Parma and its Argentinians. Many players from the country of the reigning world champions have left their mark in Parma. Currently, Mateo Pellegrino is doing just that – a player with a rather unusual CV.
Nestor Sensini, Hernan Crespo and Juan Sebastian Veron. Many Argentinians have delighted football fans in Parma. Now it’s Mateo Pellegrino’s turn. The 24-year-old striker joined from Velez Sarsfield in February for a transfer fee of just two million euros and signed until 2029. After just a few weeks, it is already clear that the transfer has paid off. Pellegrino has already scored three goals in nine games – a brace in the 2-2 draw against Torino and, most recently, the winning goal in the 1-0 victory against Juventus.
Mateo has football in his genes, as his father Mauricio Pellegrino was a successful professional player. The 53-year-old once played for Barcelona and Liverpool. However, he enjoyed his best spell at Valencia, where he won two league titles (2001/02 and 2003/04) and lost two Champions League finals, including one against Bayern Munich in 2001 (4-5 on penalties).
Few chances under his father
Pellegrino junior followed in his father’s footsteps, playing in the youth team at Velez in defense, albeit at left back rather than center back. Over the years, however, he was drawn further and further forward, eventually ending up in attack. For a long time, he was unable to escape the shadow of his omnipresent father, especially when he made the leap to the professional ranks at Velez Sarsfield, where he hardly got a chance to play under his father as coach.
Under Pellegrino senior, the 24-year-old was given little playing time and eked out an existence as a reserve. In the dressing room, he was also given the nickname “El Burro” (the donkey) as a joke. However, Pellegrino has little in common with a stubborn donkey and decided to seek his fortune elsewhere. He went out on loan, first to Estudiantes de la Plata and then to Atletico Platense in Buenos Aires.
Breakthrough in Buenos Aires
His star suddenly rose at Atletico: with 15 goals, he played a key role in helping the club finish the season in tenth place – Platenses’ best finish in 27 years. It didn’t take long for him to earn a new nickname. Due to his similar physique and playing style, he was called “Mini Palermo” after Martin Palermo.
Hardened and steeled by Argentine soccer, he finally decided to make the leap across the Atlantic and signed for Parma. Initially, he had to acclimatize to Serie A and was initially only a substitute – until his brace against Torino. Further appearances as a substitute followed, before he finally started three games in a row.
