Papu Gomez — Wikipedia

Papu Gómez , of its birth name Alejandro Darío Gómez , is an Argentinian international footballer born the February 15, 1988 in Buenos Aires. He evolves as an attacker or attacking midfielder in the Spanish club of Seville FC.

Papu Gómez carried out his training and his debut in Argentina at the Sarandi arsenal from 2003 to 2008, then at CA San Lorenzo between 2009 and 2010. Then comes the flight for Europe, he then wears the colors of Catania to In 2013 before trying the experience in Ukraine by joining the ambitious Metalist Kharkiv. An experience that does not last more than a season due to the Ukrainian crisis that marks the player a lot and pushes him to leave. After this unfortunate episode he returned to Italy and joined the summer of 2014 in favor of Atalanta, a club where he spent 6 and a half seasons and of which he became the strong man, even knowing his first capes with the Argentina. Recurrent tensions with his trainer pushed him to leave the club in January 2021 to rally the Spanish Liga and the Seville FC.

He is part of the Argentine team who won the Copa America 2021, he scored 2 goals in 2 games during the tournament.

Youth [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

In his youth, Papu Gómez trains regularly in tennis with his uncle Hugo Villaverde, he recognizes that he could have turned to this sport rather than to football ^{[ first ]} .

Unlike the vast majority of his compatriots, the young Papu is not particularly a fan of the national star Diego Maradona, because of the hectic extra-sporting life that the latter leads. His models are Pablo Aimar, Juan Román Riquelme and especially Juan Sebastián Verón, “a real player, a man, a leader” according to him ^{[ first ]} .

Beginnings at the Arsenal of Sarandí (2003-2009) [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Gómez started in 2003 in the reserve team of the Argentinian club of the Arsenal FC in Sarandi, in the southeast suburbs of Buenos Aires, then led by Jorge Burruchaga ^{[ first ]} . He was officially called in team first two years later, on August 13, 2005, but had to wait for the 2006 opening tournament to appear regularly in the eleven holder, he then took part in 15 goals for 2 goals ^{[ 2 ]} And Arsenal finished in fifth place.

His professional beginnings are difficult in particular because of his small size, he must train with too large clothes and regularly undergoes mockery. A supporter shouts him one day during a match against Banfield: “Small, what are you doing here? Go back to college! »» ^{[ first ]} .

On November 30, 2007, Gómez scored two goals of great importance in the first leg of Copa Sudamericana against the American Mexico City ^{[ 3 ]} . Arsenal won 3 goals to 2 and won the title despite the 2-1 defeat on the return, thanks to the goals rule outside ^{[ 4 ]} . This is the first collective title of Papu Gómez’s career.

Confirmation with San Lorenzo (2009-2010) [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Gómez is recruited by the Atlético San Lorenzo club Almagro for $ 2 million on the eve of the 2009 closing tournament ^{[ 5 ]} . His good performances with The Saints (48 matches, 8 goals) draw the attention of recruiters of European clubs. He has only one season with the Buenos Aires club ^{[ 3 ]} .

It was during this season that he crosses for the first time the road to Diego Simeone, who is then a young coach. Simeone decides to place Gómez as anoir rather than in number 10, because he knows that once Papu has joined Europe, no club will want to place it in support of the center-forward because of its small size ^{[ 6 ]} .

If his visit to San Lorenzo is a success from a sporting point of view, Papu is experiencing several moments of strong tension with club supporters (reputed to be hot) and Alberto Fanesi, the coach preceding Simeone. The player even goes so far as to declare: “I thought from San Lorenzo and to withdraw from football” ^{[ first ]} .

Arrival in Europe in Catania (2010-2013) [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

In July 2010 he joined Catania, a serial club A, for an amount of 3 million euros. He joined the important Argentine contingent of the workforce, to which was added in 2011 the coach Diego Simeone ^{[ 7 ]} . This strong Argentinian presence has weighed down a lot in the choice of Papu, who indeed declares that he does not know the club but that he knows that Maxi López and several compatriots evolve there ^{[ first ]} .

Gómez is officially presented on July 21, 2010 and begins under its new colors nine days later on the occasion of a 1-0 friendly victory against the Greeks of Iraq ^{[ 8 ]} . He quickly won his sticker stripes in the Italian training and achieved excellent performances during his three seasons in Sicily.

