On the afternoon of June 4, 1995, none of the hundreds of spectators who religiously attended the Luis Franzini stadium to witness the Defensor Sporting 1-2 Liverpool match, for the Uruguayan tournament, predicted a good future for that lanky '9' who made his professional debut. At just 19 years old, Washington Sebastián Abreu appeared in an unusual way to the world: minutes after entering the field, he committed a penalty by jumping high in his own area, like a goalkeeper, to clear with his hand a cross from the opposing team.
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That tall skinny guy with short hair who commits an unheard-of penalty in his debut as a professional footballer, would later be the same one who starts scoring all kinds of goals: with his left foot, his right foot, his head. And even more: important, unforgettable goals. Like that header goal against Costa Rica in 2009, in the very Centenario stadium, for the Uruguayan national team to return to a World Cup after eight years. Or the memorable penalty in 'Panenka' style -we should discuss whether we should start calling it an 'Abreu' penalty- against Ghana to secure a spot in the semifinals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Nicknamed the 'Loco' for his eccentric way of being, but also for traveling the world kicking a ball: he played for 32 teams in eleven different countries (Uruguay, Argentina, Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Israel, Greece, Ecuador, Paraguay, El Salvador, and Chile). In 2015, he was close to joining César Vallejo but his signing fell through at the last moment.
Seven years later, after retiring from football, Abreu would have everything ready to come to Peru, according to Uruguayan journalist Federico Buysan . Vallejo, who lost their coach after Chemo del Solar's departure, could be the first club in the country that the 'Loco' arrives at. And speaking of his possible arrival, we remember the world-class players who came to Peruvian football to manage. Some did well, others not so much.
Ver noticia en El Comercio: DT