come from the lower

29:17class . When I was at Defensores de

29:20Belgrano Villa Ramallo , I earned

29:22pennies , and 6 months later I was

29:24earning a fortune . So it is very

29:27difficult . You find yourself with all

29:29that , with all those possibilities , and

29:32well , if if you don't have your head

29:34screwed on right , it's very it's very

29:36difficult . What is the main danger for

29:39you , so to speak , where the money can

29:41end up going ? Uh , partying , the , I

29:44don't know , the cars ,

29:46>> in everything , because the the soccer

29:49players , and I include myself , we have

29:51a an issue . We think that our job is

29:53going to be for our whole life , huh ?

29:58But when you pass 30 , you start to

30:00realize , I don't have much left , you

30:02know ? And literally , uh , when you leave

30:06soccer it's like a faucet that turns

30:09off , that's it , no more money coming in

30:11. And there you say , " Well , what do I

30:14do now ? What do I do ? " For me , I was

30:19left with some , I say it openly , I have

30:22no problem , I was left with some

30:23properties . Today I am a person , I

30:26don't have cash flow , for example , I

30:27have some properties , some little

30:29things I want to sell to do some

30:31business , but I have no cash flow . So ,

30:33I have to manage . I was a person who

30:36never had problems when I played

30:38regarding money , and well , some time

30:41ago with this that I'm telling you , I

30:43got separated . When you separate you

30:47leave everything or most things behind

30:49and you have to , you have to adapt all

30:52over again . And today I am in that

30:54process . The subject of , of , of sports

30:57betting in soccer , do you see it as

30:59becoming more common ? That , uh , I tell

31:01you because , uh , there is an accusation

31:04from a person we were chatting with off

31:07the record who threw it out there , but

31:10I like asking you to your face . How do

31:13you feel about it ? I mean , obviously

31:15you're not going to tell me , yes , this ,

31:17but do you feel it is common .

31:20>> For me , today you see the ads , the

31:25commercials , and pardon me , with such

31:27freedom and such lightness . It , it's

31:29hard for me . Why ? Because I , from 2000

31:3419 to 2022 , was a person who liked to

31:37go to the casino . I

31:39>> I don't

31:42>> I never had vices . I never liked going

31:44out , I didn't like alcohol . I have a

31:48drink , yes , if we're sharing , but no , I

31:50didn't like anything like that . Uh ,

31:52thank God I never used drugs . Uh , but

31:56yes , from 2019 , uh , I found myself at a

32:00moment in my life where uh , I started

32:06to surround myself with people who

32:08liked to go to the casino and well , I

32:10started to go , I started to go very

32:11frequently . Uh , from 2019 to 2022 . In

32:162022 , uh , at first I self-excluded

32:20myself from all the casinos and and

32:26over time , like everything , it just

32:28faded away and I never went back . I

32:31never played online , never . I liked to

32:35go and play on the tables , play the

32:37roulette , but that desire faded away .

32:40Yes , I pay a lot of attention to it .

32:43>> I mean , you feel that

32:46>> I pay attention to it because I always

32:47say , someone who consumes drugs doesn't

32:49just do it for a while ; they'll be a

32:51drug addict for the rest of their life .

32:55Someone who likes alcohol , someone who

32:56likes the casino . They are vices ,

32:57>> man . I swear I didn't know this . I mean

32:59, I don't know if you've ever mentioned

33:00it , but

33:00>> no . The first time , they are vices . And

33:02what happens ? You have to pay attention

33:05to addiction . For example , I have no

33:07need whatsoever , I mean , my life has

33:10been focused on other things for a long

33:12time , but you have to be careful

33:15because it's something that

33:17>> left a mark on me . It was 3 years of my

33:19life that , yeah , and I had just arrived

33:22at Rosario Central .

33:24>> So , you're in Rosario right now .

33:25>> Yes , I was in Saudi Arabia when I

33:27returned to Arabia . I was at Central

33:30and , of course , I would leave Arroyo

33:32Seco , highway nine , and I had my house

33:35this way and the casino that way . So ,

33:38at that time , I had my partner , my wife

33:40, and I'd tell her , " I'll be home in a

33:41bit from 2 in the afternoon , " but I

33:42wouldn't get there until 10 at night ;

33:43instead of going this way , I'd go that

33:45way , and I'd go inside . Eh , so today I

33:49see the issue of advertising and all

33:52this that you see so freely , and I

33:55think the casino addiction is the most

33:58complex of all because it ruins you ,

34:01literally ; it leads you to ruin , you

34:04end up depressed , you lose your family ,

34:08you run out of money , you're left with

34:11nothing . Eh , and well , thank God I had

34:17someone at that time who helped me , and

34:20well , look , I'm telling you that to be

34:23able to get out of that , I was in a

34:26group of people who had addictions . I ,

34:31uh , I did it online , I did it in person

34:37, but well , eventually that urge faded

34:41away , and nowadays I channel it in

34:44other ways . I look at what I can do

34:47with my life , what I can , I don't know ,

34:51what investments I can make , what other

34:52things . At that time , those were 3

34:55years of my life that were very complex

34:57, very complex . I mean , you said you

34:59could be there for up to 8 hours , I

35:01don't know , that must be a rush .

35:02>> Do you know what , do you know what

35:04happened , Jo ? Look , I would spend 7 or

35:098 hours there , I would pay for the

35:12ticket , I would leave , turn around , and

35:15go back in . No , I'd tell myself , " No ,

35:18but I won all this money . How am I

35:20going to leave now ? I'm going to

35:22bankrupt the casino today , right ? " And

35:25I can tell you about amounts , I can

35:27tell you , maybe you bet 50,000

35:31>> I didn't win , and I'd grab my things ,

35:33leave the casino , go back in , and lose

35:36the 50 , plus what I'd brought . It was

35:40just crazy . It is crazy . To me , a

35:42gambling addiction is , is the , is the

35:45worst . It's the worst . That's why when

35:47Jona shared a bit , uh , about what

35:50happened to him , uh , I didn't reach

35:52that point because I had someone who

35:55helped me at that time .

35:57>> Your partner remains .

35:58>> Yes . and I decided to join a group and

36:02go little by little , exclude myself ,

36:04and well , later with time it passed ,

36:07but it's heavy ,

36:08>> man . I feel it's great that he told it

36:10because it's tremendous . I really

36:12didn't know , dude , even though we chat

36:14and everything , but , uh , I feel there

36:15are many people like you

36:17>> uh , who [ go through ] that , and for you

36:19to say , " Hey , look , you can get out . " I

36:21think it's good for , for other people ,

36:22right ? I feel you guys are public

36:25figures , soccer players , and , and I

36:26think it's really great .

36:27>> Yes , obviously . And

36:29>> because , seriously , dude , in the locker

36:30rooms I have , I had teammates who would

36:32blow all their cash .

36:33>> It's the majority . Today , you see most

36:36of them , and besides , I , for example ,

36:39uh , hang out with guys and , " Hey , let's

36:41make an accumulator bet . " I , I never

36:44played , it doesn't interest me , but ,

36:45but they are talking about that all the

36:47time and they are very young kids , you

36:48know ? They are very young , but even if

36:51I approach them , tell them , share my

36:53story , man , you know ? I don't know if

36:54they listen to you . And for me , I , I ,

36:57in those years , I , I didn't have a very

37:01good time , and later , uh , like

37:04everything , uh , it has its moments . For

37:09me , for example , if you say : " Emi ,

37:11let's go to , I don't know , such a place

37:13, it has a hotel casino , " I say : " No ,

37:15look , it's all good , but let's try to

37:17go to ... " And one has to pay attention

37:19to those things , because , uh , if I

37:21didn't have any vice in my whole life

37:23and that was the only one , it's like my

37:25weakness , you know ? Uh , so well , you

37:28have to pay attention to those things .

37:31>> When you arrive , I would like to stay

37:32on this topic for a while . Wow , I

37:34didn't know that about you , I'm kind of

37:36shocked , but I think it's something

37:37that , as a communicator , is good to

37:38explore . When you reached the point of

37:41self-excluding from casinos , what was

37:44your situation like ? I mean , because I

37:46imagine that when you say , " Hey , I'm in

37:48I'm in a bad place . " Yeah . The truth is

37:50I was really screwed .

