On November 20, 2022, the top sporting lawsuit successful the satellite volition statesman and shot (football) teams representing 32 nations volition compete, vying for a accidental to seizure the coveted Jules Rimet World Cup trophy.
For HMCM (SW/AW) José Alonso of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), the FIFA World Cup has peculiar meaning.
Master Chief Alonso serves arsenic the Surface Force Independent Duty Corpsman Program Manager and a Senior Enlisted Leader astatine BUMED. He besides has the unsocial favoritism arsenic being the large grandson of Álvaro A. Gestido (1907-1957), prima mid-fielder for the 1930 Uruguayan squad that won the archetypal ever World Cup.
Alonso, a autochthonal of Ormond Beach, Florida, grew up proceeding stories of his celebrated relative, a antheral who inspired him to participate the U.S. Navy successful 2003.
“Álvaro was not lone a shot star, but besides balanced a vocation successful the Uruguayan National Army,” explained Alonso. “His work to his state and the illustration that helium acceptable successful his beingness ever held peculiar meaning to me. I ideate galore of his values and attributes connected the tract of play came from his subject work background.”
Álvaro Gestido, a autochthonal of Montevideo, archetypal discovered shot astatine the Uruguayan Military Academy and, successful 1926, portion inactive a student, was selected for the soon-to-be legendary nationalist team. From 1926 to 1941, Gestido played 26 matches for the Uruguayan nationalist squad wherever helium earned a estimation for his diversion prowess, his enactment and being portion of an “impenetrable defense.”
“In the 1928 Olympics helium led his chap midfielders successful antiaircraft tactics that were immortalized arsenic ‘la cortina metalica’ oregon the ‘iron curtain,’” related Alonso. “These tactics proved effectual successful keeping the opposing squad successful cheque by limiting adversary plays successful affable territory.”
Gestido led Uruguay to golden successful the IX Summer Olympiad successful Amsterdam. His golden winning medal remains a prized possession successful the family, and Alonso owns his large grandfather’s Olympic recognition card.
Although well-known connected the planetary stage, Gestido besides played 13 years for the Uruguayan Club Atletico Peñarol, starring them to 7 nationalist titles.
Despite retiring successful 1941, erstwhile the Peñarol squad mislaid players to wounded and risked forfeiting their spot successful a tournament, Gestido returned to the tract helping them triumph the adjacent 3 games. But Gestido not lone excelled connected the shot field. As a subject serviceman helium served successful the calvary, arsenic an arms instructor, ministry of defense, and roseate to the fertile of Colonel (Coronel).
For overmuch of his diversion career, his work grounds and enactment were reflected successful galore of the nicknames fixed to him—these see “Caballero del deporte” (Gentlemen of the game), “el Teniente” (the Lieutenant), and “el Capitan” (the Captain). The second represented for a clip his subject paygrade and his squad role.
Master Chief Alonso takes pridefulness successful Gestido’s galore accolades connected the tract and successful subject service, but remains proudest of his relative’s galore admirable quality traits, and his “leadership by example.”
“He was a person connected the Uruguay nationalist squad that shattered radical divides by becoming 1 of the archetypal interracial teams to play connected the planetary stage,” related Alonso. “And careless of however his adversaries connected the tract treated him, helium ever took the precocious road, adjacent providing his opponents proposal during the game. He was known for his commitment, initiative, loyalty, friendship, being a squad subordinate and a existent ambassador for sportsmanship and grit.”
Throughout his ain subject service, Alonso has tried to emulate these aforesaid traits by being a dedicated, loyal, empathetic person with a thrust to assistance physique winning teams—quite simply, being the “caballero del deporte” successful each helium does.
Tragically Gestido died astatine the highest of beingness successful 1957. Forty-two years aft his death, the Uruguayan National Military Athletic Compound named its shot stadium successful his memory, Coronel Álvaro Gestido [Stadium].
Among the galore of legions of shot fans tuning into the 2022 World Cup volition beryllium Master Chief Alonso who volition beryllium cheering connected aggregate teams.
“Of course, I volition beryllium rooting for the United States,” said Alonso. “But I volition ever person a peculiar spot successful my bosom for Uruguay, my ancestral location and a squad that meant truthful overmuch to Álvaro.”
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