The story of Retegui, who moved from hockey to Boca in one year

Goal has always been present in his life, whether he is kicking a ball into the goal or a plastic ball with a stick. Plus, the word “net” occupies half of his title. Matteo Retigi Raised in football and hockey, he was the top scorer of the 2022 Liga Profesional in Argentina: 19 goals for the 23-year-old striker on loan in tigers from Boca Juniors.

Who is Matteo Retigui, Old fashioned bomber jacket

Growing up in San Fernando, a small town north of Buenos Aires, Mateo started playing hockey there. Sealed fate He sees that his father is Carlos Jose, he said El Chapaor the former coach of the Argentina national field hockey team that won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2010 World Cup with the women’s national team. His mother, Maria Grandoli, was not present on that team, which in 1993 won the World Youth Championships in Terrassa, while his sister, Michaela, won an Olympic silver at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

A family of hockey players except El Chabita who meanwhile, at the age of nine, entered the youth sector of the River PlateHowever, the team his father supports is a hockey player who plays with three men as Bilardo did. in the Juvenile Goddess MillonariosBorn in 1999, he plays as a midfielder I found less and less space Due to the competition of a new world champion like Exequiel Palacios etcSo in 2014 he decided To leave the river and emptied only for exercise.

Moving on to hockey, then football again

After two years of sliding doors. In the summer of 2016, while playing with friends on the beaches of Pinamar, he sees Diego Mazzellione of the scouts of Boca who suggested him to join the youth team of the club Azul y Oro. From Monumental to Bombonera on a free transfer, from midfielder to striker, in less than a year Guillermo Barros Schelotto He called him up to train in the first team and on November 14, 2018 he made his debut in Primera instead of Tevez In the final against Patronato. Meanwhile, Retegui chose to pursue his passion for soccer and put hockey aside, despite the fact that the youth national team wanted to call him up for the Pan American Games and the World Cup.

Totti’s interest and the title of top scorer

His story in Boca did not go as expected. Closed by Benedetto and the Apaches, Retegui went on loan to Estudiantes. 5 goals in 29 games for him Bencha From President Veron, who scored decisively in El Clasico against Maradona’s coach Jimnasia. Around that time, I also became interested in him Francesco Totti, who convinced him to join his clients’ stable. «I was at home and they called me from the agency to tell me that Francesco wanted to talk to me and meet me, and the next day we had a video call with him. It was a matter of pride and joy to be noticed by someone as important as him, and it was a very beautiful thing. I’m glad he’s a lawyer. He knew everything about my family, my sister even played hockey. He even knew how to play. He has been following me for a while, 2 months ago I caught his eyeRetegui revealed to TyC Sports.

From La Plata to Cordoba. Retegui went on loan to Talleres in 2020, where he scored 7 goals in 61 matches, which wasn’t enough to make Boca decide to bet on him. In 2022 came the third loan experience, this time closer to home: in Tigre. 27 goals in 47 matches for the team he coaches El Gigolo Diego Martinez (due to resemblance to Javier Bazterrica, a prankster who became famous in Argentina in 2015 after being criminally charged by the sister of choreographer and producer Flavio Mendoza), former Boca youth coach along with another Xeneizes youth producer Facundo Coledeo. The numbers and performances that allowed Tigre to qualify for the Copa Sudamericana 2023. Possessing an Italian passport, Boca agreed to extend the loan for this season as well, having already scored 4 goals in the first 4 days. From 2020 to today, no one has scored more than the Big Five for Argentina: 10 goals split between Boca, River, Racing, Independiente and San Lorenzo. And if he continues like this, it is difficult to think that his future will remain in his homeland.