The Uruguayan player who played for Boca and now works in a La Paternal pools agency

Richard Edunio Tavares He was born on May 24, 1964 in Salto, Uruguay. Since he was a child he knew that he wanted to be a soccer player and he started having fun with Montevideo Wanderers. At 14, Richard moved to Entre Ríos with his family, and after fulfilling his father’s demands regarding finishing high school, he dedicated himself to his soccer career.

He played for clubs in the Argentine promotion and touched the sky with his hands when he arrived at one of the biggest teams in the country: Boca Juniors.

What was Richard Tavares’ football career like?

The former Uruguayan defender debuted in all boys in 1983 and played for Cordoba Racing the 1984 season. Despite doing what he liked, Tavares had the desire to live in Buenos Aires. That’s why, after a fight with his coach on the Córdoba team, he managed to go out on loan to Italian Sportswhere he stood out playing in the highest category.

Thanks to his good performances at “Azzuro”, he was given the opportunity to play for two great Argentine football teams: Independent and Mouth. When choosing, the Uruguayan did not hesitate and chose “Xeneize” because it was the club he loved. Furthermore, his objective was to make the jump to the outside and he believed that Boca was a better showcase than the Avellaneda team.

Playing for Boca was not easy for Tavares. Although he was a strong, confident central marker with good aerial play, the Uruguayan was not to the coach’s taste. Roberto Saporiti, who had him stopped for nine months without playing. The former player said that wearing the blue and gold jersey is not easy when facing the unique challenges and pressures that come with it.

Despite the ups and downs, he made his debut in 1987 in a friendly in Mar del Plata vs. River and he captivated the fans by being a “layer”, faithful to the characteristic style of the Rivera team. Although it is not easy to play the famous “Superclásico”, the characteristic fact about Tavares is that he never lost against his rival Etheno. In 1989 he concluded his cycle at Xeneize with a total of 84 games and 3 goals.

After his period in Boca, the former central marker had a long career in the mexican soccer. There he spent ten years and played for teams like Monterey, Puebla, Tamaulipas and Veracruz.

Likewise, in the middle of that time abroad, he had a brief return to the country and played for Chaco For Ever and Quilmes. The economic difference between the salaries of Argentina and Mexico made Richard decide to spend some time in Aztec lands, until he retired at the age of 36 due to a severe Achilles tendon injury.

On the other hand, the world of football was a family affair for Tavares. During his stay in Mexico, Richard and his partner had a daughter and named Gabriela Villafane like the godmother Gabriela is the sister of Claudia, the renowned couple of Diego Armando Maradona; Thanks to this connection, Diego and Richard formed a beautiful friendship for many years. The Uruguayan said in an interview with Infobae that Claudia herself called him at the time when Diego had a pre-infarction: “I accompanied him in one of the worst moments of his life and he always thanked me.”

Tavares and Maradona as a family

What Richard Tavares does after retirement

Now, at almost 60 years old, Tavares enjoys a completely different life and away from the world of football. After his years in Mexico, Richard decided to return to the country, where he found new ways to make a living in the business world.

Currently, he is a resident of La Paternal and manages a betting agency in the mornings in the Buenos Aires neighborhood. In the evenings, serves an automobile parts house located in Warnes. Although his life has taken a different turn since his retirement from professional sports, Tavares enjoys the anonymity, tranquility and normality of his daily life.

Tavares in his business

For this reason, the former defender He does not plan to return to the world of football, since he really enjoys the lifestyle he leads. He graduated as a technical director a long time ago, but it was something that did not excite him and he decided to move away from the green grass and the stadiums.

His quiet and simple life in Buenos Aires is a testament to his humility and his focus on the simple things in life. He who knew how to wear the Boca shirt works, walks through the streets of the city without being recognized, hangs out with friends and enjoys being an ordinary citizen away from the flashes of the world of football.