Jose Pekerman has
enjoyed success as Colombia
coach, but he will never be
forgiven in his homeland for his
suspect substitutions as
Argentina lost to Germany in
2006
By Ben Hayward in Chile
Jose Pekerman was speaking
ahead of Colombia's game
against Greece in Belo Horizonte
at last year's World Cup when a
journalist reminded him he had
described Lionel Messi as "a
blessing for Argentine football"
in 2005. "Thanks for
remembering that," he
replied. "Because most people
only remember that I left him on
the bench against Germany!"
He was right. Whatever
Pekerman goes on to achieve in
the game, football fans in his
homeland will always look back
on that day at the 2006 World
Cup when his suspect
substitutions arguably cost the
Albiceleste a place in the semi-
finals and possibly a third title in
football's greatest competition.
The 2006 World Cup was wide
open. There were no strong
favourites going into the
competition and after the group
games, many were backing
Pekerman's Argentina to go all
the way.
The South Americans beat Ivory
Coast 2-1, thrashed Serbia &
Montenegro 6-0 and drew 0-0
with Netherlands to top the
group and seal a last-16 match
against Mexico which was won
in extra time thanks to a
stunning strike by Maxi
Rodriguez.
That meant a meeting with hosts
Germany in the quarter-finals,
but even though Jurgen
Klinsmann's side were gathering
momentum on home soil, this
was no vintage Mannschaft. The
feeling was that Germany could
be beaten and Argentina were
favourites to emerge victorious
in Berlin.
They should have. With Juan
Roman Riquelme in fine form,
Argentina went ahead four
minutes into the second half as
Roberto Ayala headed home a
corner from the playmaker.
Chances to make it two came and
went and Pekerman was forced
to make a change after 71
minutes as Leo Franco was sent
on for the injured Roberto
Abbondanzieri in goal.
But in the following minutes he
made two more substitutions
that have left many Argentines
annoyed ever since. First, he
replaced Riquelme with the more
defensive-minded Esteban
Cambiasso after 72 minutes in an
attempt to shore up the
Argentina midfield. Then, with 11
minutes remaining, he sent on
striker Julio Cruz for Hernan
Crespo.
And almost as soon as the Inter
man had ran onto the pitch,
Germany equalised through
Miroslav Klose. Suddenly,
everything had changed and
Argentina, in order to avoid
penalties against the shootout
specialists in front of their own
fans, now needed both creation
and inspiration.
With no Riquleme and no Messi
on the pitch, however, it
unsurprisingly never arrived and
the Albiceleste ended up losing
4-2 on penalties. And back in
Argentina, Pekerman -
predictably - was slated. Three
times he had led the nation to
Under-20 World Cup wins, but
failure on the biggest stage is
what people remember.
Messi had turned 19 days before
the Germany game and was
playing in his first World Cup. The
Barcelona forward had ended
the season with an injury but
recovered to make Argentina's
squad and came off the bench to
score a great goal in the rout
against Serbia & Montenegro. It
was the start of something
special.
"I couldn't believe what I was
seeing when I first worked with
Messi," Pekerman explained last
year in Brazil. "I had no doubts
about what Lionel would become
- I always dreamed he would go
on to achieve what he has. We
knew we were looking at a
player who was going to be the
biggest star for the next few
years."
And ahead of Colombia's
showdown against Argentina in
the quarter-finals of the Copa
America on Friday, he added: "If I
could speak to him before the
game, I would tell him that I have
always admired him and that I
always dreamed he would go on
to become all that he has. But I
would tell him we have to win
this game."
Unfortunately for Pekerman,
however, he won't be able to
leave Leo on the bench this time.
