Ricardo Bochini

Ricardo Bochini

Personal information
Full name	Ricardo Enrique Bochini
Date of birth	(1954-01-25) January 25, 1954 (age 58)
Place of birth	Zárate, Argentina
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Playing position	Playmaker
Youth career
	Independiente
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1971–1991	Independiente	653	(105)
National team
1973–1986	Argentina	28	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Ricardo Enrique Bochini (born January 25, 1954 in Zárate, Buenos Aires) is an Argentine former professional football player. He is nicknamed El Bocha. Bochini was a childhood idol of Diego Maradona.

Bochini, an attacking midfielder, is one of the most emblematic players in the history of club Independiente. A one club man, in his twenty years of professional football from 1972 to 1991, Bochini played only for Independiente, and was a member of the club during its most successful era, winning eight international titles, four Argentine championships, and the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

Although he was not a prolific goalscorer, he was one of the best playmakers of the 1980s, often making assists for teammates to score. Even after he retired, the expression pase bochinesco ("bochinesque pass") is used to refer to a precise pass made to a forward to leave him one on one against the goalie, bypassing the opponent's defenders.^[1][2]

Club career

Bochini playing for Independiente.

On 1972, Bochini made his professional debut with Independiente against River Plate.

He always played as attacking midfielder and formed associations with team-mates Daniel Bertoni, José Percudani and Jorge Burruchaga.

Bochini helped Independiente win several national and international titles, such as four Copa Libertadores and two Intercontinental Cup, scoring the only goal in the 1973 Intercontinental Cup against Juventus.

On 5 May 1991 Bochini played his last professional match against Estudiantes de La Plata. He played a total of 653 league matches, scoring 105 goals.^[3] He is the player with the most appearances in the Argentine Primera División after goalkeeper Hugo Gatti, who played in 775 league matches.^{[citation needed]}

International career

Argentine coach César Menotti has selected Bochini several times in the 70's but eventually lost the position to Norberto Alonso for the 1978 FIFA World Cup. He was not taken much into account during the latest argentine military government.

Bochini played again in the national team when Carlos Bilardo succeeded Menotti as coach, but lost the position to younger players such as Diego Maradona. Nevertheless, he was part of the team that won the 1986 FIFA World Cup but played only a few minutes in the semi-finals against Belgium replacing Jorge Burruchaga.

Post retirement

Bochini (left) with Maradona.

Fifth division Barracas Bolívar decided to include him to play a few minutes in an official match played on February 27 of 2007, 16 years after his retirement, as a recognition to his career.^[4]

On November 2007 a street was named after him in the city of Avellaneda where Independiente's Stadium is located.^[5]

Bochini played for Independiente's veteran team in an official tournamente organized by the Argentine Football Association on 2009. ^[6]

He currently works as football advisor and image representative for Independiente ^[7]

Career statistics

^[3]

Bertoni and Bochini holding the 1973 Intercontinental Cup won in Roma.

Bochini with the team that won the 1984 Copa Libertadores.

Club

International

Honours

Independiente

• Argentine Primera División (4): Nacional 1977, Nacional 1978, Metropolitano 1983, 1988-89
• Copa Libertadores (4): 1973, 1974, 1975, 1984
• Copa Interamericana (3): 1973, 1974, 1976
• Intercontinental Cup (2): 1973, 1984

Argentina

• FIFA World Cup (1): 1986

Individual

• Footballer of the Year of Argentina (1): 1983

See also

• One-club man

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ricardo Bochini

External links

• (Spanish) Futbol Factory profile (Archived)
• (Spanish) Unofficial site
• (Spanish) Futbol Pasion statistics
• (Spanish) mini Red Argentina biography

Argentina squads v t e Argentina squad – 1979 Copa América 1 Barbas 2 Bochini 3 Bordón 4 Castro 5 Coscia 6 Díaz 7 Fortunato 8 Gaitán 9 Gáspari 10 Larraquy 11 López 12 Maradona 13 Ocaño 14 Passarella (c) 15 Saporiti 16 Valencia 17 Van Tuyne 18 Vidallé Coach: Menotti v t e Argentina squad – 1986 FIFA World Cup Winners (2nd Title) 1 Almirón 2 Batista 3 Bochini 4 Borghi 5 Brown 6 Passarella 7 Burruchaga 8 Clausen 9 Cuciuffo 10 Maradona (c) 11 Valdano 12 Enrique 13 Garré 14 Giusti 15 Islas 16 Olarticoechea 17 Pasculli 18 Pumpido 19 Ruggeri 20 Tapia 21 Trobbiani 22 Zelada Coach: Bilardo