PAPU entered four goals and delivers five assists in each of its first two seasons and has an even more important weight in the team during the 2012-2013 season. Catania achieves the best performances in its history that season in terms of victories and number of points. Gómez registered 8 goals and delivers 7 assists in 36 appearances and the club finishes eighth in series A ^{[ 9 ]} , its best ranking equally with the 1964-1965 season ^{[ 6 ]} .

Although he is one of the most decisive players in the workforce, Gómez is placed on the list of transfers by Catania in the summer of 2013 ^{[ 3 ]} . He was then replaced by Sebastián Leto, who arrived free from the Greek club in Panathinaïkós. Club performance will then deteriorate until a 18 ^{It is} Place synonymous with relegation in 2014 ^{[ ten ]} .

Ukrainian setbacks at Metalist Kharkiv (2013-2014) [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Papu Gómez repels offers from several major European clubs such as Fiorentina or Inter because he is interested in Atlético de Madrid, now driven by Diego Simeone, whom he knew in San Lorenzo and Catania, and who wishes the recruit. Catania is too financially demanding and Atlético decides to fall back on the Spanish international striker David Villa ^{[ 11 ]} .

Gómez under the colors of the metalist in 2013

Gómez finally decides to engage in favor of the most modest, but ambitious, Metalist Kharkiv. He explains his choice by the fact that the Ukrainian club is experiencing significant growth and offers him the opportunity to compete in a Champions League campaign as a holder. The metalist also brings together, like Catania, a large number of Argentinian players. The amount of the transfer amounts to 7 million euros, Gómez is linked to the club for four seasons with a release clause of 12 million euros ^{[ twelfth ]} .

The rest of the events will not be very happy for the Argentinian player: UEFA indeed suspends the metalist of the Champions League two weeks after its signature, due to matches arranged in 2008 ^{[ 13 ]} .

In December, during the winter break, he wishes to terminate his contract because he struggles to find his place in his new extra-sporting environment difficult. In addition, he considers that the lack of visibility and the low quality of the Ukrainian championship constitute a brake on his career ^{[ 14 ]} . He therefore asks for his transfer, preferably in series A where he has already shone and particularly at La Fiorentina, a club which had already approached him when he evolved under the colors of Catania. He is ready to accept a drop in his salary to facilitate the agreement. The file does not end up and Gómez ends the season with 3 goals and 6 assists in 23 championship matches, his club ending on the third step of the podium ^{[ 15 ]} .

The player (just like several teammates ^{[ 16 ]} ) Refuses to return to Ukraine for the 2014-2015 season because of the violent and unstable political climate in the country which then sinks into the crisis. The Chakhtar, Ukraine champion, is experiencing similar problems with its South American players ^{[ 17 ]} .

Renaissance, summits, then tense departure with Atalanta Bergame (2014-2021) [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

The Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio Rerrute Gómez le first ^is September 2014 To compensate for the departure of Giacomo Bonaventura in Milan, acted the same day. The Argentinian player initials a three -year contract with the Lombard club a few hours before the end of the summer transfer window ^{[ 18 ]} .

Gómez in the Atalanta jersey in 2015

Time of adaptation [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

He has made a correct first season with 3 goals and 3 assists in 24 games ^{[ 19 ]} . The Atalanta is narrowly maintained by finishing 17th, 3 points ahead of Cagliari.

His second season is more convincing, he finds the level he had been able to show in Catania with 7 goals and 10 assists that allow Bergamo to obtain an honorable 13th place ^{[ 20 ]} . Papu’s great performances draw the attention of several clubs, his contract with at Da is therefore extended until June 2020 on February 4, 2016.

DEA strong man [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

In 2016-2017, Gómez had the most prolific season of his career by scoring 16 goals and delivering 11 assists in 37 games ^{[ 19 ]} . It allows his club to rank fourth at the end of the season and therefore to play the Europa League. This year he also became the team captain following the sports retirement of Cristian Raimondi , in addition to being called for the first time in the Argentine team.

For the first season of Papu Gómez as captain, Atalanta obtains a historic place on the podium, synonymous with qualification for the Champions League. The club also reached the Italian Cup final in 2019, but lost 2 goals to 0 against Lazio ^{[ 21 ]} .

