Ricardo Bochini

As a boy, Bochini was wanted by Campana's club Villa Dálmine, but started playing football for Belgrano, a local club from his home city. At the age of 15, he went to Buenos Aires with his father to try to join San Lorenzo and later Boca Juniors. He was eventually accepted into the youth system of Independiente in 1971. He made his professional debut in the Argentine Primera División on 25 June 1972, when Independiente's coach, Pedro Dellacha sent him onto the field in the 74th minute of a match that they lost 1–0 to River Plate.

On Saturday morning (the day prior to the match) I walked over [to] the senior squad's dress room and saw my name written on the chalkboard. I was cited for the match v. River Plate. I could not believe that, sincerely. I had always dreamed about my debut in Primera, but I was still very young.

By that time Independiente had already won the 1972 Copa Libertadores, which allowed them to play the Intercontinental Cup that same year but Bochini was not part of the team that lost the tie to Ajax. He gained more participation the following year and was an important member of the team, alongside Daniel Bertoni. The team won the 1973 Copa Libertadores and the 1973 Intercontinental Cup; Bochini scored the only goal in the latter against Juventus. The club managed to defend the Copa Libertadores title in 1974. São Paulo had won the first match of the final at Pacaembu stadium and Independiente the second one at their stadium (Bochini scored the first…

Argentine coach César Menotti had selected Bochini several times in the 1970s, but eventually he lost his place for the 1978 FIFA World Cup to Norberto Alonso. Bochini played again in the national team when Carlos Bilardo succeeded Menotti as coach, but lost his place to younger players such as Diego Maradona. Nevertheless, he was part of the squad that won the 1986 FIFA World Cup albeit he played only a few minutes in the semi-finals against Belgium, replacing Jorge Burruchaga.

Although he was not a prolific goalscorer, he was considered one of the best playmakers of the 1980s, often making assists for teammates to score, due to his vision and accurate passing. Even after he retired, the expression pase bochinesco ("bochinesque pass") is used to refer to a precise pass made to a forward to leave him one on one against the goalkeeper, bypassing the opponent's defenders. Bochini became a master of 'la pausa', the moment when a number 10, poised to deliver a pass, delays a fraction, waiting for the player he is looking to feed to reach the ideal position.

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