A cute and annoying little man. This is how 34-year-old FC Twente striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel describes his rival Manfred Ugalde, who is thirteen years his junior. Nice off the field and annoying on it. “Not just in matches, he also throws his weight into training and fights his way into the sparring.”
The always playable and sure-footed Ugalde symbolized FC Twente on Sunday afternoon as Feyenoord’s demolitionist. Feyenoord who dismantled Lazio in midweek received a load of praise from around the world. But the champions deserved to lose 2-1 at the always loud Enschede Stadium, as the Feyenonders themselves admitted. Ugalde scored a quick goal himself and had a big share in Van Wolfswinkel’s 2-0 win. In addition, the Costa Rican, who is twice as tall as goalkeeper Lars Onnerstal, helped defend by clearing balls off the goal line.
Finished by the author
Bart Fleetstra has been writing about football since 2015 De Volkskrant. He also worked on various sports programs on television.
“You were a talisman,” Ugalde himself said afterwards, smiling. He was also a jaundiced man at times. Feyenoord players Lucharel Gertruida, Ramez Zerrougui and David Hanko were busy with the stocky Costa Rican as he tried to get his advantages everywhere. Sometimes with falling, annoying clicking, asking for a card or stalling for time. It was as if Luis Suarez was playing in Holland again.
Enthusiasm and aggressiveness
In Ugalde’s wake, the entire Twente team played with just the right degree of enthusiasm and aggression without losing their heads. Using the long ball, Feyenoord’s early pressure was overcome. After that, it was about winning duels, but also closing down Feyenoord’s midfielders so they couldn’t play with triangles. Twente coach Joseph Oosting is proud: “It’s great when what you coach in a major competition is done well, but this is also a group that is keen to learn.”
Van Wolfswinkel, who participated after the break, “enjoyed” what Feyenoord showed in the Champions League. We respect them, but not awe. When you play a lot, you can’t always be 100%. “We had to be.”
FC Twente, which jumped to third place above Feyenoord in the world rankings, had a difficult time in the European matches against Hammarby and Fenerbahce. It did not reach the group stage in the conference league. “But we tried to learn lessons from him,” Osting said.
Sliding away from Hanako
Feyenoord coach Arne Slott knew his famous side had to start strong. It didn’t work, as even main builder Gertruida started poorly, while Hanko started too late when Ugalde drove deep in the 10th minute. Hanko then slid wide as the striker cut in, and Ugalde then sent the far corner through with a touch from Quilindchi Hartmann. “If you start like this and concede a goal as well, you know it’s not going to be quiet here for ninety minutes,” Slott said afterwards.
It was a solid match with equally impressive roles for center back Michal Sadlik, reflexive giant Onnerstal, centre-back Robin Propper and Mies Hilgers who barely gave Feyenoord striker Santiago Jimenez a chance. Jimenez, who scored two more goals against Lazio, and had previously scored thirteen goals in the competition, seemed to have transcended the English Premier League, but he was suffering and did not appear completely refreshed. This applies to more Feyenoord players, as Slot was substituted twice during the first half and three more times after that.
At one stage, Feyenoord attacked with nine men, but only in the 86th minute did Twente break through when Gertruida scored after Ondrej Linger’s header was cleared by the post. It was very little because Twente had shot shortly before on a precise counter-attack. Van Wolfswinkel served Ugalde, and Bigelow saved his attempt, but then Van Wolfswinkel finished himself off.
Deafening applause
Shortly afterwards, Ugalde was replaced, and the applause was deafening. Ringmaster Michel Flap then sent him off to be applauded again.
And on his neck is written in small letters “God is good‘God is good.’ But when he plays football there is a devil in his head, Ugalde confirms this in perfect English. “In Costa Rica you have to fight for your future. A lot of boys want what I want, and most of them are also a little older. My dream was to have a house for my mother, and that was always on my mind. I also have many brothers. So it had to be a big house.” .
He admires Suarez, but his role model has always been Argentine striker Sergio Aguero. “Little one with big, strong legs, just like me.”
I would like to go to Atletico Madrid
Twente bought him for four million from City Football Group in the summer after renting him for a season. Ugalde says he would like to play for Atletico Madrid one day. “A beautiful and big club. I like the way Cholo Simeone (Atletico coach, red.) He lets them play, he is obsessed with winning. It doesn’t matter how. Aguero played there.
Then he has to score more often, as he knows, against Feyenoord he scored only his second goal in the tournament. But this match will be big news in Central America, because thanks to the performance of Mexican Jimenez, Feyenoord is closely followed.
Ugalde: Jimenez is an incredibly good player, but playing against Robben and Messi is not easy. I know that, I play against them every day in training. I always want to win, always compete, everywhere. I’ll do it until those fat legs don’t work anymore.
