Joel Apezteguía, first Cuban footballer to play in the Champions League

August 10, 2020

The forward Joel Apeztaguía became the first Cuban soccer player to play in the Champions League, when he lined up with Tre Fiore, from San Marino, in the 0-2 defeat against Linfield, from Northern Ireland.

Born 36 years ago in the Vedado neighborhood, in Havana, Apezteguía started this Saturday as a starter with the San Marino champion, to go down in history as the first Cuban to play in a preliminary phase of the most important club soccer tournament in the world.

"It was a wonderful experience. Even though we couldn't win I am very proud," said the soccer player on social networks and who played 70 of the 90 minutes on Saturday.

"Representing my country in a Champions is the greatest thing that can happen to a player in his career. We continue fighting and giving everything for the shirt. Hopefully we can play for the Cuba national team," he declared.

In some images from the match played on neutral ground, in Switzerland, you can see the Cuban with the number 11 on the blue and yellow Tre Fiore uniform participating in some offensive plays.

With a notable performance by the Cuban, Tre Fiore was crowned champion of San Marino this year, which was in first place when the tournament organizers decided not to continue the season because of the global pandemic caused by the new coronavirus.

"New champions: a Cuban bomber in Tre Fiore," headlined Corriere Dello Sport, highlighting his performance this year, in which he scored 7 goals in 8 matches.

In four seasons, he has scored 85 goals, of which 15 have been this year in different competitions with the club that two years ago was the protagonist of an unprecedented transfer in the Europa League.

Apezteguía has lived for 5 years in Pesaro (Italy), where he married Simona Salvatori, daughter of Fabricio Salvatore, former sports director of clubs such as Bologna, Torino and Perugia, and currently of Modena.

During a long career as a "globe-trotter" across Europe, the Cuban has also played with Anconitana and Fano among amateurs and before landing in Italy has played in the Serie A of Moldova, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Albania and Norway.

His great dream is to wear the shirt of the Cuba national team one day, especially now that the Cuban Federation is evaluating calling soccer players who play in foreign clubs.