Gómez scored his first goal in the Champions League on November 26, 2019 during a 2-0 victory at home against Dinamo Zagreb ^{[ 22 ]} . Atalanta reaches the quarter-of-final of a Champions League strongly disturbed by the Pandemic of Covid-19, it is eliminated by PSG ^{[ 23 ]} . Elimination is particularly difficult because Dea led the scoring from the 27th minute of play before being joined in the 90th, then to take the goal of 2-1 in the additional time of the meeting ^{[ 24 ]} .

It is however not the sporting aspect which makes the most speak, Papu Gómez indeed expresses large remorse on the fact that the double confrontation in front of Valence took place normally (without any particular restrictions linked to the health context) and could Training a virus propagation, he then declared: “Having played these matches is terrible” ^{[ 25 ]} .

On the national championship side, the Atalanta wins a new third place and Gómez obtains its second title of best serial A with 16 assists ^{[ 26 ]} , which constitutes the record of the Italian championship ^{[ 27 ]} .

Tensions and end clap [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Gasperini makes his basic man of his basic man, before blurring with him

The 2020-2021 season is hectic for Papu; THE first ^is December , at the halftime of a C1 group match against the Danes of Midtjylland, he has a tense exchange with his coach Gian Piero Gasperini about his positioning on the field ^{[ 28 ]} . The player does not play the second half of the meeting. Feeling the atmosphere in the locker room stretching, the ultras of Bergamo appeal to the unit before the next C1 match, facing Ajax Amsterdam ^{[ 29 ]} .

Relations between the player and the coach will still deteriorate quickly, to the point that Gómez asks to leave the club during the winter transfer window despite the leaders’ attempts to appease the situation, after more than six years of presence. The club accepts on condition that it does not engage with a competitor in series A, like Inter or Juventus which then show interest ^{[ 30 ] , [ thirty first ]} . Papu also refuses three other proposals from Fiorentina, Torino and Monza ^{[ 32 ]} .

The sudden tensions between Gómez and his trainer can surprise the observers because the two men represent the two most important characters of the return to the foreground of the Atalanta, in addition to being close to each other. This rupture can be explained by the directive and rigid temperament of Gasperini, to which several observers also attribute the departure of the Belgian side Timothy Castagne in the summer transfer window 2020 ^{[ 33 ]} .

The championship match against Juventus on December 16, 2020 constitutes his last appearance in the jersey of at Da , which he will have brought 254 times for 60 goals. Papu Gómez goes “in a mixture of feelings” according to him, but he says that Bergamus stays in his heart ^{[ 34 ]} .

New challenge in Seville (since 2021) [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

On January 26, 2021, Seville FC announced the signature of Gómez until June 2024 ^{[ 35 ]} . His now old coach Gasperini comments the same day: “He helped us grow, I can only wish him the best. He goes to a very strong team that plays the Champions League, a beautiful step ” ^{[ 36 ]} .

He played his first match with the Sevillans on February 2 during a 1-0 victory against Almería in the King’s Cup. He scored his first goal four days later on the occasion of the 3-0 victory of his team against Getafe in the league ^{[ 37 ]} .

Gómez is struggling to adapt to the game system set up by Julen Lopetegui, very rigid and leaving little freedom to players. His performances are not up to his years in Bergamo ^{[ 38 ]} , to the point that the rumors of his departure from Seville in the summer of 2021 are growing, only three months after his arrival ^{[ 39 ]} .

He declared to the Spanish sports newspaper Marca that his adaptation takes time because “the Spanish championship is competitive and football faster than the Italian championship. And that he must adapt to a brand new environment ^{[ 40 ]} .

Selection course [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Argentine U20 [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

In 2007, Papu Gómez was selected for the Argentine U20 team for the Championship of the under 20 of football organized in Paraguay. He played six games during this tournament ^{[ 41 ]} .

Papu Gómez in the fight with Brian Idowu in the ARGENTINE-NIGERIA friendly match in 2017 (2-4)

Later in the same year, he was part of the Argentine U20 World Champion team in Canada. During the competition he takes part in two matches and evolves alongside players like Sergio Agüero or Ángel Di María ^{[ 41 ] , [ 11 ]} .

Argentina team [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Gómez only plays for Argentina in the categories of young people but expresses his interest in Italian selection, because he has dual nationality. FIFA considers it, however, ineligible because it did not have this dual nationality at the time of its selection of youth teams on the one hand, and that it has no Italian ancestry on the other hand ^{[ 42 ]} .

