Julio César Romero 'Romerito' conquered the America Cup 1979 with a Paraguayan team that did not start as a favorite at the time, but “had very good players”, a conquest that he finds it difficult to repeat 42 years later because he believes that the current Albirroja lacks “a lot of work”.
In those terms, he evaluated a question of Efe the situation of the absolute team under the leadership of the Argentine Eduardo Berizzo.
'Romerito is one of the best footballers that Paraguay has given and has an enviable career, as he coincided with a certain Pele in the Cosmos in New York, he was a member of Fluminense and for half a season he played for the Barcelona coached by Johan Cruyff.
The now vice president of Sportivo Luqueño, the club in which he began to play as a professional in the 70s, does not want to rule out the scenario that Berizzo's pupils are “protagonists” in the tournament that will begin in Brazil this Sunday.
However, for 'Romerito' the Albirroja will have to face many difficulties in the 47th edition of the Copa América due to the quality of the rivals.
The Paraguayans were paired in Group A with Argentines, Uruguayans, Chileans and Bolivians.
“Paraguay needs work, a lot of work, choosing the strongest players, ideal for competing. The Copa América is not won just by playing well, it is won with a lot of claw, with a lot of strength. I hope they deny me and win that Copa América Since Paraguay only has two Cups, the one from 1953 and the one from 1979, “he said.
'Romerito', born 63 years ago in Luque, recalled as if it were today the day he received the first call to the national team in the Feliciano Cáceres stadium, from Sportivo Luqueño.
“They called me up for a game against Ecuador here, in which the Olimpia players were not there because they were committed to the Intercontinental Club Cup. And they made me play as a starter,” he recalled.
The weekend before he had come out as “best player on the court” with Luqueño and just a few days later he was part of the team that beat Ecuador.
Paraguay prevailed over Ecuador and “it all began there.”
After that match, Olimpia returned with the Intercontinental Cup title and several of his players joined the Albirroja, which left 'Romerito' back on the bench. Until his chance in the semifinals returned.
“What marked me the most, even more than the final, was the match with Brazil at Maracana. We were losing 2 to 1 and I just drew and eliminated Brazil in front of their audience, and we played the final with Chile,” he recalled with emotion. .
'Romerito' did not hesitate to choose that goal to “Brazil with all its stars” as the moment he best remembers from the 1979 Copa América.
His role would also be essential in the duels against Chile, settled in favor of Paraguay by goal difference.
The Canarinha that Paraguay beat in 1979, recalls 'Romerito' had “all the 'cracks': Socrates, Zico and Falcão”.
“That Copa América had a lot of high-quality players, who made it sensational,” he said wistfully.
However, when choosing one, 'don Romero' forgot about the Brazilian players to proclaim the late ten Argentine Diego Armando Maradona as his top star.
In those distant times of glory, before the games, Albirroja was encouraged by singing 'Patria Querida', a popular Paraguayan song that is still used today, especially in political demonstrations.
“It was implanted within the Paraguayan educational curriculum to give encouragement to the soldiers in the war … and we were soldiers, we were soldiers in soccer and we sang that part of the song,” confessed the ex-footballer.
'Romerito' did not hesitate to sing some of his verses for Efe, as he did in 1979, with 'Patria Querida': “… We are your hope, we are the flower of the beautiful future”.