When ZaSa Mesmerized Us in a Chilean Duet

Opposites attract. Partners complement each other. However, sometimes, similarities also make a pair tick. In football, where opponents are used to countering different traits of different attackers, they sometimes cannot handle more of the same thing. This is exactly the case in this edition of Hunting in Pairs, presented to you by Debojyoti Chakraborty of Goalden Times.

Prologue

In the famous Hindi movie Anand – meaning joy – the protagonist, Anand, emotes those immortal lines: “Live it big, not long.” This is a similar story — a story about moments, not longevity. Iván Zamorano and Marcelo Salas were born eight years apart, implying that their career graph never really coincided with each other. In the world of football, eight years is almost like two separate generations. While Salas was just out of his teens, Zamorano had already made some big strides in his professional career. And by the time Salas was at the peak of his prowess, Zamorano’s career was on the decline. In today’s world of big data and analytics, it is difficult to justify the true legacy of ZaSa. They did not exactly belong to the same generation. They did not play together at the club level. Thus, their on-field partnership was restricted only to sporadic international matches. And surprisingly enough, this is where ZaSa created a name for themselves.

Bam Bam

Zamorano was born to a middle-class family in Santiago, the capital city of Chile, on January 18, 1967.    Little Iván did odd jobs to help the family. And whenever he got the time, he went out to play football in the dusty streets of his neighbourhood. His family, especially his father, always encouraged him and regularly took him to participate in the local club trials.

By the time he was 20, he had already notched up more than 50 goals for a couple of local clubs. The pinnacle of his career in his native country came during the Copa Chile of 1987, when he played for the Club de Deportes Cobresal. Cobresal was a Chilean football club based in the country’s mining camp area. Zamorano netted 12 times in 14 matches during the group stages, including a hat-trick to help Cobresal qualify for the final.[1] They were up against the most decorated team in Chilean history —  Zamorano’s boyhood dream club Colo Colo. Zamorano again scored in the final as Cobresal, a club that had been formed barely eight years ago, lifted their maiden trophy.

Zamorano made his national team debut the same year – made all the more memorable by his goal against Peru. But this was just the beginning. As an ambitious footballer, he did something quite uncommon for Chilean footballers in those days – he moved to Europe to hone his skills. His first stop? The Swiss club FC St. Gallen 1879. He was there for barely a couple of seasons, but that was enough for him to score numerous goals as well as win the Swiss Super League Best Foreign Player award in 1989–90. His incredible form next landed him in Sevilla, Spain, where he found himself playing for football giants Real Madrid within a couple of years. This is where he spent his most productive years, forming a lethal partnership with Michael Laudrup. One Copa del Rey, one La Liga, and one Pichichi Trophy (awarded to the highest goal scorer in La Liga)  — he won them all in four golden, goal-laden seasons.

This is the same time that Zamorano was slowly getting integrated into the national side. His first real involvement with La Roja came during the Copa America of 1991. Zamorano finished the campaign with five goals, one behind the Golden Boot winner Gabriel Batistuta. Chile also suffered the same fate —  they finished second in the podium behind Argentina. The next edition of Copa a couple of years later saw a downward curve in Zamorano’s form. As a consequence, Chile also finished at the bottom of the table. Exhaustion from a long season in Europe had taken its toll as Iván el Terrible participated in a terrible campaign.

El Matador

On the domestic front, Chile was not deprived of goals even while Zamorano was in Europe. Marcelo Salas, born on the Christmas Eve of 1974, was the heir apprentice of Chilean football. Unlike Zamronao, he was raised in a rather affluent family and rose fast through the ranks of one of the biggest clubs in Chile, Universidad de Chile. Salas was a young prodigy and his rise to the top was much smoother compared to Zamorano. Salas’ half century of goals over little more than two seasons helped Universidad de Chile secure back-to-back league titles in 1994 and 1995. He was soon poached by Argentine superpower River Plate. This was a really brave move as no Chilean player had really made a mark in Argentina before. That he was initially supposed to join arch rivals Boca Juniors also did not go well with the loyals. However, all of this was to change pretty soon.

Salas’ Argentinian stay was a short one, but boy did he make a statement there! Not only did he score numerous goals, he scored them at crucial junctures of the game. He won the Continental Cup as well as multiple league honours. Fans started to shower praise on their beloved El shileno. His time with River Plate is regarded as one of the best in the history of this illustrious club. No wonder Salas is hailed as one of the best foreign players to play in Argentina.

Salas was fast tracked into the national team as well. He made his debut in 1994 as a 19-year-old against Argentina, and just like his predecessor Zamorano, celebrated the occasion with his debut goal. His real test came during the Copa America of 1995. However, Zamorano was out of the team due to injury at that time, and the young man missed out on some much-needed wise. As a result, Salas had two forgettable Copa campaigns.