37:51>> I was in a situation where , uh ,

37:54financially I was doing okay , but what

37:58happened to me was , uh , I wasn't seeing

38:03my kids , you know ? I mean , it happened

38:06to me all the time , all the while . It

38:09was it was very very crazy , very crazy .

38:12And and I literally literally lost

38:15everything . You don't care about

38:16anything . You don't care , huh ? Like I

38:20tell the guys , I don't know , Pampita

38:21could come by , walk right past you . "

38:24Hold on , Pampita , wait for me , " I mean ,

38:26you don't care about anything , you only

38:27care about playing , you don't care if

38:29your kid is sick , you don't care if

38:31your wife needs something , if your mom

38:33is there , you don't care about anything

38:35. The only thing you care about is

38:37watching that ball spin , watching how

38:39it falls , playing , and honestly , it's

38:41it's complex , it's hard .

38:43>> Roulette was ,

38:44>> I played roulette , I only played

38:47roulette , and besides , you go to that

38:50place and today I see it from the

38:53outside and it has so much darkness , so

38:56much heavy , negative energy , and in

38:59reality , you go and you always run into

39:03the same people . And we don't realize

39:07that we are all sick , we are sick , we

39:09are addicted people , where you go and

39:11talk to someone and they tell you , "

39:13Look , I don't know , I'm a doctor , I

39:15don't know , eh , but I control this , you

39:17see . " " I come every once in a while , "

39:20lie , they go every day just like you ,

39:23they stay 6 or 7 hours just like you ,

39:25eh , but well , like every sick person ,

39:27you don't give in , you don't you don't

39:31you don't you don't realize the gravity

39:32of where you are . " And it happened to

39:35me , I went one day and I had a person

39:37next to me , I was going to ask them to

39:40accompany me . I went and self-excluded ,

39:45and then I went to Racing and

39:47self-excluded there too .

39:49>> Racing too , bro .

39:50>> Yes , I self-excluded at the one in

39:51Buenos Aires . When you self-exclude

39:53from one , you self-exclude from all of

39:55them , from all of Buenos Aires actually

39:57. I mean , if you exclude yourself from

39:59one casino , you can't go to any in

40:00Buenos

40:00>> No , there’s a process there ; they

40:02take your information , take your photo ,

40:03and you can’t get in anymore . If you

40:05go in , they charge you a fine , you know

40:07? Well , I did it , and well , from then

40:10on , I never went back . But ,

40:12>> I mean , once you self-excluded , you

40:13never went back to any of them .

40:15>> No , I never went back , but it has a

40:16time limit . If you want to go back ,

40:20it’s a process because you have to do

40:21a psychological test and everything ,

40:23but I never wanted to go back . What’s

40:26more , I mean , it’s something that in

40:29my life , I can tell you , it’s like I

40:32fear it because I know it’s something

40:36that took many things from me , it took

40:40a lot of my time . Uh , money is

40:42important at the end of the day , but it

40:44ends up being the least important thing

40:47. It really took a lot from me , and

40:50it’s something I always tell people

40:54who win . I don’t want to go back to

40:57that .

40:58>> What do you feel was the thing that

40:59took the most from you ?

41:01>> And time with my children ? Time with my

41:04children . At that moment I had a family

41:07, we were well-established and I had

41:12everything , I mean , I had everything . I

41:16was , uh , I’m talking about my last

41:18stage at Central , I was the number 10

41:20for Central , captain of Central . At

41:23that time Boca wanted me , River wanted

41:25me , all the teams wanted me , I would

41:26step onto the field and look at what it

41:28was , right ? I would step onto the field

41:31and it was the only moment I would

41:33forget about the casino .

41:37>> It was like my mind would go blank and

41:40I would play , but I knew I was at a

41:42point where I was sick , that when the

41:44match ended , I’d say , " Damn , now

41:46I’m going to go to the casino again .

41:49" And there was something inside me

41:54saying , " Don't go . " And I would always

41:56end up going . I always ended up going .

41:58>> Did you talk to your teammates ? Did

42:00anyone know , or was ...

42:01>> Uh , Marcos knew ,

42:02>> right ?

42:03>> Milton , Fastu , but well , they didn't

42:06know that on Sundays I was with my

42:08family , and it was 4:00 PM and I would

42:10invite people to my house and it was

42:13full of people and I would say , " I'm

42:15going to a meeting on a Sunday . "

42:18>> So , you went every single day .

42:19>> Yes , I went every day . And well ,

42:21that’s how it was . But honestly ,

42:24it’s something I like to remember

42:26because I never told it , uh , I like to

42:29remember it because it’s part of it

42:32and well , today everything is well

42:36healed .

42:37>> I'm glad , brother . Congratulations

42:39because that's not easy to see . Do you

42:41have an estimate of how much you spent ?

42:43>> Yes , a lot , a lot . More than half a mil

42:49, maybe . That's crazy . And did you feel

42:54at some point that someone understood

42:56what happened with Jonathan ? Yes .

42:58>> I mean , you played with Jonathan de R.

42:59>> Yes , sure , sure . But it was never

43:01something with Jonathan that , never ,

43:06how can I put it ? No , I didn't expect

43:08it because he was always a person who

43:10didn't talk about it ,

43:11>> I mean , it didn't affect your sports

43:16performance . And let's see , when you

43:20have the money to gamble and you don't

43:23owe anyone , sure , but if these things

43:26happen to you , like what happened to me

43:29, for example , I had the money , but

43:31what happens ? I had it controlled

43:34because there was someone who was

43:35keeping track of the money I spent , to

43:37help me .

43:39>> I couldn't just keep taking from there ,

43:40hey , what's going on ? So , I would

43:42borrow money and then ask for it for

43:45something else . I was always plugging

43:49holes , and at that moment , yes , because

43:51your head is , when you have those

43:53messes , it's very difficult . It

43:56happened to me too ; I always say , I

43:58think I must have some pathology . When

44:01I stepped onto the field , I forgot

44:02everything . When I stepped onto the

44:06field , I played , the game would end ,

44:08and I’d feel a knot in my stomach ,

44:11nerves , but nerves because I knew I

44:13would go back and I knew — I even have ,

44:16look , I can tell you a story that’s

44:18crazy , huh ? I had Chelo , a friend ,

44:25I’d say , let's go to the casino . No ,

44:26no , no , let's go to the casino , no . And

44:28he would go , but why would he go ? To

44:29accompany me , so I wouldn't spend too

44:31much . It's crazy . He’d come with me

44:35and and I’d even become friends with

44:40the staff , nothing , a madman and and we

44:44already had good vibes , sometimes

44:45they’d throw me something , you know ?

44:48Well , I had a big pickup truck and we

44:51went with him and it was , I don't know ,

44:54one in the afternoon . By 3 in the

44:57afternoon , I had the money ; I had won

45:00enough to buy a truck . He calls a

45:04friend from over by Colón who has a —

45:07José Montanari has a car dealership ,

45:12several car dealerships , and he said , "

45:13José , what do you have to buy ? A truck

45:15, something ? " Yes . And I have such and

45:18such truck , he tells me , I liked the

45:20truck . Say , look , I have this much

45:21money , it's enough . Yeah , yeah , that's

45:23about what it costs . I went from the

45:26casino to Colón , we went all the way

45:28there with my friend , we bought the

45:30truck and drove back with both trucks .

45:32I arrived at that moment , I walked into

45:34the place where I was living and I gave

45:36it to my wife at the time . I told her , "

45:38Here , take the truck and do whatever

45:39you want with it . " I would just take

45:41the money and spend it otherwise . I

45:42mean , if you had the cash on hand ,

45:45>> yeah , I'd spend it , but things like

45:46that , I mean , crazy stuff , I mean ,

45:48always living at 100 mph , your head

45:49wouldn't stop ,

45:51>> for no reason , right ? All very crazy .

