The pass that never was: how Gustavo Gómez went from almost a player from Boca to idol in Brazil

Soccer usually has signing stories that could have changed both the history of the club and the player in question. But many times those transfers do not occur, they choose another destination and that is where they end up conquering titles to open the question of what would have been if the pass was given.

Gustavo Gómez He is one of the most aguerrido defenders who have seen in South America, conquered a local tournament with Lanús and is Bicampeón of the Copa Libertadores with the Palmeiras. The Paraguayan defender He could have arrived in Boca before the Brazilian teambut a curious detail dropped his arrival to Xeneize.

He even posed with the shirt: Gomez’s frustrated arrival in Boca

Very early Gustavo Gómez appeared at the IMAXE Clinic of Federal Capitalin which hours later, another reinforcement of the blue and gold team would also be made. Everything came out and went to the club to sign his contractwhere Royco Ferrari expected, at that time vice president of the institution.

“It didn’t happen because Boca people didn’t want. I did the medical review, I went to the club, I have a photo with the shirtI talked to the nutritionist, with the psychologist. I did everything. I also made the note for Boca TV ”, The Paraguayan defender revealed in 2023, and does not lie.

In the Xeneize they had everything ready to announce itthe photos, the statements and only the firm was missing. The representative and the player were ready to seal a star reinforcement for the mouth of Guillermo Barros Schelotto, But football laps did not allow it.

Of course there are the two versions: The player and his agent claim that they had a contract arranged without the stop to the dollar that most ties in Argentine football had. From the Board of Directors under Daniel Angelici at that time, They deny that they have changed the conditions minutes before signing.

Boca’s directive said that at the time of the firm, The player demanded to remove the stop and that this condition had previously arranged. What is true is that none of the parties gave the arm to twist, Gomez grabbed his things and turned to Italy, since his pass belonged to AC Milan. Days later, he joined the Palmeiras of Brazil and made history there.

From almost going to Captain: Gustavo Gómez’s titles in Palmeiras

Football has quite rare turns. Gustavo Gómez did not reach Boca and went to Palmeiras, and months later, Both teams were in the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores de América 2018. The Paraguayan was part of the team that fell in La Bombonera thanks to Darío Benedetto’s double.

In the lap, it was 2 to 2 And the former Lanús was in charge of scoring the draw from the penalty spot. The following year, there were also no successes at the continental level and his future in Brazil was in doubt, since they could not revalidate the Brasileirao achieved in 2018. But in 2020, Abel Ferreira would arrive and everything would change.

Gomez became the leader both on and off the court and did not leave. He won four Paulista championships (2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024), the Brazilirao in 2022 and 2023, the 2020 Brazil Cup and two liberating glasses: the 2020 and 2021. With La Verdao it already has 363 presentations, with 42 goals converted and 12 assists provided.