Oribe Peralta Honored with Statue Unveiling at Santos Laguna Stadium

Santos Laguna and its fans showed respect and admiration to Oribe Peralta, who was embraced by the affection towards him, his career, and the legacy he leaves behind as part of the greatness of this institution and the Comarca Lagunera.

At the unveiling of 'El Cepillo's' statue in the Plaza del Aficionado at TSM, dozens of people attended to witness this important moment, which was attended by Mayor Román Cepeda; Alejandro Irarragorri, President of Grupo Orlegi; Dante Elizalde, Executive President of Santos; former players Pedro Muñoz, Lupe Rubio, Antonio Olvera, Iván Estrada, Daniel Ludueña, Walter Jiménez, and Rodolfo Salinas.

Oribe was accompanied by his wife and children, his parents, siblings, and close friends, who witnessed this special moment where the work of sculptor Guillermo Colmenero was displayed, accompanying the figures of Jared Borgetti, Rodrigo Ruiz, Christian Benítez, and Oswaldo Sánchez.

With Marc Crosas as the master of ceremonies, a video with the most representative moments of Oribe's career was projected while dozens of fans cheered for him.

With a Great Dedication

After the words of Alejandro Irarragorri and Dante Elizalde, El Cepillo expressed profound gratitude for this recognition:

"Football has given me more than I gave it. That image there is not Oribe Peralta, it's any person who wants to excel, who doesn't settle. It reflects carrying the warrior spirit every day," he said.

He added: "For me, playing football has been a gift, playing for Santos Laguna has been living my dream. The only goal I had since I was a child was to be like that man there (pointing to his father), to have his integrity, and that was instilled by my mother. Thanks to those two people, my wife, and my children, I am the person I am. A person who never tires of fighting."

He said he was very happy and grateful to Grupo Orlegi and Club Santos, and to all the fans. "I'm happy, very excited, I felt like crying. I want to enjoy this with my family because ultimately, this is for them."

Oribe said he never imagined experiencing something like this, "I never anticipated it, never had it on my radar. I am infinitely grateful to those who made this possible. I lived my dream, I enjoyed it to the fullest. Thank you to everyone."

The Statue's Pose

Asked about the pose of the statue, he explained that it depicts when he lost the Concacaf Champions League final with Santos. "I think it reflects a bit of what Oribe was, someone who never gives up, who has given everything. The greatest satisfaction a person can have is giving their all for their dream, even if it's a one-day dream, that was my way of seeing life, enjoying it to the fullest because you never know if you'll be here tomorrow."

At halftime of the match between Santos and Juarez, Oribe Peralta's name was unveiled on one of the boxes, and on the 24th minute of each half, an ovation was given to El Cepillo, who was cheered on by a stadium that recorded the highest attendance of the season so far.