'EL PULSO' COLUMN
MEXICO CITY -- He entered Coapa with his tail between his legs after eight months ago declaring that he did not identify with the way the Eagles won, so he predicted that he would "not be a player for América."
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He had to eat his words and he did it without hesitation: "It was one of the many unfortunate phrases that I have had in my career," he said with a smile later to end the controversy.
However, it was not with words that Agustín Marchesín won over the American fans: he is a goalkeeper of outstanding level and did not take long to demonstrate it.
The profile of the Argentine fit perfectly with the blue and yellow colors: haughty, leader, winner and even controversial. And on the field, a guy who made a difference, who saved the unsavable.
He made more than one mistake during his time in Mexico, both in Santos and América: he called Giovani a "drunkard," he kicked an America's youth player out of place, and his aforementioned warning that he would never play in Coapa.
However, the main virtue of a well-born guy is not about not making mistakes, but about his ability to recognize them and try to fix them.
And 'Marche' —as his close ones call him— did not hesitate to face it, say "I made a mistake" and offer a public apology while committing not to repeat his missteps.
He was compared to Héctor Miguel Zelada, which obviously turned out to be an exaggeration, but where there is no exaggeration is that América, yes, but also Mexican soccer, loses a player like him who doesn't come around very often.
The European dream, playing in the Champions League, living in the first world, and a better contract at 31 years old are more than enough reasons for, bathed in tears, to fly away from the nest.
When he arrived at América, he warned: "I will be here until the day they kick me out"... Two and a half years later, no one opened the door for him to leave, but he understood that he should board the train to Porto and said goodbye with a letter that summarizes that his human quality is equal to or greater than what he shows with his gloves on.