45:55>> The person that — I've heard of several

45:57people who have a guardian , right ? Like

45:59a friend or something . In your case ,

46:01did a family member or a friend or

46:02someone come to look after you and say ,

46:04" Hey , stop it . "

46:05>> Yes , at that time I had people , then

46:08like everything else , you know ? Uh , in

46:14my glory days , in my era I always say ,

46:17when the lights were all on me , I had a

46:20ton of people . But well , then 2025 was

46:25a very key year for me . At the end of

46:292024 I got separated and a very

46:31complicated process started for me . Uh ,

46:37and well , I started needing people who

46:40at the time , in quotes , were friends ,

46:43people who , I mean , I took to live in

46:46the Emirates , who always ate at my

46:48house , who slept at my house , et cetera

46:51, et cetera . And well , there were

46:56moments where things started getting a

46:58bit tight , I was already at Defensores

46:59de Belgrano . A kiss to Marcelo Chile , a

47:04friend of mine , the president , a

47:06phenomenon , he always helped me , gave

47:08me a hand , uh , he knows all of this

47:10>> and well , I had to pay child support ,

47:14et cetera , et cetera , et cetera , as I

47:16tell you . And there came a moment when

47:18there were 10 days left and I was like

47:21this , I was half dead . And well , I went

47:23, it happened that I would pick up the

47:25phone to call those people and

47:27friend-people , in quotes , but people ,

47:29I'm not talking about some shopkeeper ,

47:31you understand ? People who lived with

47:34me , that I took everywhere , and well ,

47:36it happened to me that I'd ask them , "

47:39Hey , look , I need 50,000 pesos to buy

47:41something to eat , " and knowing they had

47:44it , them telling me no , you understand ?

47:47I don't have it . And well , for me 2025

47:50was a learning experience , it was a a

47:55difficult year . I have a partner today

47:58and she tells me , " Emy , you don't have

48:00any friends . " No , it’s not that we

48:02don't have friends , I tell her , it’s

48:03that 2025 was like a sieve .

48:08>> There are many people who were left out

48:11, who were left by the wayside , because

48:14many people I thought were my friends

48:16let me down .

48:18>> Emy , can I ask you a question ? Uh , I

48:20mean , sometimes people who have trouble

48:24with gambling

48:26>> tend to ask for what you were saying .

48:27Even if you have it , you might go out

48:29and ask , and then , I don't know , maybe

48:31the guy says no just to look after you .

48:34>> Couldn't it have been that

48:36>> of

48:37>> Or was it because the guy didn't ,

48:38>> no , no . I'm talking , for example , about

48:42childhood friends . Yes , but maybe you

48:44hit them up for cash ,

48:45>> right ? On the contrary , because until

48:48that moment I never had problems . My

48:51problems started when I got separated

48:54at the end of 2024

48:57>> and I already had to pay for support

48:59here , support there , and live here . Do

49:02you understand ? So ,

49:03>> without the cash flow that

49:05>> without the cash flow I had , I had

49:07built up capital , but I didn't have any

49:09income ; I mean , my income was what I

49:11generated at Defensor del Grano .

49:13>> Okay . But today you at least have the

49:15foundation of having invested . Yes ,

49:18>> yes , today I've been settling in little

49:20by little , but it was a moment of

49:22turbulence , a moment in which I didn't

49:24know where to turn

49:28>> and I was in a really tight spot . And

49:31I'm telling you , I'm telling you ,

49:34friends , friends , I mean , I say , for 9

49:36years I had a very important sports

49:38brand ; friends that I would bring bags

49:41of clothes to , take everywhere ,

49:43everything you can imagine . And I never

49:47asked for anything , but at that moment

49:49I did , because really , I mean , there

49:51were days , there were moments back then

49:53, I didn't have money to eat , I can

49:55tell you that ,

49:57>> because I couldn't make ends meet .

49:58>> I can believe what you're telling me .

49:59>> I couldn't make ends meet because I

50:01would give them three , four , two , five

50:02things and that was it , it was gone . I

50:04had , how much did I have left ? The rent

50:06. But this was last year . It was last

50:08year . Afterward I got settled , because

50:11I sold something and I got myself

50:12sorted , you know ? But that moment was a

50:15key moment . that I , you know ? I mean , I

50:19found myself needing to pay this , pay

50:21that , pay that other thing , pay my rent

50:23, pay everything , everything ,

50:25everything . I had nothing left , I had

50:29nothing left , literally . And well ,

50:31I’d pick up the phone and say , " Hey ,

50:33look , can you lend me , no you know ,

50:35buddy , I don't have it . Oh , but friend ,

50:38I mean , I'm No , I'm telling you , I'm

50:40not telling you ,

50:41>> I can't imagine , besides he has nerve ,

50:43I mean , the way you say it , he has a

50:44specific nerve , I mean , you know who he

50:45is .

50:46>> No , no , sure , because I'm not telling

50:48you , I'm saying friend . Friend , I mean ,

50:52he lived with me , friend , I mean , he

50:55grew up with me , you know ? I , Emiliano ,

51:00you are my lifelong friend and for 15

51:04years you were a madman who gave me

51:07gave me everything , you let me see

51:10every country , you gave me . I don't

51:14know if one day you tell me , " Look , I

51:16don't have it , you ask me for something

51:18, I don't have it , I sell sneakers , but

51:20man , take this , come eat at my house ,

51:22whatever you want , I'll do anything . "

51:25But well , I had some responses that

51:29were eh were difficult for me and well ,

51:32nowadays my circle has gotten quite a

51:36bit smaller .

51:38>> Man , what a story , huh ? Let's continue

51:41now with football and nothing , I know ,

51:43it makes me happy to hear that that

51:45that you've worked through it and that

51:47you have support . You arrive at Racing .

51:51>> Yes ,

51:51>> but in a particular way . Which one of

51:54them ? Wait ,

51:55>> wait ,

51:55>> wait . You correct me .

51:57>> We are recording . We are recording .

51:59>> It's recording . Emy Vecchio is going to

52:01be presented at Independiente .

52:03>> Yes , sir .

52:03>> You choose a sports show .

52:06>> Yes , sir .

52:07>> And suddenly the phone rings . Fernando

52:10Gago .

52:11>> Yes , sir . I was getting changed . I was

52:13getting changed .

52:14>> I mean , but they were going to present

52:15you at Independiente .

52:16>> They made a show

52:17>> Yes .

52:18>> To talk about Independiente . I mean , I

52:20practically had to say that I had been

52:22an Independiente fan since I was a kid ,

52:24you know ? the show all of it , eh ,

52:29>> to bring in the mystique and

52:30>> Sure , exactly . But we had to sign at a

52:35certain time , we were going to sign

52:37after the show , but before the show a

52:40journalist , I don't know why , said , "

52:42Yeah , well , Vecchio is going to sign

52:44with Independiente , but he can play for

52:47Independiente , but not for Racing ,

52:49because Racing has another intensity ,

52:52et cetera . " " Racing was the team of the

52:54moment at that time .

52:56>> Great squad , of course , always . You

53:02know the deal , always , we had our ego ,

53:05right ? We all have our ego .

53:07>> Yeah .

53:09>> And I say , at that moment I had my

53:10lawyer , I tell him , " Call Víctor

53:12Blanco . " " For what ? " He says , " I want

53:14to play for Racing . " " No , " he tells me

53:16, " are you crazy ? "

53:17>> You had already talked to Independiente

53:19.

53:19>> We had already talked . Besides ,

53:20Independiente had tough management at

53:22that time .

53:23>> What ?

53:24>> Uh , Moyano and Maldonado . And good

53:29people , very good people .

53:30>> And they told you , " Hey , I want you to

53:32play . " " You told them , " Hey , we want

53:33you . " " That

53:34>> Of course , plus it was a contract . Oh ,

53:36you know ? One of those that

53:37Independiente was signing at that time ,

53:39they were top-notch . And well , then he

53:42calls him and tells him , " Look , Víctor

53:44, through a guy who is his friend ,

53:46Enrico , he asks , do you want to play

53:49for Racing ? " " Ah , well , " he says , "

53:50Look , but he isn't going to sign with

53:52Independiente . " " No , he wants to play

53:53for Racing . " " Well , they call Fernando

53:55. Fernando says , " Okay , I'm going to

53:57call him . " I'm at the show about to go

54:01on , changing , and the panelists are

54:04changing right next to me , you know ?

