“We created La Natividad when we left La Dolfina and we were there, with all the people who were working with us, and the kids who were really young,” a very moved Lolo Castagnola told PoloLine after La Natividad’s epic win in the most important polo tournament in the world. “We went little by little. So today, winning Palermo 10 years on, with these kids who are 18, 20-years-old; with Polito; Nachi – I have no words to describe it.”
Lolo is extremely happy. The final of the 128th Argentine Open has just come to an end, and La Natividad have their name engraved on the trophy and have left their mark on the history of the sport. In the teams fifth participation at Palermo (2012, 2013, 2019, 2020 & 2021), Camilo and Barto Castagnola, Polito Pieres, and Nachi du Plessis made the dream come true – winning the most coveted trophy in the world, the same cup the legendary Lolo Castagnola, the man who created La Natividad with his wife, Camila Cambiaso, lifted a total of seven times (with La Dolfina and Ellerstina).
It was not an easy task, because they had to face Adolfo Cambiaso’s La Dolfina Saudi, a team with eight consecutive Palermo titles under their belts. But Lolo, with all his experience and wisdom, was well aware of the challenges ahead.”I knew that they could feel some pressure today, and Cambiaso was going to be there, very close, and that we had to stop their comeback,” he says. “They got within a goal but fortunately, we managed to hold on.”
With his usual humility, Lolo praised their rival:”I want to congratulate La Dolfina. We are happy today, but we can’t forget what these guys have done, and what Cambiaso and Pelón are as players. The boys are geat, so I want to congratulate them, as well.”
How did you feel when you saw the team’s determination come through in the crucial moments?
I knew they had the attitude to win the important clashes, but I’m not saying this because they play as if they were playing a practice at home. Of course, they played under pressure, but they know how to deal with it. They might lose, but it’s not going to be because of the pressure.
In terms of La Natividad’s future, Lolo says: “We are going to have a chat with Nachi this week, but everything looks fine. I’m not thinking about what’s coming up, I go day by day, so today, I’m going to celebrate. La Natividad has just won the Argentine Open, the kids have won the Open, Polito won it, Nachi was the one who set this team up. There was a time, about two years ago, when Jeta didn’t want to play; we ended up qualifying for the Open, then Polito came over. When Polito got here, everybody told me I was crazy, because they weren’t able to play 1 and 2. And they ended up playing together. I always told them to play forward.”
With an Argentine Open title under their belts, one thinks that La Natividad is ready to dream bigger. A Triple Crown, perhaps? “I dream game on game,” says Lolo. “I don’t dream about winning a Triple Crown. I dream about this.”
WATCH THE COMPLETE INTERVIEW WITH LOLO CASTAGNOLA HERE (POLOLINE TV)