Juan Román Riquelme enjoyed his farewell match this Sunday before a full Bombonera that gave an ovation to one of his top idols in a match between Boca and the Argentine team, led by Lionel Messi, who was also one of the most acclaimed by the swollen xeneize. La Pulga already received a mass bath the day before at Maxi Rodríguez’s farewell party in Rosario.
The match ended 5-3 in favor of Boca with goals from Antonio Barijho (2), Pablo Ledesma, Juan Román Riquelme and Sergio ‘Manteca’ Martínez, while for the albiceleste team they scored ‘Lucho’ González, Lionel Messi and Fernando Gago.
The party began in the afternoon with two musical shows: Damas Gratis and Onda Sabanera, in front of a stadium that quickly filled its stands to say goodbye to one of its greatest idols who wore the xeneize jacket in two stages: 1996-2002 and 2007-2014.
In addition to Messi, Juan Román Riquelme’s farewell match had stellar presences such as Lionel Scaloni, Leandro Paredes, Ángel Di María, Juan Pablo Sorín, Esteban Cambiasso, Fernando Gago, Javier Saviola, Pablo Aimar, Diego Placente, ‘Lucho’ González , Ezequiel Lavezzi (for Argentina); Carlos Fernando Navarro Montoya, Óscar Córdoba, ‘Cata’ Díaz, Sebastián Battaglia, Nicolás Burdisso, Mauricio ‘Chicho’ Serna, Marcelo Delgado, Rodrigo Palacio, Blas Giunta, Walter Samuel, Hugo Ibarra and Jorge Bermúdez, among others.
The coaches of both teams were José Néstor Pekermam, Alfio Basile and Carlos Bianchi, to whom Riquelme dedicated a few words in his final speech. “You were my coach when you were little, he has helped me a lot. I love you very much and I hope you and the whole family are very happy,” he told Pekerman.
“He is the prettiest tonight, he has taught me as an athlete and how life is, I love him very much Coco, it took me a long time to find him,” he dedicated words to Basile. “He arrived in ’98, and you are to blame for that all of us bosteros think that winning the Libertadores is easy. It’s all yours. I feel part of his family, I love him very much, ”he concluded about Bianchi.
Then he put on the Boca shirt with Diego’s 10 and declared: “I dreamed of buying my mother’s house. You treated me wonderfully, from the first game to the last, that was wonderful. I was lucky. I had to play with him bigger, which was Maradona”.
“Then time passed, I got older and he’s incredibly big. I don’t know if he’s bigger than Maradona, but they are the two biggest I’ve seen in my entire life and it’s wonderful to have him here. I apologize to your family that you stayed a couple more days, grateful that you always said yes to me and for all the bosteros to be lucky to have you here is unforgettable, I hope you had a great time. I love you very much”, was the phrase in reference to the presence of Messi, more supporter of River Plate, who was unsuccessfully asked from the stands to put on the Boca shirt.
“My dad made me a booster, like all of you. I’m going to die a booger. I thank you all for the love. I go to bed and get up every day thinking about how to maintain that. I couldn’t live without you,” Riquelme said. The end was with a postcard from all those present together with the honoree Juan Román Riquelme.
