Memorable Moment in Luis Quintana's Career
There are days that leave a lasting impact on anyone, either due to their significance or the fateful outcome they bring. For Luis Quintana, there is one of the latter kind that marked his trajectory, serving as an impulse. On May 17, 2012, in an unprecedented encounter, Pumas and América Sub 20 faced each other in the final of their category. Both squads, proud of their origins, had been dominating this division for at least a year, and reaching the brink of the title was an incentive for all the young players involved. With the number 66 on his jersey, the mentioned center-back was just another player on the field.
The first leg took place at the Olympic Stadium in Ciudad Universitaria. Led by Raúl Servín, the Pumas had a foundation that had already made their debut in the First Division and had accumulated playing time together on the field. In addition to Quintana, other notable players included Josecarlos Van Rankin, Alan Mendoza, David Izazola, and Alfonso Nieto. On the blue and yellow side, faces like Martín Zúñiga, Lugiani Gallardo, and Gil Cordero were the most recognizable; they were commanded by Guillermo Huerta, an expert in developing talents in progress. Pumas was the favorite, the team that played the best football.
On the field, just 15 minutes had passed when Lugiani Gallardo beat Quintana on the run and infiltrated the area to defeat Bernabé Magaña and open the scoring. Luis struggled for the rest of the first half, and although he countered América's midfielder, he seemed restless, nervous. He was substituted for the second half, and Servín opted not to use his services for the return leg. The current first-team center-back was brought in during the final moments, when the Águilas were already leading, once again, 1-0. There, at the Azteca Stadium, the blue and yellows achieved the U-20 quadruple championship.
That episode recalls one of the most challenging moments for Quintana, but it was not the last one. Luis made his debut in the top league a year later, in 2013, under the tutelage of Antonio Torres Serví, although he would have to wait for many factors to come together for him to finally enjoy the reward. Until the Apertura 2015, he would not exceed the limit of five matches per tournament; the crisis of results at Pumas and the lingering danger of the relegation table, along with the presence of Darío Verón and Gerardo Alcoba, made it difficult for his presence to be more regular with the main squad. His qualities were known, but he hadn't proven anything yet.
On most occasions when Luis Quintana had been called upon, both by José Luis Trejo and Guillermo Vázquez to replace Verón or Alcoba, always due to injury, he fulfilled his duties without much fuss; in fact, at the time, he stated: "I know who is ahead of me and that it will be a matter of time for me to earn a spot." The center-back himself was aware that his opportunity would come, that he had to wait stoically, regardless of the storms to come. One of the most complicated ones arrived: between 2016 and the first half of 2017, he only played 10 matches in the league, barely exceeding 600 minutes of action, a quota that would despair anyone.
At 25 years old and with all the youth processes in the club, Quintana seemed not to be favored by Francisco Palencia, the current coach who gave more opportunities to others like José Antonio García. However, with Paco's departure, Verón's farewell, and until the management found a replacement for the Paraguayan in the foreign market, his opportunity as a starter came. Whether it was with Sergio Egea or David Patiño, Luis was the reliability of a battered defensive unit that gradually found a balance lost due to poor collective decisions. At the end of the Apertura 2017, the center-back, who inherited Darío's '4' jersey, appeared in all 16 matches of the tournament, with over 1,300 minutes and even a goal to his name.
Just a couple of months ago, with another departure, this time Gerardo Alcoba's, Rodrigo Ares de Parga's management reconsidered reinforcing the defense. But based on Patiño's recommendation, they only brought in a replacement for the Uruguayan, keeping Quintana as the cornerstone of the Pumas project. Today, reality also places Luis in a leading position, thanks to the importance of his play and the security he brings to the backline. From the young man who failed in marking during the U-20s, to the player who now excels in every game in the top league, there are many differences. "His contribution has been fundamental; individually, he is at a very high level, but this is not new," his coach has said.
He is shy, doesn't like much contact with the press, and avoids speaking too much. But at present, thanks to the fruit of his own effort, Luis Quintana accepts his role and assumes his responsibilities: "I am highly motivated by the confidence my coach is giving me. I am very happy and feel the responsibility to improve day by day. I set out to be the next after Darío, I analyzed it a lot for almost four years, I watched what he did in negative and positive moments, I learned a lot from him, and I know I still have a long way to go, but I have grown; I knew the day would come when he wouldn't be there anymore, and I didn't want them to bring in another reinforcement, that was my goal."