Osvaldo Escudero facts for kids

Osvaldo Salvador Escudero (born October 15, 1960, in Paso de los Libres, Corrientes, Argentina) is a famous former Argentine professional footballer. He played as a forward, which means he was one of the main attackers on the team. Osvaldo was part of the amazing Argentina Under-20 team that won the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship in Japan.

Escudero started his career with Chacarita Juniors in 1978. He also played for Boca Juniors where he helped them win the Metropolitano 1981 championship. Later, he played for Rosario Central and won the 1986–1987 championship with them. He also played football in other countries for Barcelona SC in Ecuador and Mitsubishi Motors in Japan.

Some of his other clubs include Vélez Sársfield, Unión de Santa Fe, Independiente, Racing Club, Platense, and Chaco For Ever. His younger brother, Sergio Escudero, is also a football player.

Osvaldo Escudero's Football Journey

Osvaldo Escudero, also known as "Pichi," had a long career playing for 12 different teams over 16 years. He started his professional journey in 1978, at just 17 years old, when he played his first game for Chacarita Juniors in Argentina.

Becoming a World Champion

His great playing skills in his early career helped him get picked for the Argentina national under-20 football team. This team went on to become world champions at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Japan in 1979. He played alongside other future stars like Diego Armando Maradona and Ramón Díaz.

Escudero shared that he and Maradona were very young then, dreaming of success. He said they were good friends and understood each other well on the field. They formed a strong partnership, along with Ramón Díaz, who was the top scorer in the tournament.

Playing with Maradona at Boca Juniors

After playing briefly for Vélez and returning to Chacarita Juniors, the famous club Boca Juniors noticed the young forward. At Boca Juniors, he played again with Maradona, who Escudero called the greatest player he had ever seen.

Success in Argentina and Abroad

Later, Escudero played for other important Argentine clubs like Independiente de Avellaneda, Rosario Central, and Racing Club. In 1991, he went to play in Ecuador for Barcelona SC. He helped them win a championship in just six months!

After his time in Ecuador, he played football in Japan for Mitsubishi Motors. He then finished his playing career back in Argentina.

Osvaldo Escudero as a Coach

After retiring as a player, Osvaldo Escudero didn't plan to become a coach. He had other businesses in Argentina. However, his friend Jaime Rodríguez encouraged him to try coaching.

Starting His Coaching Career

In June 2012, Escudero became the new coach for Santa Tecla F.C. in El Salvador's First Division. He admitted that coaching was challenging for him at first because he was a quiet person, and a coach needs to talk a lot and share their ideas clearly. But he learned and grew into the role.

He left Santa Tecla F.C. in October 2012 due to disagreements with his assistant coach. However, he returned to the club later.

Winning Championships as a Coach

In his second time with Santa Tecla F.C., Osvaldo Escudero made history. He became the first coach to lead the team to win a championship title in the Clausura 2015 tournament. This was a huge achievement for the club!

After this success, the team faced bigger challenges, like playing in the CONCACAF Champions League. Escudero knew his team might not be as strong as some others, but his main goal was for them to play well and represent Salvadoran football with pride.

He continued coaching different clubs in El Salvador, including CD FAS, CD Águila, and Atletico Marte.

Clubs Osvaldo Escudero Played For

Football Achievements as a Player

Coaching Achievements