Every match, for Boca and for him, will be a challenge with the scent of a final. Collectively and personally, the end of the year should be like that Miguel Merentel Special Value: The chance to fight for two great goals. In terms of winning the title with Boca and achieving their first league title. On the other hand, Earning a place in the Uruguay national team heading to the World CupAmidst the earthquake that the Celeste is experiencing after the humiliating 5-1 defeat against the United States and the doubts raised by that blow about the continuity of Marcelo Bielsa.
After a difficult start to the year, with almost no chances for Fernando Gago and dropping to third place out of 9 in the team, Merentil was reborn by Miguel Rosso and has maintained his form since the Club World Cup, where he was Boca logo With two goals against Benfica and Bayern Munich. He has become the team’s flag and leader, and one of the favorite players among the fans, who also appreciate his dedication as well as his numbers. The episode at the Huracan Stadium, when he came out to play the second stage despite being substituted at half-time, took away some of Rosso’s support, but Merentil ended up punching above his weight and keeping his place despite competition from Milton Jimenez, who was very present, and Edinson Cavani, only absent due to injury.
In June 2024, in the midst of a positive run with Boca under Diego Martinez, Merentel received his first call-up to the national team: Bielsa called him up in the run-up to the Copa America He added minutes in the 0-0 match against Venezuela in Maturin in the qualifiers. He came on at the end of the first half, showed leadership and sacrifice, and received a yellow card for a foul, but did not have clear chances. This Tuesday, Uruguay suffered a resounding defeat against the United States and Bielsa was at the eye of the storm seven months before the start of the World Cup. In the country there is talk of a serious rupture between the coach and the team. El Loco expressed his readiness to continue, while the AUF asked to “allow the hours to pass” to find calm. If the coach continues, we do not rule out changes. And Merentil, in a great moment, does not want to miss his chance.
With three goals in four matches (Barracas Central, Estudiantes and the classic against River), Merenteil has become a standout The fourth foreigner with the most goals in Boca’s history: He has 48 goals in 150 matches, behind Paraguayan Delfin Benitez Cáceres (114 in 176), Uruguayan Sergio Daniel Martinez (86 in 167) and Brazilian Paulo Valentim (71 in 111), and with his goal in La Plata he left behind another emblem of Zenize, Montevideo Severino Varela (46), the symbol of the club in the tournament. 1940s.
Without Cavani, who left the national team in May 2024, or Luis Suarez, who succeeded him in September, Bielsa has had difficulty finding strikers who can provide goals and solutions in attack. Excludes Darwin NunezThe Celeste’s top scorer in the qualifiers with five goals and his absence from the last FIFA date due to injury, Bielsa did not find reliable alternatives. In the latest recall, three strikers were called up: Rodrigo Aguirre (USA, from Mexico), Luciano Rodriguez (NEOM, from Saudi Arabia) and Federico Viñas (Real Oviedo). Although none of them really stood out, they were starting to form part of the players the coach trusted.
“When the matter was revealed in Boca, the fans and many members of the media wondered as well Why didn’t he get his chance?. Those doubts increased in the Club World Cup with his wonderful goal against Bayern Munich. However, he was only called up the year before and had almost no playing time. Bielsa said he wants to identify the starting team and his replacements as quickly as possible, so… Today, the chance to see him in the national team seems remote.“In addition to his very good presence in Boca,” says Jorge Señorance, journalist for ESPN Uruguay and FM Del Sol.
Since coming to the club He gave Merentil more than Pucca gave him back. He was the team’s top scorer in 2023 with 18 goals. The second in 2024 with 17 points – three less than Cavani -; He is the top scorer in 2025 with 13 goals, although he only achieved this position at the end of the Gago tournament. And in all that journey, He added only one title: the 2023 Argentine Super Cup Against Patronato, where he came on for Dario Benedetto, the scorer of all three goals, 20 minutes after the start of the second half. Since regaining his position, he has started every game, has suffered no injuries or suspensions, and has provided four assists. He has been directly involved in more than a quarter of the team’s goals so far this year.
Merentiel’s chance to show himself again will come this Sunday, against Talleres, one of the few rivals against whom he has not been able to score in a Boca shirt – he faced him three times, with the help of Luca Langoni in the 2023 tournament – although he did score against them when playing for Defensa y Justicia: 2-2 in Varela and a 5-1 win in Córdoba. from now on, Each goal will have another weight: It will have repercussions on both banks of the La Plata River.
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