Scocco Reflects on Teaming Up with Juanfer Quintero: “He Simplified Everything”

Juan Fernando Quintero continues to impress former teammates. In a recent interview on Clank! with Juan Pablo Varsky, Ignacio Scocco reminisced about his time at River Plate and highlighted Quintero’s influence on the team’s offense. The former striker, who won the 2018 Copa Libertadores with Quintero, compared him to Argentine legends Maxi Rodríguez and Ariel Ortega.

“As a forward, having a player like him behind you makes everything easier,” Scocco said, noting how Quintero’s vision enhanced his performance. “It felt like playing with Maxi or Burrito. You just needed to make the smallest move, and he’d deliver that perfect through ball, putting you one-on-one with the keeper,” he added.

Scocco and Quintero were teammates at River from 2018 to 2020, playing together in 34 matches. During that time, they were part of Marcelo Gallardo’s squad that beat Boca Juniors in Madrid to secure the iconic 2018 Copa Libertadores title. Their partnership on the field became a defining feature of that period.

The striker left River in mid-2020 to return to Newell’s, where he eventually retired. Meanwhile, Quintero is back at River for his third stint, now taking on a leadership role within the team.

Scocco’s insights contribute to Quintero’s reputation as a unique talent in Argentine football, a playmaker capable of altering a game with one pass. For Scocco, playing alongside him was not just effective, but also a delightful experience.