The World Cup winner with Argentina was suspended for two years in 2023 after testing positive for a banned substance, which he accidentally ingested while taking a cough syrup.
Suspended for two years in 2023 after testing positive during a doping control in November 2022, Alejandro “Papu” Gómez revealed this Tuesday how he received the shocking news just days before playing the most significant match of his career the World Cup final with Argentina in Qatar.
The 36-year-old winger, who became a world champion with the Albiceleste after Argentina’s dramatic victory over France, shared his emotional story during a candid appearance on the Clank podcast. Gómez described the anguish of learning about the positive test result just 48 hours before the final, a moment that should have been purely filled with focus and excitement. Instead, it brought uncertainty, illness, and an overwhelming sense of isolation.
“Two days before the final, I received an email saying I had tested positive. Receiving such news before a World Cup final is horrible; I fell ill for those two days,” Gómez said, reflecting on the psychological toll the news had on him. “I felt very unwell, with a fever, and I’m sure my immune system weakened because of it. I didn’t want to say anything to anyone because I didn’t want the focus to shift away from the game. I didn’t want to be the reason that the team or the staff became distracted from such a historic moment. It felt very selfish on my part to share something so ugly with the guys who were about to play a World Cup final,” he explained.
Gómez’s decision to remain silent was driven by his love for his teammates and respect for the significance of the occasion. Despite battling inner turmoil, the winger chose to suppress his emotions and join the celebrations, knowing that his team depended on unity and positive energy. It was a moment of immense personal sacrifice for the player, who had to carry the weight of this secret through one of the most joyous moments of his career. Argentina went on to lift the World Cup trophy, defeating France in a thrilling penalty shootout and etching their names into football history.
Months later, however, the full consequences of the positive doping test emerged, and Gómez was handed a two-year suspension by the football authorities. The substance in question was terbutaline, a medication commonly found in cough syrups, which Gómez claimed he ingested “accidentally.” At the time of the positive test, Gómez was playing for Sevilla in Spain’s La Liga. He emphasized that it was never his intention to gain any advantage and insisted that the incident was purely an unfortunate mistake. “It was a moment of carelessness. I wasn’t trying to cheat or gain an edge; I simply took a cough syrup without realizing its implications,” Gómez explained.
The suspension has had a profound impact on Gómez’s life and career. After leaving Monza, where he had been playing before the ban, the winger found himself isolated from the professional football world he once thrived in. Forced to step away from the elite level of the sport, Gómez has spent the past few months attempting to stay fit and connected to the game he loves. Recently, he has been seen training with smaller clubs, including a team from Spain’s fifth division and another from Italy’s third tier, far removed from the glitz and glamour of the World Cup stage.
In the podcast, Gómez reflected on this stark transition, admitting that he feels more like an amateur footballer than a World Cup champion. “I’m starting over, being an amateur, a guy who wants to debut in the first division. I’ve had to accept that the character, ‘Papu,’ might be reaching his end. Now I’m just Alejandro, an ordinary person trying to move forward,” he said. Gómez shared how this period of his life has been a humbling experience, forcing him to confront his identity outside of football and strip away the ego that comes with being a celebrated player. “We’re working on erasing the ego, on surviving not as ‘Papu,’ but as Alejandro, and also on dealing with the fact that no one calls you anymore after being a World Cup champion.”
This personal journey of introspection and resilience has revealed a side of Gómez that fans rarely see. While the ban has kept him off the pitch, he has focused on his mental well-being and rebuilding his life. Gómez’s openness about the challenges he faces highlights the emotional toll that doping suspensions can take on athletes, particularly those who feel the punishment is disproportionate to the nature of the mistake.
As Gómez edges closer to the end of his suspension, the question remains whether he will return to professional football. At 36 years old, he faces an uphill battle to reclaim a spot at the highest level, but his determination to train and stay connected to the sport suggests that he is not ready to give up just yet. Whether it be in a lower division or elsewhere, Gómez remains hopeful of one last chapter in his playing career, if only to remind the world of the joy and creativity he brought to the game.
The story of Alejandro “Papu” Gómez is a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in football. From the pinnacle of winning the World Cup to the isolation of a doping suspension, Gómez has experienced the full spectrum of emotions that come with life as a professional athlete. His honesty, humility, and perseverance during this difficult period serve as a testament to his character, and his journey continues to resonate with fans who remember him not just as a player, but as a person who gave his all for the game. Whether or not Gómez makes a return to the professional stage, his legacy as part of Argentina’s World Cup-winning squad and his contributions to football will not be forgotten.
