Argentine Open winner Cambiaso set to split with Albwardy’s Dubai team after 15 years
Adolfo Cambiaso won his 10th team title in the Argentine Open at the weekend, La Dolfina once more imperious in the greatest team polo tournament on the planet. But even bigger news is that the world’s greatest player is set to leave Dubai after 16 years as its principal playmaker, captain and leader, Telegraph Sport understands.
The rumour mill in Buenos Aires was the talk of the town as the rounds ensued for the denouement of the 2016 Argentine Open campaign. Cambiaso took part in his 16th Argentine Open final - the 12th consecutively - over the last 17 years, going on to be on the winning team with La Dolfina for his 10th Open title. But the bombshell underpinning it all is that Cambiaso and Ali Albwardy, the owner and patron of Dubai, are to part company.
It has been a fine innings but it is understood that Albwardy, and captain Cambiaso, have fallen out over aspects of the team dynamic. Martin Valent, put there as manager of Dubai, is understood to be staying.
But the major question now is that with Cambiaso’s separation, where will he go to ply his services outside Argentina? In spite of his age, he will still be one of the biggest draws in the sport, and would be a hugely valuable asset to any team.
Who will now come in for Cambiaso? The rumour mill is thundering on, with Lechuza Caracas said to be interested. Victor Vargas would not struggle to fund a Cambiaso set up within his polo entourage. Cambiaso might then join forces with Juan Martin Nero, but also being spoken about as being in the frame, is US patron Bob Jornayvaz, who already has a playing relationship with the great Argentine 10-goal player.
These are very interesting times, though. The Dubai team has been very successful with Cambiaso there, but even successful teams eventually break apart.
After La Dolfina’s victory in the Argentine Open, they now rank third in the order of merit in teams which have won the prestigious event, with 13 titles. Coronel Suarez have 25 wins and Hurlingham 15.
Ellerstina, replete with Pieres, were seeking a seventh title, but the defeat was their third consecutive loss, since they won it in 2012.
But it was another battle between the world’s leading players, with the two sides neck and neck at the end of the sixth chukka at 11-11. In the seventh chukka, La Dolfina were majestic, gaining three consecutive goals through Pablo MacDonough, Cambiaso (penalty) and Pelon Stirling to create the leeway and finish the victors 16-12.
A final flurry of goals in the last chukka was finished off by Juan Martín Nero to end the game 16-12. David Sterling picked up a plethora of awards at the Final and will be featured in an interview in the forthcoming December issue of Polo Times, click here to subscribe now in time to receive this issue.
Argentine Open HSBC Final teams:
La Dolfina (40 handucap on goals): Adolfo Cambiaso (10) (scored 6 goals, three penalties), David Stirling (10) (6 goals), Pablo MacDonough (10) (1 goal) & Juan Martín Nero (10) (3 goals)
Ellerstina (39 handicap on goals): Facundo Pieres (10) (8, three penalties), Pablo Pieres (10), Gonzalo Pieres (10) (1 goal) & Nicolás Pieres (9) (3 goals)