Tomás Carlovich, the Rosario enigma hailed above Maradona yet lost to the elite game | OneFootball

Argentine midfielder Tomás Carlovich, El Trinche, remains a cult figure, revered by some above Diego Maradona despite never truly breaking into the elite.

According to L'Équipe, he inspired awe while playing only four top-flight matches. Marcelo Bielsa travelled to watch him, César Luis Menotti admired him, and Maradona later said the best player in the world had played in Rosario, naming Carlovich.

His dazzling technique, including a signature double nutmeg, and a celebrated display against an Argentina selection in 1974 did not lead to caps for the Albiceleste or a lasting spell in the top division.

He was killed on the streets of Rosario in May 2020, weeks after meeting Maradona and months before Maradona’s own death.

Former team-mates and rivals linked his absence from the highest level to a disregard for discipline, a preference for matches over training and, as one opponent put it, a touch of laziness.

His story still fuels debate in Argentina, sustaining the myth of a footballer who, in the end, did not want to be Maradona.

Source: L'Équipe