Real Madrid is the biggest winner of the Spanish League and the Champions League, Most of the best footballers in the world have passed through its ranks. But back in 2004 a young Mexican named Israel Castro silenced the Santiago Bernabéu stadium Once, with a shot from outside the area, he scored the goal with which Pumas de la UNAM defeated the merengues in the Santiago Bernabéu Trophy.
Two decades after that event, in the Paseo de la Castellana and Concha Espina area. The now retired Israel Castro in conversation with ESTO He recalled that beautiful moment in his career in what was an unforgettable year for Club Universidad Nacional and of course for its fans, as they also won the second Liga MX championship.
“The truth is that it is a very pleasant memory, in fact. Many people place me by that goal, remember, and the truth is that I have not scored many goals and The few that I have made, two or three, have left a great mark, either in a particular situation or on me in particular. It was a great experience,” said the former youth player of the Pedregal team.
He acknowledged that, thanks to Hugo Sánchez, former white player and then technical director of the felines. The international commitment of great importance could be disputed relevance for Pumas since for Real Madrid it is a match that takes place practically year after year.
But this is not to be underestimated as it is a game played in front of their fans. A trophy is at stake and it is often used to present the new team for the season that is about to begin.
“Once again thanks to Hugo (the game was given) They look for him and call him to play the game. SIf Hugo hadn’t been there, it would probably be the best thing “We would not have had that invitation to a historic event for a Mexican team to be able to go and play for the Santiago Bernabéu trophy on the anniversary of the stadium,” he commented.
He stressed: “It was something historic, it was a great experience for everyone, Well, we left a week early, we trained at the Real Madrid facilities.d. In the old ones because now they are in Valdebebas and before they were somewhere else and well we went to train, to get to know the place a little.”
He boasted that the Real Madrid of the Galacticos was defeated. TOwhich had in its ranks players such as Zidane, Figo, Owen, Casillas, Beckham, Morientes, Solari, Raúl, to name a few.
“Overall the experience was great and then Well, the cherry on the cake is going to win the match against a team that was also historic.. Mbeyond “Whether they achieved or not achieved anything. Well, having brought together those great players in the same team. Well, it was also historic for the club, so much so that they called them the Galácticos and then we went to win and then it was my turn to score the goal, the truth is that it was a wonderful experience.”
He explained that that shot with the part outside of the right foot after making a wall with “Parejita” López to beat the goalkeeper César Sánchez was a quick move, but one he never hesitated to take. Fortunately, the ball went out through the space he saw to make it 1-0 in the 70th minute of that match.
Yes, yes, yes, it’s true (that’s how the shot was), many people tell me, but how?did you think about it or not?, but These are the times when space opens up, the gap, you see it. I remember perfectly how I saw that space, that gap and I almost said look. I never thought I was going to hit it like I thought at that moment because it was so fast. But that’s how it happened and look what a great goal.said the multi-champion with Pumas
Israel Castro keeps the shirt with which he scored against Real Madrid
Israel Castro tells with great emotion that experience that marked his career and about what happened after the game. He admitted that in no way At no point did he try to swap shirts with one of the Real Madrid stars, especially when he was in charge of scoring the winning goal. In addition, after the whistle blew, there was some annoyance among the Spanish team due to the defeat.
“The truth is that I wasn’t much of a shirt changer. I liked to keep mine because I liked to give it to my family, it was like a kind of gratitude. to the family or as a detail to the family. So the truth is that I changed very few shirts and that time even less, I said ‘that shirt fits me’, I didn’t want to change it.”
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He added: “Some (colleagues) tried to changeThey tried to find that exchange of glances to make the exchange of shirts, at least on the field.. But as far as I remember, they came out a little hurt and I think that in the locker room they could have approached me and exchanged some shirts. But I didn’t. At that moment I didn’t want to change the shirt that is historic, I said ‘I want to keep it’ and in fact my dad has it stored somewhere, I said ‘that one is historic’ and I kept it.”
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