54:08And my phone rings and I'm talking in

54:10my underwear and Fernando tells me , he

54:12starts talking , he says , " Look , I want

54:13you tomorrow , but with one condition , "

54:15he says , " I want you to lose 8 kilos

54:17out of nowhere . " That's it , I said , " If

54:20he had told me , I want you to lose 18 ,

54:21I would have said yes anyway . " I say , "

54:23Sure , Fer , I'll be there tomorrow . " So

54:26they had to call over there , lots of

54:28swearing , imagine that . And I went to

54:32Racing , huh ? And there , the Mr.

54:37President invited me for a hot dog and

54:40a Coke . I don't see anything . Imagine ,

54:44it wasn't even enough for the rent . But

54:45I didn't care . I wanted to play for

54:47Racing , you understand ?

54:48>> To I understood it .

54:52>> You take it and say , " Fer , I'm in , "

54:55>> I'm going to lose 8 kg . " Forget about

54:56it .

54:57>> I was imagining something else

54:58afterwards .

54:59>> Okay . You say , " Hey , well , surely the

55:01contract will be juicy . "

55:02>> Sure ,

55:03>> but no . No , no , it wasn't something

55:07that , you see , when that's a problem . I

55:11always say , wherever you go , keep

55:13expectations low ,

55:15>> then everything that comes after

55:16surprises you .

55:17>> In defense of Víctor Blanco ,

55:19>> you gave yourself away , my friend .

55:20>> You told him , " I want to play . "

55:21>> You're right , but it's one thing to

55:23give yourself away and another thing is

55:25what he did to me , because obviously ,

55:27he kicked me while I was down . I mean ,

55:29it's one thing , " Well , you want to play

55:31? " Done , you already told him you're

55:32not going to Independiente . Well , well ,

55:34imagine , I couldn't even afford the

55:36rent , huh ? But well , I arrived at

55:39Racing and I lost those 8 kg right away

55:41and I got into the team immediately . So

55:44, Fernando had a way of playing the

55:46team that when I arrived , in quotation

55:49marks , he had to modify it

55:52>> because I was a player with more pause ,

55:53the team was more dynamic .

55:55>> Who did you have there in

55:56>> a lot of players ? You had , well ,

55:59Aníbal Moreno , Lolo Miranda , Juanfer

56:02Quintero , Edwin Cardona ,

56:04>> eh , Carlos Alcaraz .

56:05>> How greedy you were , Gago .

56:07>> How greedy .

56:08>> You know nothing , but he said ,

56:10>> you don't know what those training

56:11sessions were like , you don't know , he

56:13would set up two teams and it was

56:15something ,

56:15>> what madness . I was in very , very good

56:18squads because at Santos I was in

56:20squads , there was Rodrigo Bóz , Bruno

56:23Henrique , Gabi , Gabi Gol , eh Lucas Lima

56:25, squads , but that Racing squad was

56:27madness .

56:28>> Madness .

56:29>> For you , was the Racing one better than

56:30the Santos one ?

56:31>> Yes , yes , because besides , it was a

56:32luxury . You would go to training and

56:34see the drills . Besides , Fernando is a

56:37great coach with very clear concepts

56:39and when he did the field work , which

56:43was spectacular , you should see how

56:46they turned out . It was something ,

56:48>> I don't know him well . It seems to me

56:50he is a guy very passionate about what

56:51he does ,

56:51>> very passionate . He lives , I mean , he

56:55lives , he lives for soccer , eh , and he

56:57is very young , if you think about it .

57:01He is 41 years old ,

57:03>> eh , but no , besides , he is a coach who

57:05is conceptually spectacular . If he

57:07tells you , " We are going to play this

57:09way , because we are going to beat this

57:11team this way , " good . And if he tells

57:12you , " They aren't going to score a goal

57:14this way , " they don't score the goal

57:15that way . It's impressive . He has a

57:17very good reading of the game .

57:19>> Well , for , and you were competing for

57:20the position with

57:21>> with everyone . It was a squad . It was ,

57:24there was Juanfer , there was , there was

57:26Edwin , there was Carlito Alcaraz , who I

57:29thought was just a kid , I don't know ,

57:31he's at Juventus now I think , I mean ,

57:33he was a , a star , he is a star , eh ,

57:35there was Jonathan Gómez , there was

57:37Lolo Miranda , there was Aníbal Moreno ;

57:39then you had Carbonero , eh , Matías

57:41Rojas , Gabi Hauche .

57:45>> Eh , you had Copetti , Maxi Romero , no ,

57:48you had an impressive number of players

57:52and well , eh , we competed , we competed

57:55well . And well , Fernando , since he

57:58chose me , he always backed me , he

58:00played me until , well , until I had the

58:03knee injury , he played me always .

58:05>> I have two questions . I'll

58:07>> think , I have two paths , I mean , I'm

58:09going to choose

58:10>> choose well , think well because I'll

58:12remember it , I'll get up and leave , eh .

58:15>> I'll choose the first path , the lighter

58:17one first .

58:17>> Oh , let's see .

58:18>> No , it's lighter , it's lighter . Relax .

58:21I mean , in a , in a , in a locker room

58:22with so many great players , you

58:24mentioned the egos .

58:25>> Yes ,

58:26>> that I imagine you said , verbatim , it

58:28was the spiciest locker room you've had

58:30.

58:31>> Yes , because besides that I had , well ,

58:33Gabi Arias , I had Pichu , I had Sigali ,

58:35Piovi , Insúa . I mean , I always say ,

58:38there were a lot , a lot of chiefs , you

58:40know ? Hm .

58:44>> So it's difficult because generally in

58:46teams you have two or three players who

58:48are more leaders who carry the team

58:50forward and the others who follow them .

58:53In this team it was difficult because

58:55what , what are you going to tell a

58:56teammate , it was very difficult , I mean

58:58, no . And when something happened and

59:01we told each other something , it would

59:03blow up because nobody wanted to listen

59:04because it was , it was , it was a , what

59:05are you going to come and explain ? It

59:09was clear and there were , the players

59:11were spicy with a lot of personality .

59:14You had , in the squad , people who went

59:17forward like crazy , eh , who as I say ,

59:19stood their ground , you know ? And well ,

59:23eh , people , I think that these are

59:28those teams , those rosters that if

59:30Racing could have kept them together

59:31over time , they would have won , well ,

59:33everything . They only won two

59:36championships , but they could have won

59:37everything .

59:38>> I mean , even though perhaps the

59:39chemistry wasn't the best , the team

59:42worked . Yes , because later we would go

59:46onto the pitch and the objective was

59:48the same , we all understood , and

59:50besides , we were all players , uh , as I

59:52say , with a winning mentality , so we

59:54all wanted to win and when we entered

59:56the pitch that's what happened . We went

1:00:00in to win , we wanted to , we competed to

1:00:02win , and once on the pitch we forgot

1:00:04about everything else .

1:00:06>> You got your player mindset on there ,

1:00:08do you realize that , you idiot ?

1:00:09>> Yes , that’s three . Well , wait , ask me

1:00:10again , eh . But honey , do you know why ?

1:00:13You don't know , I'm , I'm going to tell

1:00:14you what happened . I'm worried .

1:00:15>> Why ?

1:00:16>> Because this one is the most live . I'm

1:00:18worried about what , what

1:00:19>> No , no , I'm worried about what's coming

1:00:21. So , so I was answering , you know ? I

1:00:24was answering there kind of

1:00:25>> let's see where you were try -

1:00:26>> where you were leading me . But

1:00:28>> no , no . The other , the other thing is

1:00:30personal . Yes ,

1:00:31>> it is . No , but wait ,

1:00:34>> you can ask everything . I already gave

1:00:35you .

1:00:35>> You already know you have a history

1:00:37that ends up being the mother of your

1:00:39daughter Mercedes ,

1:00:40>> who was the daughter of Blanco .

1:00:42>> Yes , I have two girls because of that .

1:00:43Yes ,

1:00:43>> you understand ? I mean , president ,

1:00:45player , and you married to the daughter

1:00:49.

1:00:49>> Yes , complicated . And ex-wife of a club

1:00:52legend

1:00:53>> Licha López . Which , well , I’ve never

1:00:56talked about either , but I don't know

1:00:58Lisandro because people said we were

1:01:00teammates , but I wasn't his teammate , I

1:01:02don't know him . You haven't shared a

1:01:04team yet ?

