Headlines praise the title of the New York Cosmos by Raúl González Blanco, but the Argentine Gastón Cellerino, a 29-year-old forward who began his professional career in Peru in 2007 as a reinforcement for the Universidad San Martín, was the figure of the New York team in the decisive match for the North American Soccer League (NASL).
Gastón Cellerino. In 2015, he was embraced by Raúl González Blanco in the New York Cosmos. (Photo: Reuters)
Gastón Cellerino scored a hat trick for the New York Cosmos in the 3-2 victory against the Ottawa Fury that gave the title to the white team led by the Spanish Raúl González Blanco, who will retire from soccer after this championship.
Argentine forward Gaston Cellerino steals the show with hat trick in #TheChampionshipFinal: https://t.co/TGwoAwrkjI pic.twitter.com/Xds35zmusV
— NASL (@naslofficial) November 16, 2015
Gastón Andrés Javier Cellerino Grasso was born on June 26, 1986, in Viedma, Río Negro Province, Argentina. He arrived in Peru in 2007 from amateur teams in his country, made his debut in San Martín, and won the Apertura tournament under the coaching of Víctor 'Chino' Rivera.
Gastón Cellerino. In 2007, the year of his debut, he was embraced by Mario Leguizamón and 'Patito' Quinteros in San Martín. (Photo: El Comercio)
After Gaston Cellerino's hat trick in the final of the North American Soccer League (NASL), the New York Cosmos secured their second title in three years.
In 2013, Gastón Cellerino was very close to signing with Alianza Lima, a team that was managed by Wilmar Valencia at the time. The negotiations did not come to a good end.
Source: DPA / El Comercio