Benjamín Schmitt, the 18-year-old kid who has the ball glued to his foot

When it became official Amateur Promotional Tournament On January 26, no one knew how he was going to fit into the structure of Argentine football. However, as time went by, it was possible to see which teams were on their way to dominating the new category. It is the case of truckersthe Moyano family team, which is not only leading with 25 units, but also march undefeated.

One of the teams that generated a stir on social networks – and that does not look out of place in the competition – is Nautical Hacoaj. Their fans, self-proclaimed Shimon Drunkards, is a trend weekend after weekend. When they play at the Shimon Peres Stadium. And also when they accompany them away from home. Made up mostly of teenagers, the bar gives color to the tournament and a lot of visibility to the team. Tigre. The boys also have very respectable values ​​such as do not insult rivals or stay after games to clean the stands.

The team is fifth with 15 units ten from the pointer truckerswhich seems to be heading without obstacles to the First C. However, Nautical Hacoaj He is not only famous for his supporters. He also has a player who draws attention due to his ability. And also because of his unique nickname. Is about Benjamin Schmitt, whom everyone now knows as Plasticola.

He is 18 years old, he is from Rosario, but he came to live in Buenos Aires after four months. His father works in the human resources area of ​​a company and his mother is a psychologist. But her story just begins there.

“I came to Náutico in 2017 because of a friend who played there and took me. Before, I went to a soccer school and I had a pass through Tigrebut it was two months,” he tells her. Plasticola a Clarion and adds that he has been playing ball for as long as he can remember. His favorite position on the court is “five of play”, the famous hitch that he was pulling back. However, he was also playing as a winger and even as a right-wing midfielder.

Benjamín “Plasticola” Schmitt breaks it in the Promotional. Photo: Instagram

“Playing in that position benefits my game because of the associated play, changes of front or run to spaces“. In the Promotional League he has one goal in nine games.

However, beyond his opportunism, his strength is his talent for carrying the ball. Hence his nickname. It’s just that he has it attached to his foot. “The nickname arose because the CM (Community Manager) of the Náutico Hacoaj account was thinking of a nickname and some of the boys They came up with Plasticola. She stayed and it went viral a lot“says Benjamín, who does not profess Judaism beyond the fact that he plays in one of the most traditional clubs in the community.

Benjamín Schmitt, one of the figures of Náutico Hacoaj

Shimon drunks and the sense of belonging

“Not being Jewish It never gave me problems. ANDAt the club they always treated me the same as everyone else,” highlights Schmitt, who is grateful to Náutico for the opportunity they gave him to enter the virtuous circle of football.

“Náutico always told me the truth. Since I arrived I felt very comfortable. Despite playing in the last category, here we try to do everything professionally. Because even if it is an amateur tournament, we, the players, we feel professional“, he warns and adds: “Today the club represents a big part of me and I’m very happy.”

Benjamín Schmitt (11) and his companions greet the Los Borrachos del Shimón bar.

Inside the field he is surprised by the sense of belonging that his fans have, mainly among The drunks of the Shimon. ”There is an incredible sense of belonging in the club. They encourage 90 minutes, rivals are not insulted y they stay to clean the stands. “I think that’s what the club represents and what it seeks to show.”

“What you can see from the inside is that the fans sing for 90 minutes without stopping. They must all be hoarse. They leave everything… When we play on a weekday, they leave school before and they leave everything on the field.”

Shis family, studies and his dream in football

PlasticolaIn addition to playing soccer, he studies Economics at the University of Belgrano. “When he was in Tigre, my old man wanted something else… he wanted me to study and then he took me out of there and we looked for a club where he could do both things: train and study at the same time“.

The possibility of making a living from football in the future is a question that has been asked several times and although it does not have an answer, Schmitt recognizes that it depends on many things. “Apart from what I want and look for, It also depends a little on my parents and what they prefer. hhey it’s that I study“.

Benjamín Schmitt celebrates one of his goals for Náutico.

Plasticola has a clear objective: he would like to be promoted to play the Argentine Cup. “My biggest dream would be ascend to C and play the Argentine Cup. It would be a historic achievement for the club and on a personal level.” Of course, it is something that he never imagined because six months ago he was playing youth tournaments.

Why the Argentine Cup? “Because I would like to live the experience of traveling to the interior and facing the great First Division teams on fields like the Kempes in Córdoba or the Argentine Falklands in Mendoza.”

What it’s like to play in the Amateur Promotional Tournament

“To play the promotional tournament the maximum age is 26 years and that you have never signed a professional contract,” explains Plasticola and adds that today the “toughest” team in the category is truckers. The Moyano family club has won eight games and tied one in nine appearances. It is the team that scored the most goals with 29 and only South Starhis second team with four points and his rival on Thursday, has the least beaten hurdle.

Before the start of the tournament, a great controversy had arisen with the team of Esteban Echeverria. In addition to playing the Promotional, Camineros is simultaneously playing the Federal A. The striking thing is that if you become champion in both categories you must choose which division you ascend to. He Truck would be inclined to play in the First C because in this way he would be directly affiliated with AFA. In addition, for now, it is outside the classification zone in zone B of the contest that grants direct passage to the First National.

“Plasticola” went viral for his game and his nickname

Regarding the peculiar case of Camioneros, Schmitt prefers not to get into controversies: “We talk about it among the players, but not much more than that… We didn’t give it that much importance. We are very focused on ourselves, on how we train, how we approach the games and We try to leave those things aside“.

How in all the promotion categories of Argentine football there is a certain tolerance for a harder touch and the skilled ones like Plasticola are the main victims of the kicks: “In the Promotional they hit a lotbut it’s part of football, It is part of the rise of Argentine football“.

“The illusion of climbing the table or dreaming of being a champion is always there.. We train three or four times a week for two and a half hours. We hope that this tournament serves to strengthen us as a team and in the Closure to be able to give everything,” says Benjamín about the progress of Náutico Hacoaj, who can no longer fight for promotion when he has three games left in the Apertura.

The importance of the fans, a luxury support for Náutico Hacoaj.

In addition to defending the colors of NauticalSchmitt is a fanatical fan of River. “If I could bring one player it would be Julian Alvarezsomeone who is on fire for 90 minutes, I think he would do very well,” he jokes. Another wish? If he had the chance to face a First Division defender, he would like to play against Marcos Rojo. “Here I go 100% for my River fan side,” he says.

Coming back to the reality, Plasticola aims to continue helping his team to continue growing.

2024-04-29 09:01:38
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