“Negro” Enrique, world champion with Argentina: “Against Peru it always gets complicated for us, it was always suffering”

The artwork of Diego Armando Maradona In the Mexico 86 ‘World Cup, the goal of the century against the English that immortalized the eternal’ 10 ‘of the’ Albiceleste ‘at the Azteca Stadium, had a stealthy and not very visible supporting actor: Héctor Adolfo Enrique. “The ‘Negro’ gave me a pass and left me alone”, told the “Cosmic Kite”, when he was Argentina coach in South Africa 2010, while reviewing his memorable score. From Buenos Aires, the champion of the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental with River Plate, the same year that he achieved the world title under the technical leadership of Carlos Salvador Bilardo, spoke with us and highlighted the work of his former partner Ricardo Gareca as coach of the peruvian team, also had praise for the absent Paolo Guerrero and he remembered the best of Maradona and Messi, prior to the match against Lionel Scaloni’s team, at the Monumental de Núñez.

In addition, the older brother of “Loco” Enrique, who played in Alianza Lima, in 1994, made “Tigre” participate in the team of soccer champions of Mexico 86 ′, despite being postponed from the selection by “Doctor” Bilardo . “Gareca scored against Peru, the goal that qualified Argentina for the World Cup “, remembered the friend of whom in life it was Maradona.

– Beyond the last 3-0 win against Uruguay, which Argentina will Peru meet tomorrow at the Monumental de Núñez?

With a very strong Argentina, solid in all sectors of the field. In the arc, Emiliano Martínez, transmits a lot of personality, security. They have a line of four with very strong centrals, I was very impressed by Romero for his quality. Otamendi, a central defender with a lot of experience. The sides mark and project well, it is what I always demanded. Thank God Argentina is doing well. You don’t need so much from Messi, beyond that today he is made much more of a player. Each partner perceives it, feels it. It’s like us, when we were lucky enough to play with Diego, to see a Maradona or Messi, engaged, attentive, talking, returning to the position to recover the ball, it greatly enlarged the team, we from Mexico 86 ′, and today to the kids with Leo Messi.

– What attracts you the most, in terms of football, about the Peruvian team of Ricardo Gareca, your former teammate at River Plate?

I really like his style of play. The quality of the players. Ricardo is a wonderful person, we all love him. There is no person who does not love Ricardo Gareca. Hopefully Peru play a decent game, they always get very good players. I remember Cubillas, Cueto, Sotil, dear mommy. I paid attention to Cueto when he was retired and I was amazed, a great player. Now is the time to bet on young boys. I wish the Peruvian national team all the best with Ricardo Gareca and his coaching staff.

—Ricardo Gareca could not go to the World Cup in Mexico 86 ′ as a player, but as a coach he led Peru to Russia 2018, after thirty-six years …

Ricardo Gareca and all those who risked their lives in the World Cup qualifiers in Mexico 86 ′, are also world champions. For example, I, who did not play the Qualifiers, was lucky to go to the World Cup. That is why I am always grateful to Ricardo Gareca.

– What memories as teammates in the “millionaire” team?

He was a big striker, fast, a “bug” for the goal, smart, all the smart he is today to build his teams. Then, we played against (Gareca was in América de Cali), and we won the final of the Copa Libertadores in 86 ′, we won it (2-1), (laughs). Very good person.

—Peru will have casualties in the team, Paolo Guerrero, Renato Tapia, Édison Flores and Luis Advíncula will not play, all due to injuries …

It is unfortunate that Paolo Guerrero does not play. An attacker who goes to all, is the most important player. It’s like, in Argentina, Valdano or Burruchaga are missing from our 86 ‘team. Against Peru the games always get complicated for us. I think there is a similar style, the two try to play. In my memory against Peru it was always suffering.

—Lionel Messi has raised his football level by seeing himself better surrounded on the field …

Yes, I talk a lot with Leandro Paredes, whom I directed in a Sub15, and every time I spoke to him, he told him that you don’t always have to give it to Messi. For him it will be much better when you break with dribbling and put the ball in a hand to hand, and he liquidates you, just like Diego. I told him that Maradona was not always given it, but only when he thought necessary. Imagine, if they gave it everything to him, or they give it to Messi, then they score both of them and voila, the game is over. That’s why I rescue a lot about Scaloni, his coaching staff, who put a midfield where everyone knows how to dribble. When it comes to recovery, everyone is in solidarity.

