The forgotten legend of South America
Enzo Francescoli is the greatest Uruguayan of all time. He is held in such esteem in France that even Zidane named his son after him..he is largely forgotton about when discussing South American legends. This article is a tribute to the Prince.
I follow Uruguay. I have no ties to the wonderfully historic little country sandwiched between Brazil and Argentina. I have not even been yet.
Why Uruguay? Why do I stay up late to watch their games through the night or to listen in Spanish commentary (I don’t speak Spanish- I am slightly odd I accept) to their matches. The answer my friends is simple. Enzo Francescoli.
If Enzo was playing now, in this market of over-hyped players and over-inflated prices, he’d be a £20million man. If you utter his name in the red part of Buenos Aires, a smile will come to the River Plate’s fans. He is, in my view, the 3rd greatest South American player of all time.
On an international level, Enzo was the shining light in two dour and defensive Uruguayan Teams in the mid 80s.There are many ways to play football and, as a teenager growing up, I quite liked the fact that the back line led by Gutierrez and De Leon took no prisoners whilst Herrera’s early bath against Scotland in 1986 still makes me smile. Why play (and they could play!) if you can kick? But there was one man. You could see the touch, the ability, way ahead of anything else on the pitch. Francescoli. Playing slightly deeper than his fellow striker, Enzo controlled the game, dictated Uruguay’s pattern and pace and made Santiago Ostolaza play. Never more was this evident in the 2 warm up games for the 1990 world cup away in Germany (3-3- a humdinger that we should have won) and a 2-1 win at Wembley against Bobby Robson’s England. Ostolaza’s screamer from 30 yards made me the most unpopular kick in the playground( I told them we’d beat England. Did they listen?!)
Enzo was fantastic. His Copa America successes with Uruguay (our last and, most unexpected, triumph in Montevideo in 1995 being the the éclat of his international career) will never be forgotten whilst the Copa Libertadores success with River in 1996 merely highlighted the abilities of the man. His journey to Marseilles nearly ended with a European Cup success (if it wasn’t for a dubious handled winner for Benfica in the semi, I’m certain Marseille would have beaten Milan in the final) whilst his time with both Torino and Cagliari helped raise those two clubs stature within Serie A. However, his name will always be linked with River and with Uruguay. Bad players don’t win South American Player of the Year two years running.
Based in Miami, he and Nelson Gutierrez now run Gol TV whose coverage of all football extends to Central and South America. I doubt he’ll ever manage River or the Sky Blues. So I’m left with the memories. His overhead kick against Bolivia in the 1990 qualifiers, his freekick (in injury time and with Uruguay needing a point) placed on a sixpence onto the head of Daniel Fonseca to equalise (The Manchester Uruguayan Fanclub of one went wild when that went in).
I once had the pleasure of speaking to Diego Forlan for 20 minutes in Leverkusen before a United match. We discussed, for most of that time, Uruguay and the teams of 86 and 90. I mentioned Enzo to him. Diego just smiled.
I think Francescoli was a player I just missed out on – I remember him at Torino but I am guessing that was in the twilight of his career.
Interesting how Zidane named his son after him, especially since he was a Juve player – the great players seem to break down the barriers in that sense.
Another thing he has brought to football – Ray Hudson’s commentating on GolTv, truely comical, I wonder if he was involved in hiring him? If you don’t know who Ray Hudson is then Google him or listen to some of his commentary on YouTube – hilarious.
Thanks for the insight Warren!
Great article, loved Francescoli as a player and it’s great to see that he’s doing well these days with Gol TV. He was so graceful with the ball, and a sublime passer – never saw him weight a pass badly. At the same time, I loved Michael Laudrup as well. Similar position and impact on his teams fortunes, at both Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Ray Hudson is a genius behind the microphone, waxing lyrical in his inimitable way. Former Newcastle player and purveyor of fine football, he seems to love Lionel Messi more than the game itself.
What of Uruguay now though? They still have some quality players, am a big fan of Gargano at Napoli and Forlan is still quality. What do you make of Cavani? Ignacio Gonzalez as well, I was disappointed not to see more of him last season, he looked to have genuine ability in the few games he played – do you think he will get a chance at Valencia this year?