Roque Santa Cruz is probably one of the greatest Paraguayan players, some might say that he is even the best ever.
His long and successful spell in Bayern Munich included five Bundesliga titles, the Champions League in 2001 and later winning the Intercontinental Cup as well. He spent 17 years in Europe, but something was still missing for him.
"I want to be back in Club Olimpia," said Santa Cruz while he visited the club in 2016, "This is my home, I grew up here." A few days later, he was signed by Olimpia on a free transfer. Now, when he is 38 years old, Roque Santa Cruz is conquering Paraguay all over again.
Santa Cruz was 16 years old when he made his senior debut for Olimpia. In three seasons, he became a prominent player in the team's line-up. In those years, Santa Cruz won three championships, when the league was played in a double round-robin league, similar to European leagues' format, and not in the Apertura and Clausura format, which is more common in South America.
His record was outstanding for a young player with 13 league goals in 24 appearances. His skills also impressed the national team managers. His first call-up was to the U-20 team in 1999, and later, he also joined the senior national team. The call-ups affected Club Olimpia, as he missed matches during the season, including the decisive Copa Libertadores match against Corinthians, which ended in a 4-0 defeat and an early elimination. Still, these call-ups had an impact on his development and to his transfer to Bayern Munich.
Even while he played abroad, Santa Cruz had a strong connection to his nation. He made 112 caps for the national team and scored 32 goals. He was part of the squad in three World Cups and was part of two tremendous achievements – reaching the 2010 World Cup quarter-finals and playing in the 2011 Copa America final.
When Santa Cruz signed back in Club Olimpia, the common thought was that it won’t be for a long time. Some considered it as a farewell tour in Paraguay. "His contract will be terminated in June 2017, but he can play here as much as he wants," said Marco Trovato, the team’s President, shortly after the signing.
In his first few seasons, Santa Cruz wasn't as prolific as he was in the past, but for the fans, it was an honor to see him play once again for their club. While in the 2016 Clausura tournament Club Olimpia missed the title by a single point, in the 2017 Apertura tournament the team was far from being a real contender.
The domestic failures didn't trigger Trovato to end the partnership between the club and Roque Santa Cruz. His contract was extended twice, and the biggest dream was to lead Club Olimpia to the Copa Libertadores group stage. "He shows his professionalism week over week," said club chairman, Raúl Vicente Amarilla. "We appreciate that in Club Olimpia, as it is one of our club's values."
One major change has been made in the club before the 2018 season. Argentine Daniel Granero was appointed as manager. Granero won the title with Guaraní on the expense of Olimpia in Clausura 2016. The new combination between the Argentine and Santa Cruz brought “La O” to vast achievements.
The first mission was to reach the Copa Libertadores group stage in 2018, but they were knocked out in the second qualifying round. The disappointment didn't prevent Olimpia to produce an impressive run in the domestic league. They won both the Apertura and Clausura, which assured them a group stage berth in the next season. Santa Cruz started to score more, as he finished the year with 13 league goals, 9 of them were in the Clausura.
At the beginning of 2019, Club Olimpia and Santa Cruz continued their good form. They reached the Copa Libertadores round of 16 for the first time since 2013. They also won a third consecutive Paraguayan title, as they did with a young Santa Cruz 20 years ago. During the 2019 Apertura, he scored 11 goals and finished as a joint top scorer alongside with his partner to the attack, William Mendieta. When the Clausura began, Club Olimpia led the table, but Santa Cruz scored just four goals. There was a feeling that his career may be close to its end.
All has changed in Olimpia's recent matches. Within 10 days, Roque Santa Cruz brought Olimpia closer to their fourth consecutive title. It began in the Superclásico against Cerro Porteño, when he scored four goals and led Olimpia to a 4-2 win. He became the third player ever to score four goals in a single Superclásico and the second one to do so for Olimpia.
The next match was against Deportivo Capiatá, and Santa Cruz scored the only goal in the game. The third match in the series was against San Lorenzo, where he scored a hat-trick, and Olimpia won 4-1. With eight goals in three games, Roque Santa Cruz climbed to the first place in the top scorers list.
The decisive match against Guarani couldn't be more exciting. Club Olimpia was already 2-0 down at the 51st minute, and the home crowd was shocked. At that moment, there could be only one hero that will save the day for El Decano. Santa Cruz scored his first in the 60th minute, and as the clock was ticking, he also scored the equalizer in the 93rd minute.
This draw was enough for Club Olimpia to celebrate their fourth consecutive title. The previous time that Club Olimpia has made such a streak was when Santa Cruz left to Bayern Munich. There are rumors about his future in Club Olimpia, including reports about offers from Saudi clubs. No matter what his next step would be, there is no doubt that Santa Cruz will leave a meaningful legacy to his club, as the hero who brought seven championship titles.