05/07/2024

Rafa Puente left Atlante crying: They paid me more than América.

Hace un año

Rafa Puente left Atlante crying: They paid me more than América.

Rafael Puente, former Mexican goalkeeper, remembered that he left Atlante crying when he left, where they paid him more than América.

Rafael Puente, former Mexican goalkeeper, remembered that he left Atlante crying when he left, where they paid him more than América.

Standardized HTML Code

One of the greatest idols of Atlante is former goalkeeper Rafael Puente Suárez, better known as Wama, because of his resemblance to the protagonist of the Mexican comic, Wama, the son of the jungle. In 1974, Rafa, who took the starting position from Raúl Orvañanos with the blue-and-white team, was transferred to América where he remained for a couple of years and was part of the squad that won the League title in the 1975-76 season. The now sports analyst was a substitute for Francisco Castrejón.

Puente Suárez had an early retirement due to a knee injury, so in 1976 he hung up his gloves with the jersey of the Eagles.

The Wama remembered in the YouTube channel of journalist Antonio de Valdés how his sale from Atlante to América was, in addition to pointing out that he was paid more with the Iron Colts than with the Eagles.

"Don Fernando, who had an excellent relationship with Emilio (Azcárraga), made the operation always very disguised. At that time, as a result of the sale of Enrique Borja from Pumas to América, which some newspaper headlines even said he had been sold like a bag of potatoes and that there was a certain displeasure. The then president Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, by presidential order, which was fulfilled as a decree, it was stated that the player owned 25% of the transfer card plus 5% per year of seniority until reaching 50%," Puente Suárez mentioned, who added:

"There was interest in Marcos Rivas, a reference of Atlante, known as the Once Puestos or the Mugrosito. Don Fernando made the operation, the two as a package, and then it was not known what the operation was according to the price of each one, and then there were differences. When we arrived at América, there were also differences in terms of salary, I don't know Marcos'. When I arrived at América, they offered me less than what I was earning at Atlante. A tour was made and I had not signed, when we returned we signed because the salary was agreed directly with Don Guillermo Cañedo."

Also, Rafa Puente acknowledged that leaving the blue-and-white team was one of the hardest blows in his professional career.

"It was incredible to leave Atlante to go to América because they offered you something you dreamed of as a player of Atlante, not for leaving Atlante. It was one of the hardest blows I received. When I left, aware that they had sold me and that I was part of América, sadness took over me and I left crying."



Ver noticia en Laaficion.milenio.com

Temas Relacionados: