Just did a bit of research into his Copa America history since I had never really heard about it before.
He was not involved in the 1983 squad as it looks like all players were Argentine league based?
1987 - One of only 3 non Argentine League players. Played in both group matches scored 2. Started in the loss to Uruguay in the Semi finals.
1989 - Again in the squad, one of only 10 non Argentine League players. Started all 4 group stage matches, and 2 of the 3 final group matches, looks like he was held out of the dead rubber vs Paraguay on the last matchday.
Not in the 1991 squad.
Again not criticism just wanted to give the info as I had never seen it before.
The "non-Argentine league based player" thing is pretty redundant as it applied across the board.
The norm was NOT to call up foreign based players.
Firstly, because it wasn't as prevalent (this is pre-Bosman with most European clubs sticking to only 3 non-nationals).
The upside was there was far more domestic talent and the Libertadores was an entirely different proposition to what it is today.
Second, as a result there was no coordinated scheduling and obligation for clubs to release players X-days before a game, if at all. They often arrived the day before matchday and had no training with the rest so it was reserced for truly special players. NT coaches preferred relying on domestic players to form a core, as their local league would bend over backwards to accommodate training plans and prep.
Third, there wasn't as much money in football. Flying players over cost a bomb relatively speaking, even if you were often talking about multi-stop economy class, only to get a player in very bad shape and with no prep.
And after all that, when they inevitably underperformed fans were on their back saying they were mercenaries, scared of injuries and saving their best for their big time clubs.
It was so bad that in 1980, with Uruguay not starting the WCQ well there was a nationwide fundraising to bring our star striker from Spain and back to his former club where he had been the all-time league record goalscorer. Everyone chipped in, a bit like Liverpool fans making donations for Cristiano to come back from Madrid to United in 2012.
The funds were not raised in time, we missed the 1982 WC, but the transfer took place and Peñarol won the league and the Libertadores in 1982. When the NT finally got involved in the 1983 Copa America, he got a career-ending injury in a group match. You couldn't make it up
But it looks like he scored 5 in that video?
