Shock and pain in Argentina: Miguel Ángel Russocoach Boca Juniorsdied this Wednesday at the age of 69. The ‘xeneize’ team coach had been fighting prostate cancer since 2017, which was later added to bladder cancer. Russo, former player of Students of La Plata, He had been on medical leave since the end of September, under special care at home.
For more than 30 years the career of Miguel Ángel Russowho as a technician made Mouth champion of the Copa Libertadores in 2007 with a Juan Roman Riquelme stellar.
Russo, with the 2007 Copa Libertadores won with Boca (AP Photo/Marcelo Hernandez, File)
More than a decade later, Miguel Ángel Russo returned to Mouth with Riquelme as vice president. And in the present 2025, with Riquelme of president, Russo He led the Auriazul team in the Club World Cup.
Thus he announced Mouthin the early hours of Thursday morning Spanish time, the death of Russo:
“The Club Atlético Boca Juniors announces with deep sadness the death of Miguel Ángel Russo. Miguel leaves an indelible mark on our institution and will always be an example of joy, warmth and effort. We accompany his family and his loved ones in this moment of pain. See you always, dear Miguel!” Messages of condolence and support to the coach’s family and friends, including those published by River and the other clubs, began to flow. Argentina mourns Russo.
Boca Juniors also announced that this Thursday and Friday it will open its doors to those who wish to say goodbye to Miguel Ángel Russo, to whom the La Bombonera club thanked, in one of its messages on social networks, “for so much glory.”
As soon as the news of Russo’s death was announced, Argentine soccer clubs began to publish their messages of tribute to the coach on their social networks. From those he trained, like San Lorenzo and Racing, to others who were always Russo’s rivals, like River and Independiente.
This last step by Russo on the Boca bench was his third. The first stage lasted only one year and they won the 2007 Copa Libertadores against Gremio and lost the Club World Cup final against Milan. The second, between 2020 and 2021, helped them win a Super League, a Professional League Cup and they were eliminated in the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores by the Brazilian Santos.
Russo also coached Lanús, Los Andes, Estudiantes de La Plata, Colón de Santa Fe, Vélez Sarsfield, San Lorenzo and Racing Club in Argentina. Outside Argentina, to the University of Chile, Unión Deportiva Salamanca, Mexican Morelia; Millionaires, Alianza Lima, Cerro Porteño and the Saudi Al Nassr.
As a player, Russo was a defensive midfielder and his only club was Estudiantes de La Plata, in which he played 435 games and scored eleven goals between 1975 and 1989. With Argentina he played 17 games.