Making of the Pair

Sandwiched between these Copa tournaments, Chile was gunning to qualify for the 1998 France World Cup. The nation had not qualified for the mega event since 1982. Even worse, their last involvement in the World Cup qualifying campaign was during the scandalous El Maracanazo (Roberto Rojas scandal) incident in 1989. Roberto Rojas, the Chilean goalkeeper against Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, had faked an injury accusing a fan of throwing a firework at him. This incident had earned Rojas a lifelong ban that was only lifted in 2001. It had also prevented Chile of competing for the 1994 World Cup. So, Chilean fans were desperate to see their beloved nation play at the grand event after a long hiatus.

Brazil had won the 1994 World Cup, giving them a direct entry to the 1998 campaign. For other Latin American teams, this scenario presented two advantages in the qualifying campaign. It meant not only the luxury of avoiding arguably the best team in the world, but also a better mathematical chance to progress as only nine teams from the region were competing for four coveted spots. However, the format was a new one – each team was to play each other at home and away. This meant a gruelling match schedule spanning over more than 18 months.

The situation had become even trickier for Chile as their star player Zamorano was playing in Europe. The main man, on the brink of 30, had to take long flights to come and play for the national team amidst a tough club schedule. The other star forward, Salas, was quite raw and unproven at the national stage. Chile were handed a difficult draw as well. Their first eight matches featured six away trips. The La Rojas were languishing with only nine points at the halfway stage of the qualification rounds. Any hope of making it to the top four was a distant one. It was Zamorano who started their revival by scoring five quick goals en route a 6-0 demolition of Venezuela. Salas complemented his strike partner by scoring a hat-trick against Colombia. However, consecutive defeats to Uruguay and Argentina made Chile’s task of qualifying very difficult. But Salas, once again, rose to the occasion by scoring his second hat-trick in a must-win match against Peru. Zamorano finished the campaign top of the charts with 12 goals, and Salas chipped in with 11. Chile, unsurprisingly enough, scored the highest number of goals in the tournament – a whopping 32. This was what helped the team register a goal difference of +14 and eventually earn a ticket to the World Cup at the expense of Peru. Hardly ever has a World Cup qualification campaign been so riveting!

Tour de France

At the 1998 World Cup, Chile, led by Zamorano, were in Group B, along with Italy, Austria and Ghana. They started their campaign against the mighty Azzurri. Salas was a force to reckon with in this tournament. Thanks to his brace in quick succession on either side of the half time, Chile came from behind to take an unlikely lead of 2-1. Eventually, a late penalty from Roberto Baggio denied them a famous win, but this performance instilled a sense of belief among the Chileans. In the next match against Austria, Zamorano almost scored from a close range, but his bullet header was saved by the goalkeeper. His strike partner Salas, however, pounced again. Chile were leading 1-0. It was an ill-tempered match, though. As many as four Chilean players got booked, including our ZaSa. With a win in sight and qualification to the next stage almost certain, indiscipline finally cost Chile dearly as they gifted a penalty to Austria. Austria scored and ensured that no team were guaranteed a knock-out place. Chile’s next match was against Ghana. For a third time in a row, they again dropped points from a winning position. However, Austria’s defeat to Italy handed La Rojas a pass for the next round (despite no wins in the group stages). Chile were in the knock-out stage for the second time in their history. The last time they did it was in 1962. That year, they went quite far in the tournament, and finished third on their home soil.

Chile was up against the mighty Brazil, the defending champions.Brazil had just lost to Norway in their last group match. However, the team was full of classy superstars – Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Dunga (the captain), Rivaldo, Bebeto, and Ronaldo. Chile lost the match 4-1. Zamorano assisted Salas in scoring a consolation goal, but that couldn’t save the match. However, it did help Salas win the Bronze Boot for scoring the third-highest number of goals in the tournament.

They were disappointed but not heart-broken. ZaSa had made their nation proud on the world stage.

Life goes on

El Matador’s accomplishments did not go unnoticed in Europe and he was snatched up by Lazio in the summer of 1998. Zamorano’s European exploits had no doubt played a big part in scouts looking for talents in Chile. Salas, obviously, benefitted from that. Lazio was a mid-table team back then, and Salas gave them an identity. In his debut season, Lazio won the last edition of the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. This was followed by the 1999 UEFA Super Cup, where Salas scored the only goal to beat Manchester United in a one match play-off. Next season, I Biancocelesti won its first Scudetto since 1973-74 and their last one till date. It then converted it to a double by clinching the Coppa Italia too. Salas was instrumental for Lazio’s success, as he became the club’s top goal scorer in Serie A for the second season running. Just like in River Plate, he had become a legend at Lazio, sometimes even winning against Zamorano’s Inter.

