They call him 'El Zorro:' Matias Coccaro hopes to win new fans at CF Montreal
When Matias Coccaro left his last team, the fans cried.
Now the 26-year-old striker from Uruguay may be destined to become equally popular at CF Montreal after joining in the off-season from Argentine club CA Huracan.
The fans at Huracan nicknamed Coccaro "El Zorro" for his well-groomed moustache that resembled the fictional masked vigilante. Coccaro bought into it, dressing in a cape and mask to celebrate one of their victories back in 2021.
Beneath that signature `stache is an infectious smile. Rather than carving out a "Z" on his defeated foes, the happy-go-lucky Coccaro makes his mark by signing autographs for every fan who makes an effort to see him.
That's why, he says, a little girl in Argentina wept inconsolably next to him on television after his move to Montreal was announced. The moment drew tears from Coccaro, too.
"There's a responsibility I had with the fans," Coccaro said in Spanish, speaking through an interpreter at CF Montreal's training complex. "Fans can travel a long distance, like 1,000 kilometres, to watch a football game.
"When the game ends, you have to spend some time with them. Maybe a fan stopped working or put things aside and made a big sacrifice to be there with you."
Coccaro impressed CF Montreal fans when he signed autographs and took pictures with every last supporter at a team kickoff event last week. He's also hoping to eliminate the language barrier by taking weekly French lessons.
"El Zorro" and his daring playstyle are set to be on display Saturday as Montreal (2-3-1) returns from a season-opening six-game road trip to host FC Cincinnati (3-1-3) in its home opener at Stade Saputo.
"We think every direct centre back that he's facing is scared of him," first-year Montreal head coach Laurent Courtois said. "He's an animal, in a good way."
The five-foot-10 Coccaro has a knack for scoring goals and getting under the skin of opponents. In six Major League Soccer appearances, he has three goals -- two from penalties -- one assist and 13 fouls drawn.
Though his teammates aren't ready to pronounce Coccaro a fan favourite just yet, captain Samuel Piette doesn't expect it to take long for him to earn that label.
"He just always smiles, you can see he's always happy, nothing negative about him," Piette said. "And also the style of football he plays -- super aggressive, works hard, winning a lot of fouls, able to keep the ball up top, which I think this is what fans like here in Montreal.
"If you gave it all and you wet the shirt, at the end of the day that's all the fans can ask. That's something he does every day so I think that's why they're going to like him pretty quickly."
Coccaro's workmanlike attitude stems from humble beginnings. Born and raised in Piraraja, a small agricultural village of under 1,000 people in southeastern Uruguay, a future as a professional soccer player seemed out of reach.
"It's almost impossible," Coccaro said. "I'm a one-of-a-kind in my town, but I'm resilient."
His father owned a bar and his family lived modestly, and Coccaro insists his goal wasn't to be a soccer player: "My plan was really to study."
Coccaro says that changed when he was 18 years old, and playing soccer became a way to fund his studies in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo.
He joined the youth academy of Italian club Cagliari for a brief period in 2017 before returning to South America and playing in Argentine side CA Tucuman's youth team.
From there, he gradually rose through the professional ranks in Uruguay before joining Huracan in 2021, scoring 31 goals over 110 appearances en route to becoming a popular figure with the top-flight Argentine team.
Enticed by the exposure that comes with playing in the same league as superstar Lionel Messi and Uruguayan legend Luis Suarez, Coccaro moved to MLS in January.
"The level, first of all, has gotten much stronger," Coccaro said of MLS. "The quality of marketing, the marketing got so big, the league got so big, Messi and Suarez came.
"It makes the league a lot more visible right now, it's around the world right now. So that's why (I wanted to join MLS)."
Coccaro has ambitions of playing in one of the top leagues in Europe, but first he'll need to find his footing in North America.
"He's an incredible competitor," Courtois said. "But new league, new teammates, new coach, new language, new rules -- so there's stuff that he needs to learn."
As for his trademark facial hair, Coccaro says he grew it when he was younger to feel more masculine -- but now his niece is begging him to shave it.
"I don't want to do it," he said.
After a strong start to the season, Montreal has lost three games in a row, including a 5-0 defeat to the Seattle Sounders last week.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Male, female killed, 2 others injured in 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.
Canada's envoy to NYC called to testify about $9M condo purchase on 'Billionaires' Row'
Canada's Consul General in New York will have to explain the government's decision to buy a $9 million condo in Manhattan's famous 'Billionaires' Row,' to a parliamentary committee.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Wildfire north of Calgary prompts evacuation alert, highway closures
A wildfire is prompting evacuations and highway closures north of Calgary.
Price of new housing dipped slightly in June: Statistics Canada
The cost of a new house was slightly cheaper in June compared to May, according to Statistics Canada. Prices dropped 0.2 per cent month-over-month, which is the first time in 2024 that new houses have sold for cheaper than the month prior.
'Inside Out 2' becomes highest-grossing animated movie of all time
If there’s one emotion that Disney and Pixar are probably feeling right now, it’s joy. That’s after movie sequel 'Inside Out 2' became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, raking in US$1.46 billion at the global box office and dethroning former record holder 'Frozen 2' from 2019, according to Disney on Wednesday.
2 wildfires less than 8 km away from Jasper townsite, some structures impacted in national park
As the evacuation order continues for Jasper National Park, officials confirm that some structures in the park have been damaged by fire, but they can't confirm what those structures are.
Parts of DVP, Lake Shore Boulevard briefly flooded as Toronto hit with heavy rain
Thunderstorms rolled through Toronto Wednesday afternoon, bringing heavy rain and causing flash flooding on the Don Valley Parkway (DVP), Lake Shore Boulevard and some downtown subway stations.