From painter to Athletico’s new “Sergeant”: who is Mateo Gamarra

The first reinforcement confirmed by the Athletico to 2024, the year of its centenary. The defender Mateo Gamarra, 23 years old, signed a four-year contract with Furacão. Highlight of Olympia, it would have cost US$3.2 million (R$15.84 million) to Rubro-Negro, which acquired 75% of the rights. After passing the medical exams, the left-footed player will wear the number 15 shirt at the new club.

“The fans can also rest assured, because I will always give 100%. I am a player with a lot of dedication, a lot of work and a lot of discipline. I will try to win titles here with the club. And for that, we have to work”, he told the official website.

O OneTwo Sports brings more about the Paraguayan.

Who is it

Natural from Concepcion400km from the capital Asunción, in Paraguay, Mateo Gamarra González is known as “El Sergeant” by the Olimpia fans, where he has been for the last three seasons. Regarded as one of the most beloved players among the Olimpia fans, he has no connection with the legendary defender Carlos Gamarra, despite the same surname. A country boy, his profile is discreet and serious , as the mother details, Vidalia González.

“He is a quiet, responsible and very mature boy. He takes very good care of himself and plans to reach highs”, he said in an interview with the program Fútbol a lo Grande, on 1080 AM Radiolast year.

Humble, he grew up in the Primavera neighborhood and is the type of person who doesn’t forget his origins. When he was hired by Olimpia, for example, he preferred to go to the club by bus, because “he felt he had a greater responsibility”.

“You wake up earlier, you are more active. And when you arrive to train you are already well warmed up”, he said in an interview with the website Versuslast year.

But the player needed to change his habits and was “forced” to buy a car. In his contract with Olimpia it said that he could not travel around the city by bus or motorbike.

Before entering the world of football, Mateo “did everything”. He sold coal from a motorbike and was a painter – earned a weekly salary of 210 thousand guaranis – the equivalent of just R$14.

“Of this money, 10 thousand (guaranis) I spent on gasoline for the motorcycle. Of the other 200, I gave 100 to my mother. I kept what was left (100) and spent it on dinner, but it arrived on Monday and I didn’t have anything else, so I borrowed it from someone.”

One of his brothers, Luis Gamarra, played for Guaraní and was also a painter. In 2020, both returned to Concepción during the period of the Covid pandemic and They started cleaning and painting boats that transported goods and even livestock to help with the family’s income while the world was at a standstill.

“They helped each other, they went to paint on a boat. Here we sold charcoal and that’s how we fought”, explained the mother.

“During the pandemic, the club I played for temporarily closed its activities. So I had to go back to the interior, look for alternatives to survive. I had to work with other activities, such as yard cleaning, machinery, painteranything that came up”, Mateo told the Athletico website during his official announcement.

Personal drama

Now 23 years old, Mateo went through moments of uncertainty that almost threatened to end his dream of being a football player. One of the most difficult moments in his life was loss of fatherLino Rubén, during the pandemic.

“It was a very difficult moment because everything I achieved later, my father couldn’t be with me. And this is something that weighs heavily on me, because we have always been very united”, he told Athletico’s official website.

The mother, who has 13 children (seven boys and seven girls), says that Mateo went alone to the capital Asunción in search of a better life. The change was supported by the entire family.

“We all support him, because he is an example for boys who want to grow and move forward. I always tell him not to change, to continue like this, to strive to reach higher,” said Vidalia.

Career

Mateo started on the youth training teams Independence Campo Grandefrom Assunção, played futsal and was revealed by Independent FBC-PAR, where he arrived at the age of 15. Afterwards, he transferred to the October 12thin 2020, and was in Olympia over the last three seasons. Over the last year, he has become a fundamental part of the “Dean“.

Promising, the defender also has calls for the Paraguay selection. His debut was during a friendly against Mexico, in September last year, being one of the highlights of Albirroja’s 1-0 victory. In the match, he gained the first opportunity at the hands of coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto and played as a left-back.

“Mateo Gamarra left everyone’s mouth open with his official debut in the national team’s shirt and it didn’t go unnoticed,” the website described at the time D10which also highlighted his versatile side.

In the last edition of the Libertadores, the defender was the leader in tackles, with 55 in total. In 2023, he played 45 games and scored three goals for Olimpia – against Atlético Nacional in the Libertadores group stage (see below), and against Tacuary and Guaireña FC, both in the Torneo Clausura of the Paraguayan League.

In total, there were 98 matches with the Olympic shirt, with five goals and three titles won: an Apertura Cup (2021), Liga Clausura (2022) and a Super Cup (2022).

Debut against Flamengo and Gabigol’s shirt

Mateo debuted with the Olimpia shirt against Flamengoin the quarterfinals of Libertadores 2021. Despite beating Mané Garrincha 5-1, he didn’t give striker Gabigol any peace. Playing with the number 48 shirt, he had a “tough” duel with the Brazilian. The interesting thing is that after the match they exchanged shirts – which ended up becoming a painting in their home, in Concepción (see the photo below and the interview in the video).

“After beating him a lot I asked for his shirt. He said, let’s change. And I asked, ‘do you really want mine?’, I laughed.

Datasheet

Full name: Mateo Gamarra González.
Birth: 10/20/2000 (Concepción, Paraguay).
Position: defender.
Height: 1.83m.
Career: Independiente FBC-PAR, 12 de Octubre-PAR and Olimpia-PAR.