He was coming “Animal Day” and in the writing of “Peligro de Wolf” we spent half a dozen hours thinking about what song to play for that day, we thought until late at night, until one of them thought that we should honor the footballers with animal nicknames.
As there was no other idea, it was unanimously approved. So we begin to imagine a National Team of “animal” footballers who have dressed in light blue and white. There was an exchange of opinions and heavy gauge epithets and some minor fights, until a minimum and very rare consensus was reached: the team would form with “Pato” Fillol in the goal, in the defensive line we placed “Mouse” Ayala and “Rabbit” Tarantini, in the middle we will go out with “Pitón” Ardiles and “Rata” Rattín, we will put a double 10 with “Burrito” Ortega and “Pulga” Messi, and since we believe that this would be a team of “beasts”, we will play up front with 4 strikers: the “Bunny” Saviola, the “Bird” Caniggia, Julián “Spider” Álvarez and “Piojo” López.
to the delight of “bicheros” of soccer, our country was the birthplace of many footballers nicknamed with animal names. Curiously, there were many cats (Andrada de Rosario Central, Gymnastics and Fencing Session LP, Marín de Vélez, Miguel de River, Oldrá de Godoy Cruz, the “Gata” Fernández de Estudiantes, the “kittens” Mignini and Leeb de Chacarita and the michis follow) and few dogs, just the “Dog” Arbarello and Prediger, but perhaps, if we mess with the various breeds we will find some more than the “Galgo” Jonás Gutiérrez and Gustavo Dezzotti.
I guess if we’re talking about monkeys, we have plenty of examples: The “Monkey” Navarro Montoya, the “Monkey” Oscar Más, “Mono” Burgos, “Mono” Monetti, “Mono” Irusta, “Mono” Obberti, “Monito” Zárate and let’s stop counting, because there must be a dozen more. As for rodents, we have two Ayala mice (Rubén, from San Lorenzo and Atlético Madrid and Roberto, from River and Valencia), and two “Rata”, both from Boca (Rattín and Rodríguez). And the “Laucha” Lautaro Acosta and Cristian Lucchetti.
The Paso de los Toros for Argentine soccer also left its mark: we remember “Toro” Acuña, the “Torito” Cavenaghi, the legendary “Toro” Raffo and the new world champion Lautaro “Toro” Martínez. Of the sheep, Telch and Prósperi, both from San Lorenzo.
The list of farm animals must be endless. Starting with the “Pato” (Fillol, Abbondanzieri, Pastoriza, Toranzo and Aguilera) and the “Duckling” (Galmarini and Rodríguez). The “Chicken” Soriano, the “Tero” Di Carlo, the “Goat” Pavoni, the “Chiva Di Meola” and the aforementioned “Rabbit” Saviola and Tarantini. “Birds” named Caniggia, Domizzi and Andrizzi. Another one that flies: the “Palomo” Usuriaga. amphibians? The “Toad” Villar, the “Toad” Coleoni, the “Toad” Encina and the “Frog” Valencia. There were some “Chancha”: Rinaldi, Mazzoni, Larrosa, Cozzoni, Cortez and a “Chanchi” (Estevez).
Insects, in addition to Julián Álvarez, we remember the “Spider” Amuchástegui, the “Ant” Hernán Díaz and the “Moth” Da Silva. Of those that swim: the “Pescadito” Paz, the “Shark” Serrizuela, the “Pejerrey” Belloso de Lanús, and the “Eel” Gutiérrez.
The list of zoo soccer players is long, it is enough to name “Oso” Pratto, the “Tigre” Gareca and Falcao, the “Puma” Morete, Giglioti and Rodríguez, the “Murciélago” Graciani, the “Búfalo” Funes, the “Lagarto” Fleita and the “Lobo” Ledesma, Fisher and Cordone.
And if we add the nicknames of the teams to this animal tribute, we make it complete by citing the Red Bugs of Argentinos Jrs., the La Plata Gymnastics and Fencing Wolf, the Nueva Chicago Bulls, the Student Lion, the Morón Rooster, the San Lorenzo Ravens, the River Chickens, the Flandria Canary, the Shark of Aldosivi, the Hawks of Defense and Justice, and even the Squid of Platense.
The list does not end in football, of course. The national teams of the most diverse sports also pay homage to animals. The Cougars They are our rugby, Las Leonas and Los Leones, our field hockey teams. For volleyball: The Panthers. And we are “Los Murciélagos” in football for the blind, “The Eagles” in men’s artistic gymnastics, “Los Yacarés” in water polo, “Los Halcones” in skate race, “Los Toros” in table tennis.
Happy day, animals. And you… Did you like the tribute, Fierce?