Remember the Name

Juan Emanuel Culio is a name that will long be remembered in Rome: cursed by the red half, lauded by the blue.

It is also a name that few in Europe – and not many more back home in Argentina - had heard of before his two goals that kicked off the latest round of talks about Roma’s crisis and, more importantly, gave CFR Cluj an unexpected dream start to their Champions League adventure.

Culio’s story is an intricate one and full of hardships but, with those two goals, a happy ending seems in sight.

Born in the city of Mercedes, some 100km away from Buenos Aires, there was little hope of the talented striker nicknamed ‘El Zurdo’ – the right footed one – catching the attention one of the capital’s big clubs. So, at the age of 13, he started working as a builder in a local yard earning the equivalent of 60 Euros each month. And that, he thought, was that.

Then, as with any self respecting fairy tale, everything changed overnight. One evening, as Culio was enjoying a kick-about with his friends, a gentleman approached asking him whether he played for anyone. It was the president of Third Division side CS y Deportivo Flandria and soon afterwards Culio signed his first professional contract at 19. That was 2002 and two years later he was in the First Division first with Almagro and then Racing Club.

He stayed in the Argentine top flight until 2007 when he moved in search of better luck to Chile, playing for Deportes la Serena. It didn’t last long and within months he was on the move once more, this time to Romania and the newly promoted Cluj.

Even there, Culio was by no means a star. In fact, he was a squad player until Maurizio Trombetta’s elevation to manager two weeks ago and, in thirty two games had scored just once. Then came those two at the Olimpico, with Culio’s satisfaction doubled by the knowledge of him, an Argentine, felling a team with such a Brazilian flavouring.

Those same two goals look to have earned Culio a call up to the Romanian national team and transformed him into a star. His wish is to play either in Italy or in Spain and that may yet be granted. One thing is for certain, wherever he goes next, it won’t be as an unknown.

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