The Forward of a Thousand Battles

The forward of a thousand battles put on the outfit of a goal scorer and scored a rabona against the calendar to compete in the Final of the Copa Libertadores and become a hero. He didn't score in the final, but he had a great performance for his team to achieve victory. And the River Plate idol bid farewell in the best way possible, raising the Copa Libertadores.

"This marks the end of a phase, a cycle. And I am proud to do it in this way, lifting the best Cup for River," the striker surprised everyone during the celebrations, with a message that sounded like a farewell.

The idol who returned to the club when it needed him the most, to compete in the promotion championship in 2011 and bring his beloved team back to the top division, is the same one who today becomes champion of the Copa Libertadores, having only played 150 minutes in the competition.

On August 14th of last year, he underwent surgery for bursitis in his right foot, a sesamoid rupture that forced him, at thirty-one years old, to consider retirement. "It's the worst injury of my career. I thought I wouldn't play anymore." But twelve months later, Cavenaghi played the most important match of his career since his debut with the River shirt back in 2001.

The injury was not the only problem for El Torito. In mid-2014, when coach Marcelo Gallardo took charge, he spoke to him honestly and warned him that he would bring in forwards, and that it was likely he would be relegated to the bench, behind Teo Gutierrez, Mora, and even Boyé, and later with the signing of Alario. But Cavegol accepted being relegated without complaining. However, he had to be convinced not to leave the club before the final of the Copa Sudamericana 2014 against Cruzeiro.

With few minutes in important competitions, he reached the milestone of being a centennial goalscorer for River. With 112 goals, he is in 10th place, six goals behind the 9th place holders, Daniel Onega and Carlos Peucelle, who have 118 goals. And he celebrated by scoring four goals against Atlético de Rafaela before his team played the first final with River.

And even though it seemed that his destiny would be to watch the final against Tigres from the bench, Gallardo surprised him by telling him he would start due to Mora's injury. "I am facing the most important match of my career," he responded gratefully to the coach. And he didn't disappoint. Although he couldn't score, he says goodbye having won the Copa Libertadores. And he closes his career in the best way possible.