Nery Pumpido

Club career

Pumpido began his career at his home city side Unión de Santa Fe. After a brief stint for Vélez Sársfield, where his form saw him called up for the 1982 FIFA World Cup squad, he moved to Club Atlético River Plate to replace the departing national 'keeper Ubaldo Fillol. Here, he became part of the side that won the Argentine Primera División as well as the Copa Libertadores for the first time in its history in 1986 under manager Héctor Veira. In 1988, he transferred to Spanish club Real Betis where, in 1989, he almost lost a finger during a training session when his wedding ring caught on a nail in the crossbar of the goal. He returned to Argentina to his first club, Union, in 1991, and played one final season before retiring in 1992.

International career

Although chosen by Argentine coach César Luis Menotti as the third goalkeeper of the Argentine national team in the 1982 World Cup, he did not play in the tournament. Pumpido eventually made his international debut against Paraguay the following year. He was the starting goalkeeper during Argentina's victorious 1986 World Cup campaign, playing in all seven games, conceding just five goals in 630 minutes of football, and keeping three clean sheets.

At the 1990 World Cup, Pumpido was at fault for Cameroon's winning goal, fumbling François Omam-Biyik's header into the net as the African nation shocked the defending champions at the tournament's opening game in Milan, winning by a goal to nil. Pumpido then broke his leg in the eleventh minute of Argentina's second game against the USSR. He was replaced by substitute Sergio Goycochea (also his understudy at River Plate), who had not played a game in eight months. Ironically, Goycochea eventually became key to Argentina's run to the Final, saving penalty shoot-out kicks in the quarter final win over Yugoslavia and the semi-final victory over hosts Italy.

Coaching career

After retiring as a player, Pumpido went into management. After several seasons at Unión de Santa Fe he took over at Paraguayan side Olimpia, from the capital city of Asunción, winning the Copa Libertadores in 2002. After resigning from Olimpia due to a lack of "[...] support from the president", he then became coach of UANL Tigres in Mexico, reaching the final of the 2003–04 Primera División de México championship. Between October 2005 and July 2006, Pumpido coached Argentine Primera División club Newell's Old Boys, followed by brief stints at Mexican club side CD Veracruz and Saudi club Al-Shabab, before his return to Olimpia, Paraguay's most successful football club and winner of three Libertadores cups, as well as one Intercontinental cup. On 23 December 2011, he was hired as coach of the Argentine club Godoy Cruz. On 3 September 2012, he returned Unión de Santa Fe for a second spell as manager.