The goalkeeper of the UNAM Pumas, Julio Gonzálezwill have the biggest challenge in his career this summer, replacing Guillermo Ochoa in the goal of the Mexican National Team during the Copa America 2024.
However, Gonzalez He will do so with a peculiarity rarely seen in professional soccer, the Mexican goalkeeper will compete in the oldest national team tournament in the world with a glove with four fingers.
Why does Julio González use a glove with four fingers?
It is very curious to see that Julio González He uses gloves with four fingers, but it is all due to a medical issue. Alejandro Reséndiz, general director of Elite Sportthe brand that manufactures the Mexican goalkeeper’s gloves, explained that Julio has a fractured finger and did not want to have surgery.
Julio González, goalkeeper of the Mexican National Team.
Instagram: @julioglzvela
“He broke his finger, few people know, at first it was not known. Now it is public, first it was discovered that it was a dislocation, I got to see the x-ray and it was separated,” he explained in an interview with ESPN.
“We have some gloves, not top of the range, but with ribs. He asked me for gloves like that, to tie his fingers and have support, because it hurt him a lot. He didn’t want to stop, he was in a good moment and there is competition, and he held on. There we made him the offer to design a four-finger glove for three reasons, one so that he would stop using the mid-range ones, two so that you don’t use rods and three so that you are more comfortable,” added Reséndiz.
AGENCIES
This is how the idea of a glove with four fingers was born.
Reséndiz also explained how the brand came up with the idea of making a glove with four fingers, he even indicated that if Julio González does not decide to have surgery after America Cupthey already have their gloves ready for the next Apertura 2024 tournament of the Liga MX.
“We started designing the glove, he had a ball on his finger at that time, and he still has it. He literally plays with his finger tied, he says that it still hurts, the shots, a blow that he just deflects, that leaves his finger vibrating, that’s where it hurts, that’s why he keeps tying it. He decided not to have surgery and I don’t know how long he will continue like this, right now he is focused on America Cup“Until the next tournament starts, we have the product ready for the next tournament,” he said.
