URGUAYAN BACKPAIR NASAZZI-ARISPE DOMINATES ALL OTHERS IN AMASTERDAM
— Gabriel Hanot | 25/06/1928 —

It was an Uruguayan, Mazali, who was the best goalkeeper in Amsterdam and who would undoubtedly be chosen to protect the nets of an ideal Olympic team.

Another Uruguayan, Nasazzi, would establish himself at right back. Through the vigor of his game, the captain of the Olympic champions of 1924 and 1928 gave headers which sent the ball 30 meters. With his athletic power and his great positioning skills, Nasazzi caused a sensation in the land of tulips. Four years ago, in Paris, Uruguay had a forward line so brilliant that it monopolized all the play and the defence had few opportunities to shine. This time the situation was reversed and Nasazzi showed his know-how, which is considerable.

Which partner to give to the Uruguayan captain? It is said that in Buenos Aires there remained, held by their occupations, a left back, a right winger and especially the inside left Seoane, who are better than everything we admired in Amsterdam. We are willing to take the Argentines' word for it; however our task is to build a team with the players we have seen, not those we could have seen.

Nasazzi's partner does not impose himself irresistibly. The Argentinian Paternoster, who is inferior to his full-back neighbor Bidoglio, provided good matches; but he seems to panic, lacking speed and authority when things are at their worst. The Uruguayan Arispe, quiet and modest, sure and self-effacing, is less a star of the first magnitude than a satellite. We can trust him; however he does not attract attention and he is a complementary full-back rather than a main full-back. The little Belgian Hoydonckx, the Italian Caligaris, although he leans towards irregularity of play, the Spaniard Quincoces, despite his inexperience in major matches, the Egyptian Salem, who redeems his performances with his speed sometimes erroneous intentions of the adversary, should be placed on almost the same level as Arispe. And he would ultimately be chosen as Nasazzi's partner because he is his usual neighbor and he knows how to combine perfectly with him.