The hero of the Navalcarnero is the son of Esnáider

The Copa del Rey left a magical afternoon at the Municipal Stadium Mariano González. There were people in the stands, like in the past, who saw their team make history. The Navalcarnero, from Second Division B, took on Eibar, a First Division team. The footballing fervor of the modest was filled with “oooooole” on the part of the respectable, who had to contain himself to remember the pandemic and not embrace such achievement. On the grass it was different. There the 22 protagonists are continuously tested and can be carried away by the heat of the grass and the impulses derived from the feat. Among all of them, one shone above the rest: Juan Esnáider. Years ago a certain Juan Eduardo Esnáider also thrashed in the KO tournament. Do not think that it is a coincidence. This is his son and the cold blood of a voracious area striker runs through his veins.

Indeed, there are blood ties between the two. The father is a legend of Spanish football. The son, although he has stayed in Second B, has also written his name in history. In this case, of his club, the Navalcarnero. Juan Eduardo touched the sky. He wore the Real Madrid shirts. Atlético de Madrid, Real Zaragoza, River Plate or Juventus. His journey of glory began back in the 90s, when he was one of the stars of the South American U-20. Madrid, always aware of those tournaments, recruited him in April 1991. This is fate, if the striker had not shone in that championship, it would seem quite complicated that today his son was wearing the shirt of the artistic club.

Now thirty years later Juan Esnáider wears 100 Montaditos advertising on his shirt, he is in his sporting maturity and he already knows that he will not reach his father's milestones, who, for example, was a replacement for another period striker such as Alessandro Del Piero at Juventus. However, he has been able to replicate some of the feats of his father. Why not, It is not the first double of a Esnáider in the Cup. Without going any further, in 1993, Real Zaragoza thrashed Izarra, lining up very recognizable men such as Nayim or Brownness. At that time, Juan Eduardo celebrated two goals in what was his first season at La Romareda.

Who was Snáider?

Now remembered for what his son achieved in the Copa del Rey, the truth is that, away from the media spotlight, Esnáider continues to be recognized as a myth in Spanish football. Madrid saw something different in him, but the demands of the Bernabéu and his youth sent him to Saragossa. There it shone winning Cup and Recopa. In fact, he scored in the European final against Arsenal in the Parc des Princes. That alone has already served to put his name on posterity. Beyond that night Esnáider shone wearing the shirt of skill. His first season closed with 16 goals in 40 games. The second, with 26 goals in 45 games, it was even better.

Real Madrid got rid of him, but, just in case, reserved a buyback option that he executed when he saw the bright future of the forward. Nothing is further from reality, he failed again in the capital. Momentarily, yes. Today, transactions between rivals are more striking than at that time. Esnáider changed the Bernabéu for the Calderón. He also did it with a star sign. Their numbers endorsed it: 21 goals in 47 games. However, he missed a quarter-final penalty against Ajax, which ended up accompanying him throughout his career.

Was Snáider a broken toy? He came to Spain very young and his team dancing did not benefit him. He was 24 years old, but a more than long career when he signed with Espanyol. There he played two seasons, before filling in for an injured Del Piero at Juve. Nor did he give what he expected from his figure, although he took a plus: fate gave him the opportunity to return to Zaragoza, his sports home.

The Aragonese team was then fighting to save the category and the return of the prodigal son revolutionized everything. He scored goals, helped in the permanence and led his own to the end of the Copa del Rey. Some great stories don't have the dream ending. In the last league match, He was expelled for an elbow to a Celta de Vigo footballer. It was rumored that he did it on purpose, because the club did not have him for the following season. He denied it, although the runrún cost him serious conflicts with the fans, with which he faced when rebuking him and calling him a nickel. Despite everything, in Zaragoza he is still an idol. Now, it is his son Juan who is idolized in the south of Madrid.

The Navalcarnero of the Esnáider family

Juan is not the only one in the club. His brother, midfielder Facundo, also wears the same colors. Look at his roots in Spanish football that his idol was … Pedro León. There are reasons for this. Papa Esnáider took over the Getafe bench in April 2016, to try to save him from relegation. His brief stage was not bad at all, although the azulón team had qualifying debts difficult to save. There the now Eibar player played, curiously the rival who has eliminated Navalcarnero. Finally, the azulones closed the year with the relegation to the Second Division, although the good results of their coach earned him to sign continuity. The bad start to the season cost him his position and his last experience as a coach in the First Division.

Now, after dismissing his stage as a coach, Juan Eduardo Esnáider resides in Argentina, as the local hero has explained in Carrusel Deportivo: “My father is there enjoying the beach and sunbathing. He will have seen it and will be happy, like the whole family and all the Navalcarnero“The forward, even so, prefers to put his father's experiences aside and carve out his own path:”Very happy, enjoying a job well done, the team, a lot of sacrifice and work. Now it's time to enjoy, thinking about Wednesday, that we have league games. It is an incredible achievement both for the players and for the people and the club.

The snow factor

Oddly enough, it was the most modest team that best solved the snow problem. While Rayo or Leganés had to leave their stadium to move to Las Rozas and Wanda respectively, the Navalcarnero put emphasis on solving it and being able to enjoy an afternoon drink at the Mariano González with their people. “They did a spectacular job. All the people who came allowed us to work and luckily that made us do a great job today.“, recognizes in the program of the Cadena SER Juan Esnáider. Finally, and fortunately for the show, it did not influence the performance on the pitch. Of course, the 'Naval' suffered the unspeakable to hold the rhythm and the demands of the game . “In the second goal my calf went up“commented a tired Snáider, who chose so much:” I'll take the first one. I really like to finish with a head. I think two beautiful goals“.