Advíncula's idolatry in Boca and why it is the biggest news of the year for the foreign legion of the national team [VIDEO]

INTERVIEW: "I don't know who Alianza Lima is staying with"

However, it has not been Advíncula's talent - which he has - that has been the differential to conquer the Argentine fans, but rather his dedication and ability to appear in critical moments, especially in this last Libertadores. His arrival from 2021, when he returned from Europe after an uneven experience at Rayo Vallecano, was marked by his athleticism and two factors that place him above the average of the South American first-rate side. To this must be added tactical discipline (Gareca valued that a lot) and his generosity in coverage and transitions. His shortcomings, however, were known: certain predictability in the overflow, medium precision in the crosses, and defensive difficulties. The doubt behind it was the same that accompanied him throughout his career: is Advíncula a full-back or a winger?

Roberto Mosquera, when he trained him at Aurich in 2012, converted him into a wide marker and corrected his position as an outside forward, where he had played until then. From there, and except for a few cases (sometimes in Vitoria Setúbal, another time in Newell's), 'Bolt' sought to position himself as a defender with projection, always correct, but rarely excellent. Until Almirón decided to bet on returning him to the offensive position with remarkable results: this year he has scored 3 goals and 4 assists and is one of the mainstays of the team.

Furthermore, the Peruvian national team has managed to dominate the change of profile, which he had already practiced in Spain, and has obtained tremendous effectiveness in his left-footed shot. His goals in the Libertadores against Pereira, Colo Colo, and Nacional are proof of work and tenacity that we should all celebrate. How many 33-year-old footballers insist on incorporating tools into their game? And how many achieve it? Lucho's is exemplary, like his claw. The Boca fan, it must be remembered, is more similar to that of the "U" than that of Alianza: he celebrates above all the rebellion against adversity.

That being said, the question that remains is how far Advíncula could have gone if his positional uncertainty had been resolved earlier and if, let's speculate, his technical training had not been done in Sullana but in a club where he could have learned the double profile early on. One of the tragedies of Peruvian football is that our players reach maturity very late (think of William Chiroque or Carlos Lobatón, for example). Therefore, one of the main objectives of the federation should be to shorten these deadlines so that the player's growth curve matches market expectations and the needs of the national team.

ADVÍNCULA'S CLUB NUMBERS: