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ROBERTO MIGUEL "TORO" ACUÑA CABELLO
Date of Birth: 25 March, 1972
Nationality: Paraguay (international until 2006)
Period at Deportivo: 2002 - 2006
Transfer: €11 million (2002, Zaragoza)
Clubs: Rosario Central (2007), Al Ain (2004), Elche (2003-2004), Deportivo (2002-2006), Real Zaragoza (1997-2002), Independiente (1995-1997), Boca Juniors (1994-1995), Argentinos Juniors (1993-1994), Club Nacional (1989-1993)
Sold: Free Transfer
Height: 175 cm
Weight: ? kg
Position: Midfielder (central)
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Until today it remains remarkable that Deportivo paid €11 million for 30-year old ‘TORO’ ACUÑA back in 2002. He never fitted into the plans of Irureta and spent most of that season on the bench before he was loaned out to Elche one year later. Neither was a solution found between 2004 and 2006. Despite a fantastic international career with Paraguay and a great period in Spain at Zaragoza, Acuña will go down into Depor’s history as one of its most important failed signings.
‘Toro’ Acuña was born in the Argentine city of Avellaneda in 1972. As a boy kicking a ball around the streets of Buenos Aires he always dreamed of being a professional footballer. He played in that country's youth system until the age of 16. But at that crucial point of his early career, Argentine coaches told him that his future prospects in the country were limited.
After that disconcerting prediction by the Argentine football elite, Acuña's Paraguayan parents made the decision that would change the course of their son's life: the Acuña’s sold the family's home in Argentina and returned to their native Paraguay. A decision Albirroja fans are still grateful for to this day. Yet not even young Acuña could have imagined that he would end up representing Paraguay at three World Cups.
Determined to prove his doubters wrong, the strapping youngster - aptly named El Toro or ‘The Bull’ - made for the Paraguayan capital Asuncion. Once there, capital side Nacional were quick to snap him up, and Acuña repaid their faith with a series of outstanding performances. The midfielder began to show great skills and then national team coach Sergio Markarian told the young midfielder that he would have a good chance at being called into the national team if he became a Paraguayan citizen.
That would lead to his first international cap in March 1993 against Bolivia. El Toro’s powerful displays at the heart of the Paraguay midfield soon earned him a move back to Argentine football, where he would go on to play for top sides Argentinos Juniors, Independiente de Avellaneda and Buenos Aires giants Boca Juniors. ‘Toro’ Acuña became a first-rate midfielder in Argentina, prompting European clubs to come knocking on his door.
Pacy, strong in the tackle and blessed with great stamina and striking power, Acuña finally joined Spanish side Real Zaragoza for the 1997/1998 season and made his name on the European scene. He would play five seasons at the club from Aragón and helped Zaragoza to the 2001 Copa del Rey win. He reached a total of 153 Liga matches for them, scored 20 goals and played the 1998 World Cup in France. Paraguay drew 0-0 against both Bulgaria and Spain in the Group of Death but won 3-1 against Nigeria. It meant the end of Spain while Paraguay only lost in extra-time against Zidane's France in the next round (0-1).
In 2000 his club finished at fourth place and almost snatched the Liga title away from Deportivo. In 2001 Acuña won the Paraguayan Footballer of the Year award. Then depressive times appeared as finally in 2002 Zaragoza were relegated. ‘Toro’ Acuña will have been relieved that Deportivo knocked on his door after the 2002 World Cup (this ended on an unhappy note as he was shown an injury-time red card in Paraguay’s second-round defeat by Germany in Seogwipo) and signed at the Galician club. But as mentioned before, his time didn’t prove to be a success and he has been labelled one of the worst signings of the club in its recent history. Between 2002 and 2006 he played just 14 Liga matches at the club and even was loaned out to little Elche in 2003 and Al Ain in 2004.
Back in 1993, when for the first time he donned the red and white of Paraguay against Bolivia, Acuña was considered an integral part of the national squad. But Acuña also lost this status after 2002 and his international career seemed over. But in 2005 a return to form and fitness saw the midfielder win back his place in the Albirroja starting XI and he played his part in driving Paraguay to a historic first South American qualifying win over the country of his birth, Argentina. Not bad for a Deportivo bench player.
“I thought that I’d never be selected again, but fortunately I was wrong”, Acuña admitted about that period. “The truth is that I felt like a kid again. I was excited and determined as ever and felt the same nerves as I did before.” National coach Anibal Ruiz considered Acuña to be “a great player with vast experience and true leadership qualities, someone who can provide a calming influence for the youngsters in the squad.” It earned him a call-up for his third World Cup in 8 years.
 This bonus was cruelly ended when Paraguay lost both against England and Sweden and were without options after just two matches. Nor did El Toro fulfil one of his greatest ambitions: scoring a goal for Paraguay on world football’s biggest stage. He even was at the centre of a ‘sex scandal’ when the Swedish media accorded him of having used Paraguay's FIFA liaison officer to try to fix up a 'date' with Swedish journalist Emelie Asplund. But despite this disappointing tournament, Acuña will enter into the history of Paraguay as their second most-capped player behind Carlos Gamarra who also quit the national team in 2006.
His exit at Deportivo that same year wasn’t pretty though. His contract was still running for one more year when the Galicians decided to ‘sweep a broom’ through the dressing-room. Players who didn’t have a future at the club or were pressuring heavily on the salary-budget were asked to leave or paid to do so. Acuña and Deportivo even met each other in court were the Galicians, in the person of Ricardo Moar (Depor’s sporting director), tried to justify their wish to get rid of Acuña for free: “He never delivered what we expected of him. He was loaned out on two occasions and only was picked when a match squad needed to be filled up. In this summer (2006) we tried to find a new team for him like Ciudad de Murcia, Levante, Hannover and Standard Liege, but it didn’t happen. I think he was a bad signing to Deportivo, very bad”. When asked about Acuña’s World Cup participation, Moar said that he considered Paraguay to be of “second class”.
In court, Deportivo claimed that Acuña was released “for ineptitude of performance”. In an interview, the midfielder mentioned that he felt “insulted” because of that and “treated like trash” by Deportivo. “I couldn’t believe when I heard all that. I think that having played three World Cups isn’t bad for someone considered not being able to play Primera football. I feel hurt leaving La Coruña in this way, especially after my daughter was just born here. Anyway, many players have left the club through court. I don’t think it’s a good sign. But I will never forget that it’s an important club and it has given me the opportunity to live in La Coruña. It remains a great club although there are people who don’t deserve to be part of it”.
Deportivo were criticized heavily for trying to release Acuña in this way. His relationship with coach Caparrós was good, however. Acuña said about that: “I appreciate the way Caparrós told me that he didn’t count on me. He was very honest”. For his part, Caparrós assured that “I didn’t have any problem with Acuña. Our relationship was correct. He’s a professional player and I have nothing against him”. It seems that the reason why Acuña went to court is that earlier he accepted €2 million to leave the club. But when he arrived at the office to sign the papers, the figure was down to €1 million with Depor’s officials claiming the higher number to include taxes.
All-in-all it wasn’t a nice way both parties split up. Deportivo will have felt frustrated after the amount which was spend on Acuña four years earlier. The player himself will have wished for a different goodbye at Deportivo. But Acuña raised his head and went to Argentinean side Rosario Central, which probably will be his last club as a player. In February 2007, Deportivo lost their courtcase against Acuña and were sentenced to pay €800.000 to the player as compensation. Caparrós’ remarks, according to Acuña’s lawyer, were vital in this case. In March of that same year both parties met again, when Acuña claimed €500.000 for salary of the 2006/2007 season and image rights of the previous season.
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