—When he was Diego Maradona’s technical assistant in the Argentina team, he managed Lionel Messi. What did the ’10’ say about the ‘Flea’?

The beautiful thing and the most pleasant memory is that Diego Maradona loves Messi. Later it began to be said that Maradona was envious of him, but he was not envious of anyone, if he was the best of all. He always loved all football players, especially those who play the best, and that is Leo Messi. He made an acceptable World Cup, he dribbled, but he couldn’t score a goal. I remember when Messi kicked, the archers came out figures. What it has and is left over is personality. The player who always has personality is not the one who talks a lot, but the one who plays. Otherwise we would put pure lawyers on the field, who speak better than us. Happy in life for having shared changing rooms with Messi and with each one of the boys of 2010. Unfortunately it did not reach us, a very great pain that no one will take away from me. That terrible pain, the way he suffered in that dressing room after that defeat, seeing all the players cry, and especially Diego Maradona, and Leo Messi, impressive what he cried. He is a guy who feels the jersey of the national team.

—Messi won the Copa América Brazil 2021, the next challenge is the most complex, a World Cup …

As long as our style of play is respected, we have a chance to win anywhere. Unfortunately for many years we have been imitating the Europeans, and we are not doing well. Our style must be strictly respected. Europeans work hard what they always did, but they imitate our game, they don’t have it. We have to continue training, that the best are on the field and respect our style of play. It is the way we can win the third World Cup. We have plenty of players, others will appear, it is my case. Three months before the World Cup in Mexico 86 ′ begins, I was not taking into account. I did know that Bilardo loved me, but he took me to play the World Cup. Just as it happened to me, it can happen with any player today. I was lucky enough to play against the English in my first starting game and I was not out of tune. Here there is a solid team and a midfield that plays well.

—That game against England, the best goal in the World Cup, Diego Maradona, and the goal with the hand, a game that will always be remembered by football lovers …

We were touched by pride. When we found out that they said we were going to play only three games, we didn’t go to Mexico to play three games or on vacation. We had a coach at the level of the national team, of a World Cup, and players with a lot of personality, to play, score and win. And today I see this selection similar to ours. After the year 86 ′, this selection is quite similar to ours.

—The best score by Diego Maradona, the one that framed the World Cups, was born from his pass …

Anyone who loves football will be amazed for life with that impressive play. If there was a player who could do that, it was Diego Maradona. He received, faced, left half England on the floor, and scored the most wonderful goal in the history of the World Cup. Hopefully in the next World Cup, the most capable player, Leo Messi, can be given the third World Cup for Argentina. Messi owes nothing to anyone, he amazed the world thanks to his magic. Thirty-five years have passed, hopefully the next World Cup will cut it, and we will be lucky enough to win the third World Cup.

—It was a very united group that was led by Carlos Salvador Bilardo on the bench and Diego Maradona on the pitch …

The best that we had, Carlos Bilardo and his coaching staff, who were always involved and attentive, did not let us grow, beyond when we won, we never believed anything, only the happiness of continuing in the race. Something very nice, Maradona always shared with us, he was always one more. Always to the joke, screw it up. One more in concentration, on the court, the better. He never played for personal display and when he got out of the game scheme, it was to favor the team, and not his ego. A total monster that we miss so much.

– You, the world champions of Mexico 86 ′, will give the unfortunate news to Carlos Salvador Bilardo about the death of Diego Maradona?

For each of us, Carlos Salvador Bilardo is a father. But it is something that corresponds to the family, we are very respectful. If they tell us to tell them, I think none of us are going to have problems, but it is something in the family.

—Marcelo Gallardo, continue to enlarge the story of your beloved River Plate …

I am proud of the coach, coaching staff and leaders. They never married anyone. The coach never lost his pulse when taking out a famous player. He respected River’s style of play. He won many cups, he has it very high. The president of River does not get on the field and Gallardo does not do it in his office, there is an order, and within that, important things are achieved.