1:01:04>> I haven't shared one . When I arrived at

1:01:06Racing , he was in Junín , at Sarmiento

1:01:08Junín , uh , I faced him in a

1:01:10Racing-Central game

1:01:12>> where we swapped jerseys because uh ,

1:01:17because there was always an admiration ,

1:01:19I mean , he's a great player and the

1:01:21best . Uh ,

1:01:23>> they were separated .

1:01:24>> Yes , yes , they were separated . I don't

1:01:26know him . No , I don't know him . I never

1:01:28spoke to him .

1:01:29>> I feel like there's a sexist issue

1:01:31where Mercedes — sorry , I don't know

1:01:33her and maybe they'll bash me , but it's

1:01:35like

1:01:36>> if she was divorced and wanted to be

1:01:38with you .

1:01:39>> Totally . I mean , no . And

1:01:41>> well , you were Licha's best friend ,

1:01:42obviously there's a code there , but

1:01:43from what you tell me ,

1:01:44>> I don't know him .

1:01:45>> They bashed you more than they should

1:01:47have , in my opinion .

1:01:47>> But why ? Because people don't know the

1:01:50story , so people talk . Why ? For the

1:01:52thrill of talking . I always say , I

1:01:54didn't know him , I didn't share a

1:01:56locker room . Yes . Eh , she was separated

1:02:02, I was not separated

1:02:04>> because it's the reality . I am a

1:02:06totally honest person . I wasn't

1:02:07separated yet . Uh , I started a

1:02:11relationship with her , she was

1:02:13separated . Yes . It played against me ,

1:02:15obviously , that she was the president's

1:02:16daughter , because Víctor didn't like

1:02:18it much .

1:02:19>> Ah , Víctor ,

1:02:19>> Víctor , before that , adored me , and

1:02:21then the relationship changed

1:02:23completely . Exactly ,

1:02:25>> uh , but yes , I think it was very

1:02:31counterproductive , uh , the relationship

1:02:34I had with her , uh , being at Racing ,

1:02:39regardless of the fact that the Racing

1:02:40fans loved me a lot , because I earned

1:02:42it on the pitch . But there was always

1:02:45that contrast with Lisandro , obviously ,

1:02:50because he's a club legend . Uh , but I

1:02:54always made it clear , I don't know him ,

1:02:57I didn't talk to him , uh , I never had a

1:02:59relationship . The relationship I had

1:03:02with him was taking Guadalupe , as I say

1:03:06, to General Rodríguez so he wouldn't

1:03:08have to enter Buenos Aires and could

1:03:11take her to Junín . We would cross

1:03:13paths and greet each other with respect

1:03:15because he's a very respectful guy and

1:03:17I am too , and I knew the place I

1:03:19occupied .

1:03:20>> In other words , you being Mercedes '

1:03:21partner , uh , everything was fine with

1:03:23Lisandro .

1:03:24>> Everything was fine . If I took her , the

1:03:25chaos from the outside was worse than

1:03:27anything between the two of you .

1:03:28>> We would greet each other , we would

1:03:30give each other a hug . How's it going ,

1:03:31man ? uh , so he wouldn't have to enter

1:03:35Buenos Aires , so he wouldn't have to

1:03:36deal with all that traffic , I would

1:03:38take her to him , I've taken her

1:03:39thousands of times and he was always

1:03:41very respectful , being a very

1:03:42respectful guy . We never had problems

1:03:44because we didn't really know each

1:03:46other , I think we always had an

1:03:47admiration for each other football-wise

1:03:49, uh , and nothing more , nothing more .

1:03:51Later , well , yes , I repeat , the

1:03:54relationship I had with her totally

1:03:57played against me , because if I hadn't

1:04:00had that relationship with her , uh , I

1:04:03would still be at Racing to this day ,

1:04:06but it did , it did play , it played a

1:04:09dirty trick on me .

1:04:11>> In what sense ? Well , although I don't

1:04:13know if Víctor if I don't know if he

1:04:18liked it so much later when I injured

1:04:21my cruciate ligaments , it was difficult

1:04:23to separate the president-player

1:04:25dynamic from what we were as a family

1:04:28when negotiating the contract . I didn't

1:04:32think much of what he was offering me ,

1:04:34which was ridiculous , and I decided to

1:04:36recover from the cruciate ligament

1:04:38injury and leave , because , honestly ,

1:04:40what he wanted to pay me was a pittance

1:04:42.

1:04:44>> understanding that I , I mean , I had two

1:04:46daughters with his daughter , you know

1:04:48what I mean . And he knew the expenses I

1:04:50had . I am clear about my things , you

1:04:52understand ? I'm clear because he knew

1:04:54the expenses I had and everything , and

1:04:56well , he never took it into account . I

1:05:00leave , and that's when I leave , he

1:05:02crossed me off . Emy , going back to the

1:05:06topic of the locker room , do you think

1:05:07this relationship with Mercedes also

1:05:09affects you in the locker room ? I mean ,

1:05:11on the part of your teammates .

1:05:12>> I think so , because I , as I tell you ,

1:05:16didn't share a team with Lisandro , but

1:05:18there were many guys who did share with

1:05:20him . Regardless of the fact that I got

1:05:25along with most of them , it was a clash

1:05:27, because there were people who were

1:05:30very close friends with him and didn't

1:05:33take it well . So there was some tension

1:05:36there .

1:05:38>> Hey , you said in an interview that

1:05:40punches used to fly at Racing .

1:05:43>> They flew . Yes , yes , yes , yes . When it

1:05:47kicked off , it kicked off . There were

1:05:49little things . Yes , there were little

1:05:50things . You know , I feel like sometimes

1:05:52the punches are the least talked about ,

1:05:54I mean , people are surprised , but in

1:05:55locker rooms that's quite common , man .

1:05:57>> It's just that

1:05:58>> it stays there ,

1:06:00>> forget about it . I mean , it stays there

1:06:02, it’s happened to me in Brazil , it

1:06:04happened in Chile , it happened

1:06:05everywhere , it’s not just in

1:06:06Argentina , I mean , with teammates .

1:06:09Sometimes you're at 1000 and your

1:06:12adrenaline is at 1000 , and like I say ,

1:06:15a soccer player has a lot of ego . I

1:06:19always say , it’s the most

1:06:21individualistic team sport of all

1:06:22because everyone thinks of themselves .

1:06:27When you manage to get the majority to

1:06:29think about the group , you achieve

1:06:30things , but generally , they think of

1:06:32themselves , and when things happen in

1:06:33the locker room that one doesn't like ,

1:06:35someone goes and well , they end up in

1:06:36situations like that . A lot .

1:06:40>> At Racing , it was where it was most

1:06:42common .

1:06:43>> It was a difficult locker room from my

1:06:45point of view , right ?

1:06:46>> But yes , well , in Brazil I’ve also

1:06:48had a lot . In Chile a ton as well .

1:06:52>> You as a protagonist

1:06:54>> in Brazil . In Brazil as a protagonist ,

1:06:57>> but it was to defend a teammate ,

1:06:59>> more than anything , a teammate , a great

1:07:01teammate , Jonathan Copete who played at

1:07:03Vélez .

1:07:03>> Yes . Eh , defending him , I didn't like

1:07:07what a teammate said to him . Yes .

1:07:11>> and well , I defended him and at that

1:07:17moment it's wrong , right ? I hit that

1:07:20kid , but they were kind of already

1:07:22waiting for me , so one who defended him

1:07:25hit me too and well , a huge brawl broke

1:07:28out ,

1:07:30>> but then I don't know , it's weird

1:07:31because two days later they were

1:07:32talking to you like nothing happened ,

1:07:34you know ?

1:07:35>> Yes .

1:07:35>> Eh , these are things that happen ,

1:07:37sometimes you lose track a little .

1:07:39>> But here in Argentina or at Colo Colo ,

1:07:40were you ever a protagonist , let's say ,

1:07:42in those fights ?

