Mauro Keller-Sarmiento From S.A.: Fancy Footwork

Two events occurred this year which reestablished Argentina's reputation for producing outstanding soccer players. Number one--the national team brought home the World Cup. And number two--Mauro Keller-Sarmiento came to Harvard.

Keller-Sarmiento, an 18-year-old fresh-man from Buenos Aires via Bonn, Germany, moved right into the forward wing position this fall, and he's been stirring things up on offense since the opening game. In ten contests, he has tallied two goals and four assists, placing him among the team's top scorers.

While the 5-ft., 8-in. varsity starter prefers playing center-forward and has in the past played center-half, here--for the first time in his life--he plays right or left wing and occasionally right or left half-back.

"I could ask Mauro to play anywhere in the forward line and provided we could get the ball to him, he would be effective," coach George Ford said.

Keller-Sarmiento's versatility, exceptional quickness, highly polished dribbling skills, and great confidence are typical of South American soccer.

"He's a fantastic dribbler with moves that I can't even grasp," junior Dave Eaton, another wing, said.

"He's like a shot out of a gun when he accelerates. He's also deceptive; he waits until his opponent is off-balance and BAM, he passes him," Eaton continued.

Different Style

North American soccer emphasizes physical fitness but tones down the ball-handling techniques favored in South America. "Here they tend to run a lot more and not hold on to the ball as much. It's rudimentary not' flowing soccer," Keller-Sarmiento said.

But the greatest difference between soccer above and below the Rio Grande, according to the Argentinian, is that the north has better facilities and gives the players more attention. "When I first came out, I was amazed by how many trainers and doctors there are for the team and how they clean the uniforms for us," he said.

Weighing only 135 lbs., Keller-Sarmiento looks more like a crew cox than a soccer player; but he's done the job this year going up against much larger fullbacks who double- and triple-team him as he streaks down the sideline. "He may be small, but get the ball to his feet and he stands tall," said Ford.

Although the freshman wonder started kicking a soccer ball when he was three and has played in organized leagues since he was eight, he keeps the game in perspective.

"I like soccer, but it's not everything to me like it is to some people," he said. "I've mostly played with friends in pick-up games."

Silly

"You can see Mauro's grown up fooling around with the ball. He loves to beat people and leave them looking silly," teammate Eaton said.

Keller-Sarmiento was a pleasant surprise to the coaching staff here. "We didn't know how he played until he stepped on the field, although we figured with a name like 'Mauro' he might be good," Ford said.

The coaches weren't the only ones pleased with the team's new addition. "Mauro's a great kid to have on the team. He's a good hard worker, open to suggestion all the time and willing to learn," captain Jim Langton said.

Although he's considered a member of Harvard's six-player "Spanish Connection," Keller-Sarmiento has spent the last two years living in Germany and previously he has lived in Austria, Belgium and Italy.

"Coming to the States to study hasn't been too hard because I'm used to going into new environments," said the fluent speaker of French, German, English, Spanish and Italian.

Keller-Sarmiento is not just a one-sport man and hopes to make the ski team this winter. He would also like to join the International Relations Council but as he explains, "Right now, if I'm not playing soccer, I'm studying."

Argentina, Si

The Crimson, however, is not Keller-Sarmiento's favorite soccer team, as he proves blood to be thicker than water and remains loyal to Argentina's national team. "I was really proud when they won the World Cup," he said.

Even if his allegiance lies 3000 miles away, Keller-Sarmiento is doing the job on the Business School field.