In a quiet town in Río Negro, Chile, with barely 15 thousand inhabitants, Marco Bahamonde shares his story with 'La Nación'.
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This former offensive midfielder, originally from Provincial Osorno, made the big leap to Argentina in 1998, signed by Boca Juniors. He arrived in a golden era for the club, led by Carlos Bianchi and sharing a dressing room with stellar figures such as Juan Román Riquelme and Martín Palermo.
Bahamonde, after an outstanding start in the Primera de Osorno and his participation in the Chilean U-20, experienced a meteoric rise. His arrival in Boca, the result of a two-week trial managed by his representative, opened the doors to a world of opportunities.
“My representative got me a trial for two weeks with my teammate Alberto González. They seemed to like my game because they trusted me and decided that I should stay in the Fifth Division,” he told the aforementioned media.
With his hopes intact, the Chilean accompanied the team on tours around Europe, until in 2000, Bianchi promoted him to the first team for the preseason in Mar del Plata and Tandil, participating in the traditional summer tournaments.
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A highlight was on February 9, 2000, during the Mar del Plata City Cup, where Boca beat River 2-1. Bahamonde, wearing the number 10, played a crucial role, following Bianchi's tactics and dealing with pre-match jitters.
“I was very nervous the day before, I didn't sleep. I felt a great responsibility that luckily 10 minutes into the game I was able to free myself. Carlos (Bianchi) placed me on a band and asked me to do the dirty work so that Gustavo Lombardi cannot get any crosses,” he recalled.
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However, the limitation on places for foreigners in the team led to Bahamonde being loaned to El Porvenir, then a subsidiary of Boca. This setback marked the beginning of a tumultuous period, returning to Chile, facing injuries and eventually walking away from professional football at the age of 24.
“When I returned to Chile I spent some time at Universidad Católica, I returned to Osorno and I had several injuries such as a dislocated ankle that kept me off the field for a year. When I returned from the injury I gained a lot of weight, I couldn't recover or have the regularity I wanted,” added the former soccer promise.
A new beginning
After his retirement, Bahamonde embarked on a new path away from football. He worked in various occupations, from sneaker salesman to gas deliveryman. Today, he is dedicated to pest control, a job that takes him to travel to different cities, carrying out fumigation tasks on agricultural properties and buildings.
Despite the unexpected turns in his career, the former player looks back fondly on his time at Boca. “There are times when I say: 'I can't believe it.' My worst mistake was walking away from the club and not fighting for it. What affected me was not having the foreigner quota,” she explained.
And he concluded: “My ascent was rapid, as was my descent.”
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*This content was rewritten with the assistance of artificial intelligence, based on information from La Nación, and was reviewed by the journalist and an editor.
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