1:07:43>> No , no , no . Yes , I have argued , I have

1:07:47reached the limit with some teammates ;

1:07:51but when there were situations I didn't

1:07:54like , eh , yes . But but no , I still

1:07:58think that in , I don't know what it was

1:08:00like with Racing , but when a group is

1:08:02broken it's very hard to get results . I

1:08:06mean , maybe , well , because you had

1:08:07tremendous stars , but did you feel at

1:08:09some point there was no way to get

1:08:10results with that locker room ? I think

1:08:14we won two championships , but we could

1:08:16have won much more because the squad

1:08:19was truly insane , the team was insane ,

1:08:22we had a great coach , great technical

1:08:24staff . I think no , if maybe the group

1:08:28had been more united , I think we really

1:08:30would have achieved many more things ,

1:08:34>> hey , uh , nothing , for me Juanfer has

1:08:37>> Oh , what a player . But , do you know who

1:08:39was better ? Juanfer , a star . Juan Fer

1:08:44top player , but Roger Martínez whom I

1:08:46forgot to mention . What a player , right

1:08:49? Roger is crazy good . What a star .

1:08:52That guy played everywhere .

1:08:55>> What a player , honestly .

1:08:57>> Roger was the one who stood out most .

1:08:58Well , I imagine you played with several

1:09:00, but

1:09:00>> yes , right ? As a teammate , Roger is a

1:09:03star . I had many , many good teammates .

1:09:06Like Bruno Henrique at the time , uh , I

1:09:09don't know , Rodrigo when he came out ,

1:09:12uh , no , well , Gabi , Gabi , Gabi , Gabi ,

1:09:15goal . An insane guy . The guy was in

1:09:17front of the goal , like Esteban Paredes

1:09:20at Colo Colo , no , Chupete Suazo , no , no

1:09:23, I mean , a quantity , an infinity of

1:09:25teammates who were real stars in Chile .

1:09:29Well , I had the chance to go to some

1:09:31supporter groups in Chile too . How is

1:09:34football experienced there compared to

1:09:36Argentina ? Because Colo-Colo and U de

1:09:39Chile hate each other too ,

1:09:41>> eh ? And well , there’s a — it's not

1:09:44like Colo-Colo and U de Chile are

1:09:46comparable , well , Católica is up there

1:09:48too , but the rest are maybe further

1:09:49behind in quantity , much further .

1:09:52>> In number of fans , in number of

1:09:54international cups and so on , it’s

1:09:56quite a lot .

1:09:56>> U de Chile’s fan base is very

1:09:58passionate , a fan base that was always

1:10:00used to suffering for many years

1:10:01without becoming champion . And

1:10:03Colo-Colo is more popular , I mean , it

1:10:08has , I don't know , if Chile has 16

1:10:10million inhabitants , Colo-Colo must

1:10:12have 8 or 9 million fans . It's

1:10:14literally insane . We would go to play ,

1:10:18uh , you know Chile is narrow but it's

1:10:21long . So , we might go to play way over

1:10:23there , 4 hours by plane , and I don't

1:10:25know , we'd go to Arica or Magallanes

1:10:27and 15,000 , 17,000 Colo-Colo fans would

1:10:29show up . You , like ,

1:10:32>> when you played in a classic match over

1:10:33there in Chile , what was it like ? What

1:10:35were those days leading up to it like ?

1:10:36Did you feel the pressure too ?

1:10:38>> Eh , there was pressure ,

1:10:39>> but also , well , you were already used

1:10:42to pressure , they were classic matches ,

1:10:44but Colo-Colo too . Eh , they have a big

1:10:47lead in the historical record over U de

1:10:49Chile . So it was like , at a certain

1:10:51point , it was like , whether we played

1:10:54well or poorly , we’d beat them ; I

1:10:55mean , we knew we were going to win .

1:10:56>> They’ll insult you , lots of people

1:10:58will heckle you .

1:10:59>> Yes , yes , yes , obviously . But well , the

1:11:01people from U de Chile . I was at

1:11:03Colo-Colo for more than 3 years , I had

1:11:05an incredible time , I really identify

1:11:08with them , even though U de Chile's fan

1:11:10base is very , very passionate and very ,

1:11:12how can I put it ? That they don't they

1:11:16could be losing 4-0 and they keep

1:11:17singing , you know what I mean ? They are

1:11:19very , very passionate people . But well ,

1:11:23for me , Colo-Colo gave me three

1:11:25wonderful years and also , they have a

1:11:27huge lead in classic matches . We would

1:11:30walk onto the pitch , and maybe we’d

1:11:31play very poorly , we’d win anyway ;

1:11:33we’d play well , we’d win anyway . It

1:11:35was just like that during that era .

1:11:37>> And the Garra Blanca is also very

1:11:38intense .

1:11:39>> Very intense .

1:11:39>> Have they ever come to knock on the

1:11:41locker room door ?

1:11:42>> Not to me , but to a teammate , yes . Yes ,

1:11:45to a teammate . When I arrived at

1:11:48Colo-Colo , the first semester , I think

1:11:50it was the worst team squad I ever

1:11:52played on . We were a disaster . But

1:11:56>> but you’d say , how can we be this bad

1:11:59? I was coming from Unión Española ,

1:12:01we had a great team , you have no idea

1:12:04how bad , no , we were losing every match

1:12:06, no , bad , bad . And we arrived from a

1:12:09trip and got off , and the Garra Blanca

1:12:11was there waiting for a teammate .

1:12:14>> That's awful .

1:12:15>> I remember , I remember a teammate who

1:12:17was so good , you don't know how good he

1:12:18was , such a great guy , and they wanted

1:12:20to kill him , literally , I mean , they

1:12:21were waiting to beat him up . I mean ,

1:12:24imagine reaching that point , and I

1:12:25remember that

1:12:28>> that well , we were all able to talk

1:12:30things out , and well , the guy turned it

1:12:32around later because the next semester

1:12:34we started doing better , we became

1:12:35champions , and he turned things around ,

1:12:37but they really went after him , and

1:12:39they are quite intense .

1:12:42>> There's an anecdote that goes way back ,

1:12:44man . Listen , man ,

1:12:49>> uh ,

1:12:49>> what I was missing ,

1:12:50>> it's justified to me in soccer terms ,

1:12:52though .

1:12:52>> Wait , but I , let's see , I was going to

1:12:57put you in that context to see what you

1:12:58tell me . Because , because you , you , you

1:13:01play soccer , okay ?

1:13:02>> You're a soccer player . Because I say ,

1:13:04a soccer player is for life , right ?

1:13:05They played , you are a soccer player .

1:13:07Listen ,

1:13:08>> I played for Unión Española ,

1:13:10>> okay ?

1:13:11>> I lose the championship on penalties

1:13:13and they sell me to Colo Colo .

1:13:15>> Mm . I still have it to this day , I

1:13:17remember that , and it's like a thorn I

1:13:19can't pull out , that championship , you

1:13:21see ? The next semester I go to Colo

1:13:25Colo , our team was bad , right ? But very

1:13:28bad , we couldn't beat anyone . Last

1:13:30matchday , Unión Española versus Colo

1:13:32Colo , at Unión's stadium . If Unión

1:13:34beat us , they would be champions . And

1:13:37in the other game , there was Católica ,

1:13:38which is the classic rival . And I hated

1:13:41Católica . Why ? Because Unión

1:13:44Española and Católica are classic

1:13:45rivals . So I hated them . 70 minutes

1:13:50into the game , Unión scores to make it

1:13:521-0 . With 10 minutes left , a corner for

1:13:57us .

1:13:57>> Who takes it ? Emiliano .

1:13:59>> I go for it . I took the corners . I

1:14:01grabbed the ball and kicked it to the

1:14:04other side . My teammates looked at me

1:14:06like that , and I said , sorry , excuse me

1:14:08.

1:14:08>> Berti , you son of a b **** , you've got a

1:14:09glove on your foot . I mean , wait , sorry

1:14:11, I stood up a bit . Done . 3 minutes

1:14:14later , another corner . Well , it seemed

1:14:17on purpose . I go , I hit it to the other

1:14:20side again for the video , and my

1:14:22teammates , you see , a teammate makes a

1:14:24gesture at me .

1:14:24>> Your teammates already knew .