In the summer of 1996, Zamorano had left Real (following the emergence of a young Raúl) and joined Internazionale. His first season with the club was a heart-breaking affair. His league form was very inconsistent. He fared much better in Coppa Italia, but Inter crashed out of the semi-final in penalties in spite of Zamorano scoring in the first leg. Inter had a great continental run in the UEFA Cup, and Zamorano scored both in the semis as well as in the final. However, Inter missed winning the cup due to his missed penalty. However, Zamorano did amend his mistakes the next year as he scored again in the next final match. This time, Inter did finally win the UEFA Cup. Zamorano became the first Chilean footballer to get the taste of European glory. However, the arrival of Roberto Baggio as the club’s main striker, the rise of Ronaldo. and his niggling injuries gradually reduced his playing times in seasons to come. He did have a last hurrah left with the national team though. Zamorano took part in the 2000 Olympic Games as one of three over-23 players in the squad. His Golden Boot haul helped La Rojas to secure the bronze medal in the tournament.

2001 saw ZaSa changing their clubs once more. Salas joined Juventus in a big-money move — ready to scale new heights. At the prime age of 27, he was ready to rewrite history. Fate, however, had other plans. He had to endure five injury-laden seasons at Turin, totalling a mere 32 appearances. Zamorano took a more sensible decision. Considering his age and declining form, he retired from international football as the all-time leading goal scorer for Chile. 34 goals from 69 appearances was a stunning return for someone who had started from scratch and worked all the way to the top. In order to prolong his footballing career, Zamorano also opted for a less competitive league closer home. He joined Club de Fútbol América S.A. de C.V., commonly known as Club América or América in the Mexican Premier League. The move rejuvenated Zamorano’s career as he led their goal scoring charts consistently. He helped América be the spring champion (Verono) in 2002. Zamorano hang up his boots in 2003, but not before having a short and successful burst with his boyhood favourite club Colo Colo – thus, fulfilling his lifelong dream.

Salas endured a torrid end to his career. However, there were a few silver linings. For example, the World Cup qualifying match against Brazil in 2000 remains memorable for Chile’s 3-0 win and ZaSa’s marvellous goals. Salas’ eventually tried to regain his form and fitness by returning to his old loves – first to River Plate and then to Universidad de Chile. He battled injury problems for the rest of his career, and ultimately retired in 2008. He still has the unique feat of winning the league title for every club he has played with.

The Bonding

So what made them tick? Zamorano, for one, was quite literally a true number 9. No one loved that number like he did. One time in Inter Baggio was given jersey number 10 from Ronaldo. The Brazilian superstar was instead handed over number 9, so far, the sole property of Bam Bam. Zamorano had to accept number 18 but he added a little “+” sign between the digits (1+8) – he just could not wear anything other than 9. And he deserved that centre forward tag. Like a perfect number 9, he was strong, fearless, and had the tenacity to shield the ball from strong defenders. Most importantly, he could score. Zamorano was not really tall (only 1.79 metre), but his superb spot jump ability meant he could just hang in the air much longer than his opponents.

Salas was no different. He was another strong and powerful centre forward. He was technically gifted, had a lightning pace, and could shoot virtually from anywhere with either foot. The duo was so similar in their style of play, yet somehow, they were able to feature together in national colours. They could afford to fit in both of them largely due to Zamorano’s natural ability to attract defenders, act as a perfect foil for his fellow strikers, and create space for them. It is no wonder that all of Zamorano’s strike partners – Davor Šuker (Sevilla), Laudrop, Ronaldo – had very successful stints with him. Salas was no different, and it was ironical that the he eventually leapfrogged Zamorano to become Chile’s all-time leading goal scorer with 37 goals in 70 matches (a record that has now been bettered by Alexis Sánchez). The friendly rivalry between the two actually helped them improve their game.

Zamorano was a great leader too. He was a warrior, he played every match with full commitment as if his life depended on the outcome. He oozed patriotism – watch this video of him singing the national anthem during the 1998 World Cup. He was a workhorse, always working hard to reach the next level. He had to mould himself into a complete striker to meet the demands of European football, before adapting his off-the-ball game once again to perform his supporting role in Serie A. And he did all of these commendably. In Salas he found an able deputy — a more natural talent. It is a story of what ifs. It is a real shame that injuries prevented the world from enjoying the true potential of Marcelo Salas.

ZaSa were the first from the Latin American nation to dream big. They set out to conquer Europe and boy did they do that! Zamorano is still regarded as one of Real Madrid’s great forwards. Salas is equally celebrated for his European journey with Lazio. But more than that, it is their relentless desire to shine for their country that made them immortal. The Chilean national team experienced a renaissance while these two-star frontmen were playing for them. Much later, in Copa America 2015, Chile won its first international trophy. Many from that winning side have gone to admit on record that they were inspired by these two great sons of the nation. Thus, the legend of ZaSa lives on, inspiring generation after generation to dream big, work hard, and punch above their weights.

[1] Campeonato de Apertura 1987 – Tournament Details

Debojyoti Chakraborty

About Debojyoti Chakraborty

Debojyoti Chakraborty is a follower of English Premier League and European football. You can reach him at debojyoti.chakraborty@gmail.com