20 years of the first milestone, the world champions leoncitos

20 years of a historic Argentine hockey milestonemore precisely from the Knight branch: the Junior World Championship of Rotterdam 2005. The first time the leoncitos were enshrined world champions, at the top of the selections circuit and two players expressed themselves about that.

They still did not call themselves that way, but the roar was present. Juan Martín López and Lucas Vila were rolled back in time to dialogue on those days: “It was a beautiful tournament, it was the beginning for many. The first time we were traveling to Europe, it was all new to us, but there was quality in that team. We were only a group of boys who wanted to go to play, to have fun and all that was giving”, Began narrating the Colo.

Juan Martín López, today Las Leoncitas coach, was on the player’s side and now behind the lime line in the junior selected: “I try to convey the feeling that I have and the boys who work with me. For us the Argentine shirt is the maximum and we let it know. Also show them what it costs to put it on, that it has to cost, that the processes are hard and that those who arrive, have to value it because you never know later when you put it again. ”

In addition, he added: “And After they have to enjoy it, that they have to use the process to enjoy it, knowing that it is a place of privilege, of a lot of responsibility and commitment, but not to stop enjoying it, which I think is one of the most important things at that age”

Four years before the event, Argentina left second in Hobart 2001 by losing 6 to 1 with India, but that defeat entailed an air of victory: “Having that antecedent of the Junior gave us the kick that we can, that we could fight everyone, that they were there just. And well, a little was our challenge at the same time, it was trying to match it, playing another final, ”Vila said.

Within the verborria for talking about what happened, Juan Martín also told what he gave him to play that tournament: “My friends. Pedro Ibarra, Colo Vila, Lucas Rossi … what was lived, the process was the beginning of a lot of things that we live later, that today are friends, that we got together to eat, play the paddle. I think, beyond the title, the most beautiful thing that sport left me is to continue sharing beautiful moments with them. Today I have to train him to the colo and that is also a huge joy, ”López closed, who also acts as a coach at Banco Provincia.

“I think the Argentine has that quality inside, which can play all of them”.

“Always one from here sees those of outside and thinks that others are better … and the truth is not the case. At least one goes and realizes that it is not so. That you could fight anyone. That you could be the same or better than anyone and that was what marked me the most and what led us the most to that tournament”Said the Colo.

The Argentine delegation was composed of: Juan Espinosa, Lucas Argento, Matías Rey, Juan Martín López, Ignacio Bergner; Pedro Ibarra, Matías González, Lucas Rossi, Lucas Vila, Tomás Argento, Agustín Corradini, Manuel Brunet, Juan Saladino, Mariano Tisera, Martín Dell’agnola, Facundo Callioni, Matías Recabarren and Tomás Alonso. Coach: Pablo Lombi. Assistant: Juan Pina. PF: Gabriel Figueiras. Team Head: Pablo Zabalza. Doctor: Javier Blanco. Kinesiologist: Claudio Bosco. President of Delegation: Mario Galliano.

All the participations of the Leoncitos in the World Cup:

Versailles 1979 – 6th place
Kuala Lumpur 1982 – did not participate
Vancouver 1985 – 7th place
Malaysia 1989 – 5th place
Barcelona 1993 – 5th Position
Milton Keynes 1997 – 6th place
Hobart 2001 – 2nd position
Rotterdam 2005 – 1st position
Johor Bahru 2009 – 6th place
New Delhi 2013 – 11th place
Lucknow 2016 – 5th place
Bhubaneswar 2021 – 1st place
Kuala Lumpur 2023 – 7th place