Pedro Gallese: the secrets of the goalkeeper who maintains the World Cup dream told by his teachers

Peruvian football is not a crack factory. And the few players with potential that come out are usually divided into two extremes: the boys who found the pleasure to live with the flashes, and those who prefer to grow up in silence and talk on the field. Of the latter, the symbol player can be quietly Pedro Gallese, the record keeper of the peruvian team that in Caracas kept intact our World Cup dream in the victory 2-1 against Venezuela by date 14 of the Qatar 2022 Qualifiers.

At 68 minutes, with the score 2-1 in favor of the Bicolor, Brazilian referee Bruno Arleu charged a penalty after a hand from Miguel Trauco. However, a minute later, Pedro saved in a great way the shot of the Venezuelan Darwin Machín.

Thanks to the goals of Gianluca Lapadula and Christian Cueva, and the saving hands of Pedro Gallese, the Peruvian team won again in Venezuelan lands after 23 years and achieved three gold points that bring us closer to Qatar 2022. La Blanquirroja is located in fourth place with 17 points, awaiting the results of Chile (5th with 16 points) and Colombia (6th with 16 points).

“He always wanted to be the best, he wanted to be. . And he killed himself training to achieve it “Juan José Oré, the father of the ‘Jotitas’, the last Peruvian youth team to qualify for a World Cup -U17 category- tells us. Welsh he was one of the archers. For many it was always the third, for the coach not.

“S. Later, having already qualified for the World Cup, we were able to include another goalkeeper and we called on Víctor Ulloa. Pedro had gone to the South American Sub 15 and Sub 17, always second, but never made a face. On the contrary, he was serious, mature for his age and disciplined. It happens that at that time Hermoza, who was in Alianza Lima, was better. Soccer is like that, for moments ”, a Jade Jota Jota.

A path through the shade, your best secret

Pedro Gallese He is not the most remembered of the “Jotitas”. In fact, he did not play any minute in the tournament held in South Korea. But he never stopped believing: today, 14 years later, he is not only the goalkeeper with the most matches in the history of the Peruvian national team, he is also the only one of that litter who played the World Cup Russia 2018 -being holder-. On his return from the Asian country, while others enjoyed the constant interviews, Gallese accepted the less popular recommendation: he signed for the San Martín University, the club that beyond popularity offers the best system to train players. From their quarry also came Christian Cueva, Raziel Garcia, Marcos López, among others.

“When he arrived – recalls Víctor Rivera, the coach who made him debut in the first division with the white box in 2008 – he had experienced goalkeepers like Leao Butrón and Ricardo Farro ahead of him. It was a difficult position, so we decided that the best thing was for him to gain more experience at Atlético Minero, a club that was in the Second Division and with which we had an agreement. He saves a lot of games there and was directed by my assistant Yohano Bermúdez, so we always had reports on him. That was important for their growth “.

Pedro returned to San Anita in 2010. Chino Rivera had already gone to Cristal and the coach was now Aníbal “El Maño” Ruiz, who unfortunately passed away in 2017. “I remember a game against Alianza Atlético in which Ricardo Farro is expelled and ‘Maño’ puts it on. Enter and cover the penalty. That already showed what it was going to be “, recalls Leao Butrón, the exporter who, beyond being his competition in the holy cast, the Peruvian team and Alianza Lima, was always his friend and guide.

“ I never expected him to ask me for advice, actually I don’t, I usually do it on my own initiative and it was the same with him. We talked a lot in the beginning, then in the last call I had for the national team in 2017 and when we met again in Alianza in 2019. From the Pedro I met in San Martín to the one I found in Alianza, I saw a more mature goalkeeper, with confidence, trained , Leader”, adds Butrón, eight times national champion.

Pedro was not always a starter at San Martín, but he had two good teachers: Chino Rivera on the bench and Leao Butrón in training. His signing in 2015 for Juan Aurich de Roberto Mosquera only confirmed the path he decided to take for his career: he did not go to Alianza, Cristal or Universitario, he went to Chiclayo. There, in 2016, he met Rivera again, who was marked with a little-known anecdote with the goalkeeper. A fact that reflects the silent work of Welsh.

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Pedro He made his debut for the Peruvian national team in a friendly against Panama led by Pablo Bengoechea. But it was Ricardo Gareca who gave him confidence, took him to the America’s Cup 2016 and since then he kept it as number 1. Today, at 31 years old, he lives the best stage of his career and the reward comes by itself: nominated for the best in the world. Welsh It is the clear example that you can also be the protagonist from the silence, with a low profile, without needing to be the center of attention.