The empty soccer fields in Flushing Meadows
The Flushing Meadows park in Queens County, New York, looks deserted today. At this time, in normal times, the weekends were full of soccer fans of all nationalities. In all the fields, Latin American and European leagues were starting their tournaments and their teams, with colorful uniforms, were cheered on by rowdy supporters.
The fatal pandemic has emptied the fields and prevented Ecuadorian fans from paying tribute to two players who made history in their clubs and in the National Team. This week, Flavio Nall Vásquez and Gonzalo Ardiles Cárdenas, both linked to the history of Ecuadorian soccer and the championships of leagues in Flushing, passed away in New York.
The old regulars in the stands of the Capwell stadium will hardly forget a young trigueño, a great right back, very agile and spectacular: Flavio Nall. He emerged in 1954 in the selection of his hometown, Milagro, in the now extinct inter-cantonal tournaments. Milagro was producing stars by the dozen and shining was the prominent name of Unión Deportiva Valdez, the first bicampeón of professionalism in Guayas. In 1955 Valdez brought Nall and his teammate in the defense of the national team, Hugo Pardo, to their ranks.
At that time, the memorable Carlos Serrado, Honorato Gonzabay, and Leonardo Mondragón were still reigning in the defense of Valdez, but little by little the younger players were gaining ground and by 1956 they were appearing as starters in many games. In 1957, the renovation took place and in defense, guarding the great Alfredo Bonnard, were Pardo, Gonzabay, and Nall. This was the case until the sad 1958, which was Valdez's last season. Dissent within the sugar company, which withdrew its financial support for the team, prompted Edmundo Valdez Murillo to dissolve the squad. A wrong decision by the company when today companies, banks, and industries pay millions for the advertising of their names on soccer jerseys.
Generous as always, it was Edmundo Valdez who rejected the players' proposal to continue defending the team without charging a penny. He thanked them for the gesture and gave them a blank pass to their cracks, who were soon called up by other clubs. The one who strengthened the most was Everest, which took Flavio Nall, Hugo Pardo, Juventino Tapia, Carlos Titán Altamirano, and Pepe Aquiño in 1959. That year Everest was a team of great power that consolidated in 1960, when they won the title of Asoguayas for the first time in their history.
In 1962, Nall, Pardo, Altamirano, and Aquiño supported the famous Everest team, which became undefeated national champions, leaving Barcelona behind in a memorable final that was played in the Modelo stadium with full stands. A discussion about the distribution of the ticket sales gave rise to a phrase from a Barcelona executive that went down in history: "Barcelona cannot support parasite teams." On the day of the game, under the scoreboard, a cloth sign appeared that also became history: "Today the parasites will be champions." The sign had been commissioned by the biggest Everista fan, Rockola Cornejo, who showed it to the public.
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Nall's quality, his marking skills, his technique, and the art of his impressive bicycle kicks made him a favorite of the public. He was also a clean, loyal, and gentlemanly player, just as he was in life. An example of nobility and friendship. He was in the National Team in the 1959 South American Championship, at the Modelo stadium. He was also part of the team that played the first World Cup qualifying matches in 1960 and was a defender in the 1963 South American Championship in Bolivia.
I knew Gonzalo Cárdenas very little, but I knew him as a respectful, cheerful, and friendly compatriot. I saw him play, though, since he appeared at Everest, where he shone especially in 1980. He was an attacking midfielder with excellent skills, a number 8 of the old school, in a successful Everest team that included Édgar González, Duval Altafuya, Jesús Meza, Argentine Aníbal Cibeyra, and Paraguayan Miguel Ángel López. That year Barcelona was the champion, but Everest "made things difficult for the yellow team," which could only prevail once (2-1), "with scares and after coming back from a disadvantageous score." The rest were two draws and one defeat for Barcelona.
Omar Quintana, who had taken over at 9 de Octubre, was impressed by Cárdenas' quality and took him - along with Flaco López - to the team that the press called 'Super Nine'. He played with Argentine Óscar Pezzano, Brazilians Nelsinho and Osní, Emilio Huayamave, Orly Klínger, Belford Párraga, Jorge Amores, Guillermo Jauch, and others. On November 4, 1981, the October-born players, with Cárdenas as a starter, "surprisingly defeated Barcelona (future champion of the season) because the 4-1 score was not in anyone's plans."
In 1983, he joined Filanbanco, which that year was promoted to Serie A with a team coached by Eduardo Macías and in which he formed the midfield line with Marcelo Hurtado. Cárdenas played in Filanbanco's debut in the first division in 1984 with Freddy Bravo, Orly Klínger, Hurtado, Eduardo Aparicio, Ubaldo Quinteros, and Brazilians Luis Carlos Macedo, Noé, and Newton.
In 1985, Cárdenas, nicknamed Ardiles for his playing style similar to Argentine Osvaldo Ardiles, 1978 World Cup champion, joined Emelec, where he played alongside Jesús Cárdenas, Kléber Fajardo, Ecuador Figueroa, Juan Pastor Paredes, Benigno S’Tomer, and other quality players. His name was remembered forever on July 16, 1985, when Emelec defeated Liga de Quito 5-1 and Ardiles scored the goal that was the fastest in the tournament for a long time (35 seconds). Coincidentally and to his greater merit, it was the day he made his debut in the blue shirt.
In 1981, he played several friendly matches for the National Team, which was preparing for the qualifiers for the 1982 World Cup in Spain. (O)