‘Checho’ Ibarra confesses: the goal that changed his life, what dream he could not fulfill, his entry to TV and more

May 30, 1993. Before entering the stadium to defend the colors of Alianza Atlético de Sullana against Sporting Cristal in a decisive match; Sergio Ibarra She wipes away her tears and takes a deep breath. He tries to calm his nerves, but her legs won’t stop shaking. Days prior to this match, the club had notified him that his contract would be terminated due to poor performance, despite never having given him the opportunity to play before. This was the debut of the Argentine striker, then 20 years old, in a first division team; but above all, it was the only chance he had to show that he deserved to stay and continue playing. “Y nOr I just stayed, I also scored one of the two winning goals and set up the second. That’s where it all started”, Says the ex-footballer.

“That goal and ‘El Tano’ Bártoli changed my life, my way of living, my destiny. I don’t know what would have happened if I didn’t play that day. After the game I sat on a bench and started crying again, but from happiness.” points out the former soccer player born in Río Cuarto, Córdoba, and nationalized Peruvian.

—You arrived in Peru in 1992 for a two-year contract with Ciclista Lima, and you didn’t stop until you won the Recopa Sudamericana and became the Historical Scorer of the First Division. How were your beginnings in the Dean?

They brought me for two years, paying five thousand dollars for my pass, and a year later they told me that I had to return to my country because I no longer belonged to the club, since a foreign player could not play in the Second Division. I felt that my dreams of being a professional footballer were coming to an end, but as fate would have it, in those days I was summoned to Sullana.

—Sullana marks your debut in a first division team.

That’s right, although it was very hard especially at the beginning. I had to do four practice games in 43-degree heat, my cleats scorched, I got blisters. I was young, I wasn’t used to that, but I found the willpower, I endured a lot. After three months without playing even once, they said I had to go. That day I didn’t sleep, the world came crashing down on me, I had told my dad that I was playing in the first division and sent photos of my team even though I didn’t appear. I didn’t want to disappoint him. The next day we were told that Professor Ronald Amoretti had been exchanged for one with more experience, the Argentine ‘El Tano’ Bártoli. He did give me the opportunity to play. I will never forget when he asked: “Who is the Cordovan? I went to the front, scared, because I already had my suitcase ready to go. He told me to get ready because I was going to play against Pedro Garay’s Cristal, Julinho, Maestri…. In the practice match I was a disaster, everything went wrong for me; but on Sunday I went out with everything: I scored a goal. After eight games without winning, we won that day. When it was over, I sat down to take off my stockings and cry again. He was very tearful.

“Why do you think Amoretti never gave you a chance to play?”

When we met after 25 years, he told me that he did not know that I had played in Ciclista Lima, that if he had known, he would have made me play. He thought that he had just arrived from Argentina. But all’s well with him, it’s over.

—What did ‘El Tano’ Bártoli tell you after that meeting?

Before addressing the boys, he just said to me: ‘Good game Cordoba.‘. Then he left.

“And your destiny changed.

Completely. That was the beginning of a beautiful career in professional football. And the good thing about all this is that I was prepared, I never stopped training or dreaming. That is why it is important to be disciplined and have professionalism.

—In Piura you not only found professional success, but also love. You met Rocío, your wife.

And you don’t know how much it cost me to conquer her. Northerners are brave. She was followed a lot by soccer players and she hated them. She was a beautiful blonde, at that time she was a hostess. I went in just like everyone else, and she took me out in one. To win her over, I first had to make friends with her mother, a very nice lady who rented the garage to some players. I didn’t have a car, but I always came to her house accompanying my companions. It was not easy, I had to persevere a lot, but it was worth it. We have been married 29 years. A whole life together.

—Is it true that you consider Bártoli your soccer father?

It is very true. When he died I felt that my father had died. He taught me a lot during the three years we were in Sullana. Those were wonderful times, he took care of me like a son, if he saw me with a player who was drinking, he called my attention, he got upset. He taught me to be disciplined and to pursue my dreams.

—Was reaching the title of Historical Scorer of the First Division of Peru one of the dreams you pursued?

I didn’t score goals thinking about that. I think that one always has to fight to be the best at what he does. If he had not had discipline or professionalism, he would not have been able to achieve that highest award. Having reached ‘Cachito’ Ramírez, Waldir Sáenz, Jorge Soto, Peruvian players who have scored many goals, is something that until now I don’t believe.

—Is it true that when you displaced Waldir Sáenz from second place on the list, you provoked his jealousy?

When I catch up with Waldir, a journalist calls me and tells me he wants to get us together. I agree, then he calls me back to tell me that Waldir was angry and that he didn’t want any notes. That also happened with the great ‘Cachito’ Ramírez. The same journalist tells me to write the note with him, then he calls me back to cancel it, since he had also refused.

