NOT URUGUAY, BUT ARGENTINA IS SOUTH AMERICA'S TIP FOR THE OLYMPIC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
— Frigyes Becske | 09/01/1928 —

József Berger, Austria's national team field hockey player, who also achieved great success as a passionate amateur football player, returned from his business trip to South America last week. The likable all-round sportsman told many interesting things about the Olympic preparations of the South American states.

Berger: The soccer community of the South American states is feverishly preparing for the Olympiad in Amsterdam, says my informant, and there is no doubt that the winner of the Olympic soccer tournament will once again be a South American team, and the general opinion is Argentina!

» The experience of the last months shows that Argentina's football class has not only reached that of Uruguay, but has undoubtedly surpassed it. I was present at the South American championship final, in which Argentina also won by a minimal goal ratio, but based on the course of the game, the Knapp result was very flattering for the Uruguayans.

» The best team in Argentina is Bocca Juniors, but Independiente leads the league. The national team represents a formidable playing force and I think they will beat all their European opponents in a row.

» Their best player is the gigantic goalkeeper, Días, who almost hypnotizes the opposing forwards and defends in the style of Zamora. The captain of the national team is the right back Recanatini, who represents a class even higher than the Uruguayan Nasazzi. The Argentinian left wing Seoane Orsi (both members of Independiente) is sensational.

» Seoane is Gyuri Orth from Argentina. He is a master of football from both technical and tactical points of view. However, the greatest sensation will be caused by the Argentines' inside right, Tarascone, at the Olympian. I have rarely seen a player with such dazzling technique in my life, he handles the ball like a magician. These are outstanding individuals, but the knowledge of the other members of the team will also amaze the Europeans.

— And how is Uruguay?

Berger: Of course, the world champions will do everything in their home country to defend their position in Amsterdam as well, from the Olympic triumph. However, as I have already mentioned, their prospects for this are not great. The Uruguayan teams are not in good shape. The Wanderers are leading the league and it is typical of the composition of the team that none of their players make the Olympic team. The news about Uruguay's eleven in the European press is premature. For now, they don't even know what line-up they will play in Amsterdam.

» Peñarol was completely crushed by the European tour, which even brought them a financial deficit. The famous Nacional is not in form yet. Some great players are outdated, such as Zibechi, Urdinarán, etc. Andrade is also often rested. Petrone is not the old goalscorer and wonder player Scarone, who has also passed the zenith of his skills. The Uruguayan players are otherwise bohemian boys and well-known figures of the Montevideo nightlife. Of course, they will be under strict control in the months before the Olympiad and perhaps they will be prepared for Amsterdam in a separate Olympic village. According to my evaluations, the Uruguayan national team will hold a test gallop for the Olympian in Vienna and Budapest at the beginning of May.

— What is Hungarian Korein doing in Uruguay?

Berger: He plays a very first-rate role even if his team has slipped a bit down the table lately. However, this does not dry up on his soul, because they were able to score no more than two goals for him in one match. If he wasn't Hungarian, he would definitely be among the selected candidates.

» Korein doesn't make a living from football — although he does get the bonuses, just like other amateur players. He works as a debt collector at a large insurance company and his club deposits 10.000 pesos at a company named for him. You can also see from this how much they value the boy.