1:14:25>> And I tell them , well , what do you want

1:14:27, I say , 2 minutes later , another

1:14:31corner , and from the same side again .

1:14:34I'll take it even further ,

1:14:36>> right ?

1:14:36>> No , my teammates wanted to kill me . I

1:14:38had José Pedro Fualita , who is a

1:14:39Católica fan to this day , he calls me

1:14:41all kinds of things . Last play of the

1:14:45match . José Pedro was coming out , he

1:14:48played for us , he cuts inside , he had

1:14:49the goal that would make Católica

1:14:51champion , he shoots and the Unión

1:14:52goalkeeper saves it , the match ends and

1:14:54they become champion .

1:14:55>> Unión becomes champion

1:14:56>> and the Católica fan never forgave me

1:14:58for it . Never forgave me .

1:14:59>> No ,

1:15:00>> you know it’s not really good or bad .

1:15:03I mean , they would cross paths with me

1:15:05on the street and not greet me . Here

1:15:07they would kill you .

1:15:08>> Of course , not there , at least they

1:15:09respected you .

1:15:09>> Yes , of course . I mean , they wouldn't

1:15:10say hello .

1:15:11>> Yes , friend . I mean , the wild thing is

1:15:13that you’re saying it openly . Hey ,

1:15:15yeah , it’s true .

1:15:16>> It’s true , because I didn't want

1:15:18Universidad Católica to be champion .

1:15:20Others would fake it .

1:15:21>> Yes . They tell you , " Well , I just hit

1:15:22it poorly . " I didn't want Universidad

1:15:24Católica to be champion .

1:15:25>> It usually happens to me , I have my

1:15:28disagreements with a friend who is a

1:15:30footballer . There have been several

1:15:32locker rooms that threw games to get

1:15:33the coach fired , whether they admit it

1:15:37>> or not .

1:15:37>> It does happen ,

1:15:38>> it exists , man . That

1:15:40>> exists .

1:15:42>> It’s not that I haven't lived it , but

1:15:46let's see , when the player gets along

1:15:51with the coach or the coach with the

1:15:52players , because many times the coach

1:15:54is wrong . The coach in the pyramid

1:15:57thinks they are more important than the

1:15:59player , and the player is more

1:16:01important than the coach because he’s

1:16:02the one who will win you the matches or

1:16:04make you lose them . And when a coach is

1:16:07on good terms with the players , what

1:16:09the player does is give that extra bit

1:16:12when it’s needed ,

1:16:13>> which I think is the coach’s virtue ,

1:16:15to get the best out of the game .

1:16:16>> That extra bit . I’m going to tell you

1:16:18one thing , I’ve gotten along well ,

1:16:19I’ve gotten along poorly . I always

1:16:21gave what I had because I love football

1:16:23, but yes . I have seen other situations

1:16:28where the player , when they get along

1:16:30poorly with the coach , doesn't give

1:16:32that extra bit , or you have a little

1:16:34pain in your calf and I’m not playing

1:16:38, you get me ? And when you are loyal to

1:16:41the coach , you can have torn ligaments

1:16:43and you play anyway . So , I haven't seen

1:16:47situations in my , in the locker rooms

1:16:49I've been in , where they try to

1:16:51sabotage a coach ; but I have seen

1:16:52players who have gotten along , we've

1:16:54gotten along better with the coach and

1:16:57an extra effort is made , and when we

1:16:58haven't gotten along well , that extra

1:17:03effort isn't there .

1:17:05>> Emy , before before finishing the

1:17:07interview I'd like to travel to the

1:17:09Middle East , over to Arabia , man .

1:17:12>> Are you going to go over there at some

1:17:14point ? You have to take me .

1:17:15>> Eh , I went to the United Arab Emirates ,

1:17:17not Dubai now . Where ? Did you like the

1:17:19Emirates ?

1:17:20>> Eh , more or less ,

1:17:21>> I mean ,

1:17:22>> weird , right ?

1:17:23>> It's nice , but very flashy . No , it

1:17:27doesn't align with my life values in

1:17:28general , but I imagine playing there is

1:17:30cool , I mean , beyond the money and

1:17:32everything , I imagine it's an

1:17:33experience that's weird , it's different

1:17:35from everything ,

1:17:37>> isn't it ? Weird , everything is weird .

1:17:39It's a totally different culture and

1:17:41has nothing to do with ours . I mean ,

1:17:42sure ,

1:17:43>> and I say , we in this part of the world

1:17:46work all the time , we run around just

1:17:48to make a buck , you know ? And the only

1:17:52problem they don't have is financial .

1:17:54>> Exactly , man . They are born

1:17:56millionaires . They are millionaires ,

1:17:58but they have a weird culture . They are

1:18:00very weird . They are very weird . Very ,

1:18:02very weird . I

1:18:03>> what was your first experience ? In

1:18:04Qatar . In Qatar ,

1:18:06>> where I got naked in the locker room .

1:18:08>> That was it ,

1:18:09>> but I didn't understand anything

1:18:10because

1:18:11>> I get to the locker room , I'm coming

1:18:13from Chile , imagine , I was born in the

1:18:16south of Rosario , I barely spoke

1:18:18Spanish well . In 2016 they put me in a

1:18:21locker room , first they put me in a

1:18:22hotel with a Korean guy who didn't I

1:18:26get into a hotel , I was there for two

1:18:28days with the Korean guy , Jan Kunon ,

1:18:30listen to this . They always turn on the

1:18:33TV and look , there was a camel race ,

1:18:35you know ? Camels like that , camels

1:18:37running alone . It follows like a hare ,

1:18:39I don't know what , and they run by

1:18:40themselves , you know ?

1:18:41>> Look .

1:18:42>> And the Korean guy , you know ? He was

1:18:43doing yoga , you know ? He stretched ,

1:18:45stretched his legs , did everything . And

1:18:47I , in 2016 , didn't even have internet

1:18:49on my phone . I arrived and I was just

1:18:52like this , you know ? And like 5 hours

1:18:55passed . I didn't talk to anyone , didn't

1:18:57speak English , didn't change the TV . So

1:19:00at one point I look at the Korean guy

1:19:02and I go like this , you know ? And the

1:19:05Korean guy gives me the finger there .

1:19:07>> Fine ,

1:19:07>> we were like that for two days .

1:19:08>> Good vibes .

1:19:09>> That was the conversation we had with

1:19:11the Korean . Imagine

1:19:12>> imagine how how sad I was .

1:19:15>> And I get to the locker room the the

1:19:17next day and our captain had played in

1:19:19Portugal , he was Algerian , but he spoke

1:19:21Portuguese . I spoke a bit of Portuguese

1:19:23because

1:19:26>> so I get to the locker room , and all

1:19:28that , bam , I pull down my underwear and

1:19:29I start walking around naked as normal ,

1:19:31like in any

1:19:33>> they dove like pigeons , they threw

1:19:35themselves down , I didn't understand

1:19:36anything , you know , like two or three

1:19:38teammates were covering their faces and

1:19:39I didn't understand . Imagine , I was

1:19:42ignorant and he comes and says , " Put a

1:19:44towel on or they're going to take you

1:19:45to jail . " He tells me you can't be

1:19:48naked here . Oh , forgive me , I was

1:19:50walking around naked , I couldn't .

1:19:52Nudity is a crime .

1:19:53>> You've got to be kidding me .

1:19:55>> Even behind closed doors .

1:19:57>> Yeah , you have to put on a towel and

1:19:59take your underwear off from underneath

1:20:01>> and in the showers

1:20:02>> they're all closed off . You take a

1:20:05towel or you change inside the No , no ,

1:20:07no . It is is forbidden . What was it

1:20:09that

1:20:09>> after six months when we got

1:20:11comfortable ,

1:20:12>> are you an idiot , you got naked ?

1:20:14>> We would get naked , we were with the

1:20:15Brazilians , we'd get naked and walk

1:20:17around . I know they died laughing

1:20:18because we had gained trust , but

1:20:20>> sure ,

1:20:21>> we had taken over the locker room by

1:20:22then ,

1:20:23>> right ? People

1:20:24>> played music ,

1:20:25>> we played music , everything , we pulled

1:20:26down our pants and walked around , no ,

1:20:28you don't know what it was like .