What is the goal that fills you with the greatest pride?

Every goal I scored is important because I always lived for that, I worked hard to score goals; but the one I remember the most is the one I did with Cienciano for Boca Junior, the Copa Libertadores champion at the time. He was a fan of that team. Making that penalty that led us to win the Recopa Sudamericana was the greatest thing I’ve ever achieved.

Qatar World Cup 2022

—Do you see Peru as a favorite in the playoffs?

As they are single matches. They are going to play with the knife between their teeth, as we say in Córdoba. Nobody is a favourite, there are no favorites in this kind of match; but I do believe that Peru is prepared to compete and play a good game, I am sure that we have a good chance of staying in Qatar. We have to go easy.

—It would be a feat for Ricardo Gareca to take Peru to its second consecutive World Cup.

Imagine, who would have thought all that he would achieve. When he was called to lead the Peruvian National Team he had to study the players well, and what he did was consolidate those who we did not have in our minds, engage those who wanted to compete at the national team level. For that he had to take out several heavyweights and stay with that group that, based on sacrifice and professionalism, achieved great results. In these five years, Gareca has fought hard, which is why we Peruvians have confidence and esteem in him.

—What do you think that Paolo Guerrero hasn’t been summoned?

Paolo and Franco Enrique Navarro are for me the best 9 in Peruvian football. Paolo is a born scorer, with a lot of race, he has a spectacular technique, he is a leader, the captain, the historic scorer; But beyond what I can estimate, I think that today to compete at the national team level, in the way that we are going to compete for the playoffs, you need to be in good medical, physical and technical condition. What about Paul? Physically he is still not well, he is not competitive because he does not have a team, he could be injured again. And if we don’t win the repechage, people are going to kill him, also Gareca and the coach.

—There are those who still hope that he will be summoned, because he is going as a guest to the national team’s training sessions and scored a goal in the national team’s practice match against the Alianza reserve team.

He has not forgotten to score goals, he has the technique, but it is one thing to play a practice match with the Alianza reserve team and another is to compete at the playoff level with the Australian or United Arab Emirates team. The Australians are not going to respect him, they are going to go hard, to compete. In fact, he wants to be there, but he is no longer 20 years old and he is not 100%. We have Gianluca Lapadula, who is in his best moment.

—What do you think of the defeat of Alianza Lima against River Plate in the Copa Libertadores and the low level of the Peruvian teams?

It is a shame what is happening internationally with the Peruvian teams. We played 16 games in the Copa Libertadores and got three points: two draws from Cristal and one from Alianza Lima. We are not ready to compete.

—You made your debut on TV during Latina’s coverage of the 2018 World Cup in Russia and that gave rise to having your own sports block. How do you currently feel on TV?

I’ll be honest, at first I didn’t feel ready, but little by little I let go. I discovered the passion of being able to comment, talk about football and today I feel very happy because I am evolving and that makes me feel proud.

—Are you going to travel to Qatar to cover the World Cup?

I have been told that together with Fernando Egusquiza and Coqui Gonzales I will cover the World Cup from Qatar, but until I am at the airport I don’t think so. For someone like me, who has been on the pitch all his life, witnessing the World Cup, even as a commentator, is a dream.

—In 2019, your life inspired the book “Checho Ibarra, prehistory of a scorer”, would you like it to also reach the cinema or Netflix through a movie or a series?

Why not? It would be spectacular. I liked the book, I was very surprised because it is very beautiful; but I think the second part is missing, the one I’m telling you now.

—You have been in more than 13 Peruvian teams and 6 foreigners, with which shirt do you identify the most?

When they ask me what team I’m from, I tell them I’m from Alianza Atlético de Sullana because it gave me the opportunity to debut professionally, and from Cienciano del Cuzco because we won the Recopa Sudamericana. In my house I have about five jerseys from each of those teams. I am also a fan of Boca Junior and Atlético Talleres de Córdoba.

—You retired professionally from football in 2014, at the age of 41. Was it a difficult decision?

It is a very strong decision for the footballer because you do not know what comes next. You don’t get up early anymore, you don’t go to practice, you don’t chat with your teammates, you don’t walk on the court, you don’t kick a ball. However, when one is ready to retire, as I was, he is the happiest man in the world. I left with my head held high because I did everything I dreamed of: playing soccer, Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, Conmebol, I played a Cup Winners Cup and I am the all-time top scorer.

—Did you just miss playing in a national team?

I couldn’t get into a national team, but going to Qatar to see my national team play will fill that gap.

“Is that a frustrated dream?”

I had that dream since I became a national in 1998, when I was in Sport Boys. Every time there was a call I checked if I had been called, and nothing. But do you know what is the most beautiful? That people greet me in the street, hug me, remember my goals, my games. That shows me that I was not only a good footballer, but also a good guy. That makes me happy.