The idol of Fortín will be honored at José Amalfitani with a sculpture financed by members and fans, together with the club
Compartir:
Ricardo Gareca will have his eternal place in José Amalfitani Stadium. On the day when he turned 68 years old, Vélez confirmed that "Tigre" will be honored with a statue that will be located at the entrance to the stadium, joining the series of idols who already have their sculptures at the club.
The initiative was promoted by the Subcomisión del Hincha and received approval from the club leadership, which will be in charge of the logistics of the project. The monument will be financed entirely with contributions from members and fans, together with the club, and the final details of the work will be announced soon.
La estatua será financiada por los socios e hinchas, en conjunto con el club
This way, Gareca will join figures such as José Amalfitani, Daniel Willington, Carlos Bianchi, and José Luis Chilavert, all of them honored in the central hall of the stadium. The recognition responds to the deep bond between the coach and Fortín and to his impact on one of the institution's most successful eras.
A self-confessed Vélez fan, Gareca had a first spell as a footballer between the late 80s and the early 90s, after his return to the country following his standout performances at América de Cali. With the blue V he played 117 matches and scored 24 goals, and he did not win titles, since he left before the golden era that Bianchi would begin in 1993.
The great rematch would arrive years later, already as a coach. In 2009 he took over as head coach and led a historic period: he won the Clausura 2009 and 2011, a year in which he also reached the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores, the Inicial 2012 and the Campeonato 2012-2013. In total, he recorded 130 victories in 254 matches.
Gareca se destacó por sus títulos como DT
After his successful spell, he continued his career abroad, with stints at Palmeiras and the Peru national team, which he led to the 2018 Russia World Cup. Although he had a brief return to Liniers in 2023, his second spell was not good and he decided to step aside in the midst of an adverse sporting context.
Beyond that last chapter, the story between Gareca and Vélez was defined by the titles and the shared identity. Now, his figure will be immortalized at the club, as part of his great legacy.
