Nineteen years on: the day Martín Palermo played after his son’s death | OneFootball

Martín Palermo, an eternal idol of Boca Juniors, starred in one of the most memorable and moving days of Argentine football on August 6, 2006. That day, just a few hours after losing his son Stéfano, the forward asked to play the match against Banfield for the Apertura Tournament. He started after a talk with Alfio Basile and scored two goals that were forever etched in Xeneize history.

The baby, eagerly awaited as the first child with his partner Lorena Berrichi, was born prematurely and died shortly after. In the midst of that pain, Martín Palermo expressed to his coach his desire to play: "Coco, I want to play anyway". The match was held at La Bombonera, with a 3-0 victory for Boca and two goals from the "Titan", who celebrated by deeply hugging his teammates and received unconditional support from the stadium. Football, for a moment, became a refuge.

Martín Palermo in the celebration of one of the two goals he scored that afternoon against Banfield.

Martín Palermo's memory

"My son died and two days later I was playing a football match. Do you think this moment can affect me?", said Martín Palermo a few months ago, when he was going through a tough time as coach of Olimpia, after having made them champions.

With those words, he showed that the hardest loss of his life gave him a unique perspective on adversity. Not as Olimpia's coach anymore, but as a former footballer and a reference in Argentine sport, his statement once again highlighted the human dimension of a figure who never gave up.

Years later, Palermo delved into what he felt that day: "It was a necessity because there was no turning back and what had happened was very painful and hard to assimilate. Football and being on a pitch were my containment. They reflected me as a person and were my grounding. It's the passion one feels and lives".

His decision to play was not just a professional gesture, but a manifestation of love for the sport and a way to face grief. The Titan's story goes beyond goals: it is made up of moments like these, where courage overcame pain, and football became a symbol of resilience.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.