On May 19, 2017, following his excellent season with Bergame, Papu Gómez honored his first selection with Argentina against Singapore, during the beginnings of Jorge Sampaoli as a coach. On this occasion, he scored a goal and issues a decisive pass to Federico Fazio, l’Albiceleste won 6 goals at 0 ^{[ 43 ]} . He wears the Argentina jersey three other times that year.

After a long absence, Gómez was again called in selection in June 2021 to take part in the Copa America 2021 ^{[ 44 ]} . During the tournament, he scored the only goal of Argentine victory against Paraguay on the 3rd day of the group phase ^{[ 45 ]} , then a second goal in the 4-1 victory against Bolivia on the 5th day ^{[ forty six ]} . Argentina wins the tournament by beating Brazil 1 goal at 0 in the final ^{[ 47 ]} . This is the first trophy for the Albiceleste Since 1993 and the first major title of Papu Gómez with his selection, even if he does not come into play during the final ^{[ 48 ]} .

The 11 November 2022 , he is selected by Lionel Scaloni to participate in the 2022 World Cup ^{[ 49 ]} .

In Club [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Arsenal Sarandí:

Atalanta Bergame:

National team [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Argentina – 20 years old :

Argentine :

Personal distinctions [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Atalanta Bergame:

Papu Gómez is a versatile player, after starting his career like number 10 in Argentina he occupies almost all offensive positions: right and left winger, attacking midfielder, second striker, false number 9, etc. ^{[ 52 ]} . He is a player who appreciates freedom of movement and it is common to see him change posts during the meeting ^{[ 53 ]} .

He is described as a talented player, with a small size and a center of low gravity which grant him great liveliness. He is a fast, creative and dynamic player, recognized for his quality of dribbling and his important volume of play. He is also renowned for his good vision of the game, his intelligence in placement and travel, as well as for his quality of strikes both right and left. Gómez is a player who scores regularly and creates a lot of opportunities for his teammates ^{[ 54 ] , [ 53 ]} .

In addition to its athletic and technical facilities, Gómez has great qualities of men’s leaders who have notably allowed him to be a captain in Kharkiv and Bergamo ^{[ 53 ] , [ 55 ]} .

Video games [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

Papu is talking about him at the end of 2016 and the start of 2017 year without wanting to. It attracts the attention of the community of FIFA 17 players because its avatar in the game is better rated in many areas than that of its compatriot Lionel Messi, yet winner of 5 editions of the Ballon d’Or at the time ^{[ 56 ]} .

Music [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

In the spring of 2017 the player released the title “Baila Como El Papu” ( Dance like El Papu ) In collaboration with the Italian comic trio The own goal . The title of the song is reflected in French by “Dance like Le Papu” and refers both to his nickname and the dance he makes to celebrate his goals.

The clip is viewed around 30 million times in 6 months on YouTube and the single sells for 10,000 copies in Italy. Gómez receives a gold record from the federation of the Italian music industry (FIMI) in November 2017, he declared with humor: “I will not have a golden ball, but at least I had a Gold disc ” ^{[ 57 ]} .

Charity [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

In May 2020, Papu organized “The Biggest Game”, a great virtual lottery aimed at financially supporting hospitals on the front line of the fight against COVVI-19. Participants only have to spend 5 euros to obtain a token that can allow them to win a jersey worn by a leading footballer. Many players agree to provide prizes, including for example Virgil Van Dijk, Ivan Rakitić, Paulo Dybala, Luka Modrić, or Dani Alves. The tennis player Juan Martín del Potro also lends himself to the game by providing the shoes he has worn against Rafael Nadal in Wimbledon. The operation is very successful and the sums collected increase very quickly ^{[ 58 ]} .

Gómez is very satisfied with the mobilization among professional players, he declares in this regard: “I was really amazed to see how much everyone was impatient to help … footballers are often described as spoiled kids And super rich, but people don’t realize how behind the scenes, keeping silent. »» ^{[ 59 ]} .

Literature [ modifier | Modifier and code ]

In June 2020, Papu Gómez published a children’s book entitled “Ciao, Son il Papu” ( Hi, I’m Papu ) which traces his childhood and then his career in the form of a graphic novel. The book, published by Rizzoli, is available both in physical and digital format. Some shops in the city of Bergamo offer versions dedicated by the player ^{[ 60 ]} .

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