Switch to Maradona’s club: this unknown Swiss is reaching for the stars in Argentina

And suddenly a Swiss appears

What has Boca never had in its 118-year club history? A Swiss player. At least until a few months ago. Since the end of July, a Swiss unknown in this country has been under contract with the club from Buenos Aires: Lucas Blondel, 27 years old, right back.

Lucas who? Almost no one in our country would have him on their list. His family name is deeply rooted in the Swiss sports world. His father, Jean-Yves Blondel from Vaud, was a tennis player in the eighties, but never got beyond the top 500. And Lucas’ grandfather and great-uncle were also successful tennis players; they once competed in the Davis Cup for Switzerland, as ‘Le Temps’ discovered.

Jean-Yves fell in love with an Argentinian woman and moved permanently to South America after the birth of their two children. There, in the Santa Fe town of Rafaela, his son Lucas learned to play football. In 2017, he made it to the first team of local club Atlético Rafaela. He developed well, went to Tigre in 2021 – and this year finally to top club Boca, where he now plays with Uruguay star Edinson Cavani.

“A modern right back”

Someone who knows Lucas Blondel very well John Skiba, sports journalist and football expert in South America. He told Blick: “Blondel is basically a late bloomer. Two years ago, at the age of 25, he played with Tigre in the second division and was voted the best right back of the promotion season. For Skiba, his meteoric rise to Boca is the result of a “remarkable development” – and the logical next step.

Blondel was recommended with his profile as a “modern right back”. The expert praises the Swiss as an aggressive tackler and tireless cross giver. “He also has a lot to offer offensively,” says Skiba. A look at the statistics underlines this: Blondel has already scored twice in six games for Boca.

In the long term, Skiba believes he can establish himself as a key player in Buenos Aires. “In preparation for January, he will want to attack the regular right back position. I trust he will do that, despite the strong competition.”

An option for the SFV?

If a Swiss triumphs at a top club from the country of the world champion, then this should actually also be an issue for the national team. Especially since there is a known lack of alternatives for Blondel’s right back position.

South America expert Skiba thinks the level at which Blondel competes every week is good enough compared to Europe: “I see the competition at a comparable level to the Dutch Eredivisie – even though the football is very different.”

And what does the SFV think of Blondel’s personality? “I have no personal contact with him, but I know he exists,” says Nati director Pierluigi Tami when asked by Blick. In this case, A-Nati’s staff is responsible for scouting.

Blondel could possibly recommend himself to the SFV with an international trophy. At the beginning of November, he reached the stars with Boca Juniors in the final of the Copa Libertadores, the South American Champions League.