1:20:29>> Besides , those sons of [ __ ] , they

1:20:30did it on purpose .

1:20:31>> No , I didn't know , I didn't know what

1:20:32it was like . No , no

1:20:33>> the majority were Arabs from there .

1:20:35>> Everyone ,

1:20:36>> all Qatari . All Qatari . In Saudi Arabia

1:20:39it's worse . Saudi Arabia had everything

1:20:41.

1:20:41>> Saudi Arabia is perhaps even more

1:20:43closed .

1:20:43>> Closed . More closed . They don't speak ,

1:20:45they don't speak English , they only

1:20:47speak Arabic . So you had to have a

1:20:48translator or something .

1:20:50>> And

1:20:50>> what ? Al-Ittihad , wasn't it , yeah ? Al -

1:20:52was was Gallardo . Sure , man .

1:20:57>> And we didn't get there , there were

1:20:59Chileans , there were guys from Ivory

1:21:01Coast , there were people from

1:21:02everywhere . A disaster there too , right

1:21:04? The locker room was beautiful , right ?

1:21:06Beautiful , beautiful .

1:21:07>> You had a good time there .

1:21:08>> Yes , yes , yes . I feel that for the guy

1:21:10who already played for Central ,

1:21:12Colo-Colo , and Racing , it's a bit more

1:21:14chill . I wouldn't call it a vacation

1:21:17because the level of football is higher

1:21:19. The level in Saudi Arabia is high

1:21:21compared to the other two , but it’s

1:21:23not Argentine level .

1:21:24>> Right ,

1:21:24>> it’s a different level . But we , I

1:21:26don't know , in the locker room they

1:21:27spoke like seven languages , I remember .

1:21:29I didn't understand anything . I would

1:21:30talk , I didn't know , we were dying .

1:21:32There were Chileans , there were guys

1:21:33from Ivory Coast , there were Portuguese

1:21:35, right ? The locker room was beautiful ,

1:21:37beautiful . But outside we couldn't do

1:21:38anything , that's for sure .

1:21:39>> The daily life , what was it like ?

1:21:41>> Ah , horrible , horrible . You were just

1:21:43at home and nothing else . Plus , it was

1:21:4550 degrees out .

1:21:46>> The heat is intense .

1:21:47>> Terrible heat . We played with a heat

1:21:49index of 52 at night .

1:21:50>> You didn't have air conditioning ,

1:21:52nothing in the stadiums yet .

1:21:53>> No , no , no . You were dying of heat .

1:21:56Tremendous .

1:21:57>> Eh , did you go there alone ? Did you go

1:21:59with your family ? With my family . Eh ,

1:22:02always , thank God , I always went

1:22:03accompanied , and in those places you

1:22:05have to be accompanied , otherwise you'd

1:22:07go crazy . In Arabia , you have nothing

1:22:10to do , literally .

1:22:11>> Right , maybe Qatar is a bit more open .

1:22:13>> Qatar is more open . Well , the Emirates

1:22:16are more open too , but Arabia , that was

1:22:18tough for me .

1:22:19>> Eh , you said at one point that you

1:22:21brought friends over there . Yes , I

1:22:24brought them , I brought them just at

1:22:26that time , I brought them to the

1:22:27Emirates , it was just the final between

1:22:29Boca and River , they were there that

1:22:31month .

1:22:32>> Ah ,

1:22:33>> so they went and they had a good time ,

1:22:35they liked everything . Arabia , though ,

1:22:37>> but it's not like you brought them to

1:22:38live , but rather

1:22:39>> to Bolivia I did bring them , to Brazil

1:22:40I brought them to live . Yes ,

1:22:42>> to live . Seriously , man .

1:22:44>> Yes , in Bolivia because , eh , I wanted

1:22:46to play , eh , this is 2020 we're talking

1:22:48about . I was coming back from Saudi

1:22:53Arabia and I said , " I'm quitting

1:22:55football , I'm not playing anymore . " I

1:22:57was 30 years old , you see ?

1:22:58>> So young .

1:22:59>> Yes , but I said , " No , I'm going to stop

1:23:01for a bit , you know ? " I don't know what

1:23:03was wrong with me , you know . I don't

1:23:04know what possessed me , I was

1:23:06>> a son of a [ __ ] . I was coming from

1:23:07Arabia , listen . No. And I go to Ramallo

1:23:09for three months . To Ramallo , you don't

1:23:12know how much weight I gained in those

1:23:14three months . Fernet , barbecue , nothing

1:23:17, I wasn't myself , I was Diego . And and

1:23:20after three months I tell my lawyer , "

1:23:22Get us a team to play . " " Hey , no , but

1:23:24if you already retired , how did you

1:23:26find a team ? Besides , nobody knows you ,

1:23:28because the truth is nobody knew me ,

1:23:30and the guy gets me Bolívar in La Paz .

1:23:34And there , of course , I agree to the

1:23:36altitude

1:23:37>> and I was a bit tipsy

1:23:41>> and I tell him

1:23:43>> and I tell him , " Fine , let's go , " I say

1:23:44. And at that moment my partner tells

1:23:46me , " Where are we going ? " I already

1:23:47signed the kids up for everything , I

1:23:49wasn't going anywhere . You told me you

1:23:50were retiring . "

1:23:51>> And then I call a friend , I tell him , "

1:23:53Listen , buddy , what are you doing ? "

1:23:54Just driving the taxi . What am I going

1:23:56to do ? He says , you know , my lifelong

1:23:58friend . " Hey , Leo , ready , drop the taxi

1:24:00, we're leaving . " " Where are we going ?

1:24:01" " No , we're going to live in Bolivia .

1:24:03" " Well , let me talk to my girlfriend

1:24:04about it , " he says . And 3 hours later ,

1:24:06he was there with his suitcase , and we

1:24:08left for Bolivia .

1:24:09>> How long did you play there , though ,

1:24:10not that long ? No ,

1:24:11>> I was there two months because the

1:24:13pandemic hit us .

1:24:13>> Ah ,

1:24:14>> thank God the pandemic hit .

1:24:15>> Yes .

1:24:17>> You don't know the people , what a show ,

1:24:20>> but La Paz to live in .

1:24:21>> What's it like , man ? I don't know La

1:24:23Paz .

1:24:23>> No , you can't breathe . Just when I was

1:24:26starting to adapt a little , I had to

1:24:27come back . I mean , the first two months

1:24:30when you arrive , you can't play , man .

1:24:32>> You can't sleep . You're sleeping and

1:24:34you wake up gasping for air like this .

1:24:36>> No , it's tremendous . My friend would

1:24:38tell me , " Fatty , I can't breathe . " He'd

1:24:40say " Fatty , I can't breathe , " he'd tell

1:24:44me . " Well , it doesn't matter . I say , "

1:24:46Just sleep , nothing's going to happen ,

1:24:47you're not going to die . "

1:24:48>> Sure , lots of coca tea .

1:24:50>> Yes , yes . No , no . And also , you have to

1:24:52eat very little . You lose weight

1:24:54because you eat very little since you

1:24:55can't fill yourself up . Sure , it would

1:24:57be great for Gago to have to coach

1:24:59there in La Paz . He has to send them

1:25:02for preseason , a month of preseason in

1:25:04La Paz . Forget it , everyone would be

1:25:06skinny . What ? And then , let's say , do

1:25:08you perform better at sea level or not ?

1:25:11>> Uh , my teammates , when they went down

1:25:13to sea level ,

1:25:15>> I would look at them and say , " They

1:25:16switched them on me . They're different

1:25:18people . "

1:25:19>> I mean , no .

1:25:20>> What's wrong with these people , man ?

1:25:22>> I mean , they made a difference at

1:25:23altitude . We played at high altitude ,

1:25:25they would give them a masterclass ,

1:25:27they’d dominate the teams , we played

1:25:29Palmeiras , whoever it was , Tigre ,

1:25:32>> they danced around them , they went to

1:25:34the Llano and that was that , they

1:25:35couldn't control the ball . I’d say , "

1:25:38But , what's wrong with them ? They

1:25:39swapped my boys on me . " No , no , on the

1:25:40plains they don't struggle . At high

1:25:42altitude , they kill you .