The story you are going to read is truly incredible. The protagonist of this story is one of the few people who was able to “touch” the World Cup representing the country: touch in a figurative sense, since he was not interested in grabbing the trophy after winning it.
Oscar “Negro” Ortiz He is undoubtedly one of the most enigmatic characters who wore the light blue and white. The one who knew how to play as a left “Wing” had a very particular way of experiencing football when he played it. Unlike most of his colleagues, “El Negro” lived the beautiful game as a job, but also as a game; he never considered himself a professional.
Although he did not have so many intentions of being a soccer player, Ortiz was one of the stars of the 78 World Cup with Argentina and He was champion several times with San Lorenzo, River and Independiente. Learn about the surprising revelations of that former local soccer star.
What was Oscar “El Negro” Ortíz’s football career like?
Born in Chacabuco on April 8, 1953, Oscar Ortiz arrived in Buenos Aires from his hometown to wear the shirt of one of the greats of Argentine soccer: San Lorenzo. The former soccer player was highlighted in the “Ciclón” youth teams for being gifted with the ball. However, upon arriving at first he became a left wing with great ball handling and physical skills. He debuted in 1971 and in 5 seasons Ortiz won three titles with the Barça shirt: two in 1972 and one in 1974.
He then had his short experience in international football playing for Porto Alegre Guild, Ortiz returned to the country to wear the River shirt. In Núñez’s team he broke everything, winning four titles between 1977 and 1981. Due to his outstanding performances in the “Millonario” it was that César Luis Menotti He called up the winger to play in the 1978 World Cup. In that tournament, Negro became one of the pillars of the team that became champion, achieving the first world title in the country’s history.
In 1981, despite having been a San Lorenzo player, Oscar had a short time in Hurricane and then move on to Independent. At the age of 29, months after arriving at the Avellaneda club, Negro was honest with Pato Pastoriza, coach of “Rojo” at that time: “I’m going to leave football… I don’t want to screw you Pato, I don’t have any more I want to play, or get up early to go to training.”
The confessions of Oscar “El Negro” Ortíz about his relationship with football
Strange is the word that describes Ortiz and his relationship with the ball. In a talk with Infobae, the former world champion revealed that He always took football as a game, like something that wasn’t that important. The one who knew how to wear several large Argentine soccer shirts revealed that he came to play more because of an accidental matter of having conditions than because of the desire to be a soccer player.
“For me, football is a beautiful game, but I have not been a professional, because I took it as a game, nothing more.… I played because I had the conditions, but I was not the first to arrive at training nor the last to leave. There were games that I didn’t feel like playing. Plus, he smoked while he was a professional. At the age of 15 I started smoking cigarettes and I stopped when I retired as a footballer,” commented the former winger two years ago.
Likewise, that relationship that he always had with the ball made the player do not keep photos, medals or t-shirts. According to Ortiz, as if they were unimportant objects, He lost the world champion medal in a move, as well as the relics obtained by winning tournaments in Argentine soccer. In addition, the t-shirts that he kept were given to his grandchildren.
Another particular fact about Ortiz is that he was the only Argentine player of the 69 world champions who “lifted” the Cup without touching it: “I didn’t touch the World Cup after the final against Holland, nor did I cry for having been champion. Winning the World Cup was nice, but it didn’t make me crazy. I saw my classmates who were desperate to go touch it and I didn’t even go near it. I am quite different, because I experience football in a different way, as what it is, a game.” To understand how surprising this fact is, you only have to think about how many players, former players and ordinary people would have wanted to have that object in their hands. which weighs 5 kilos of gold and measures 36.8 centimeters.
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Beyond always seeing it as a game and also as a job, the sport to which he dedicated much of his life disenchanted Ortiz after finishing the 78 World Cup. According to the former soccer player, at the end of the Cup he no longer wanted to play. for the management that took place in sport: “I got tired because there were several things that I did not agree with. Football is no different from politics and they are all the same, leaders and politicians.” In addition, He rejected Menotti’s proposal to play in the 1982 World Cup in Spain; His desire to play was zero.
After early retirement, Ortiz bought a gym near his house with which he lives to this day, added to the bonus that AFA grants to each of the players who became world champions. Furthermore, despite having a particular relationship with soccer, until the pandemic Oscar worked in the San Lorenzo youth teams “teaching the kids how to play soccer.”
Currently, at 71 years old, Oscar Ortiz lives a quiet life at home; without cell phone or car, as well as without medals, photos or t-shirts that were part of a glorious but forgotten stage.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
