The former Argentine footballer and coach Óscar Ruggeri, champion of the world with his national team in 1986, gave an exclusive interview to El Comercio in which he talked about different topics, although he focused more on the present and future of the Peruvian national football team, currently coached by the national coach Juan Reynoso.
The popular 'Cabezón', winner of a World Cup (1986) and runner-up in another (1990), and also a two-time champion of the Copa America (1991 and 1993), currently works as a commentator for ESPN, where he shares a program with renowned Argentine sports journalists, among which stands out Sebastián 'Pollo' Vignolo.
WATCH HERE | Oscar Ruggeri's thoughts on Gareca's departure, Peru's slow replacement, and his position on the AFA and elections in his country.
During the interview with El Comercio, the historic Argentine former player revealed little-known details about his friendly relationship with Ricardo Gareca, former coach of Peru, whom he considers more than a friend, but part of his family. Ruggeri expressed his opinion about the recent decision made by 'Tigre' to resign as the coach of Velez Sarsfield, the club of his entire life, and said he hopes he can soon return to coaching at an institution that offers him a serious project.
"When we stopped playing, Ricardo and I took the coaching course together and when we went to eat with our families, he would arrive at the restaurant and at the table he would grab the glasses, the knives, the cups, the little bottles, everything, and put together a team and say, 'let's do it this way, I'm going to play like this.' I couldn't think of anything. I didn't even feel like talking tactically at a table, about how he was going to build his team. That's when I realized he was going to be a coach and that he was going to do very well," Ruggeri said in the interview.
CHECK HERE | Ricardo Gareca didn't travel to Qatar 2022 because "it will hurt him not to coach a match," according to Oscar Ruggeri.
In addition, he ventured to give his opinion on Peru's chances in the upcoming qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
"In my opinion, they will compete. I think there is no doubt about Argentina and Brazil in the qualifiers, they have a huge advantage over the rest. After that, the others, it seems to me that they will have a hard time. Some say that Bolivia could be left out, but who is assured that they win in La Paz? They know they have a chance at home, I wouldn't rule it out, actually, they will be in the fight," he commented.