In Piraeus, where a late goal can turn an ordinary evening into a small piece of club folklore, Armando “Hormiga” González has made an immediate mark on his first European chapter. The Mexican forward struck in the 78th minute to give Olympiacos victory, then spoke with the calm of a player who believes the difficult part of his move across the Atlantic was always part of the plan.
González said he had understood exactly what leaving Mexico for Greece would demand. Remaining at home would have offered comfort, he explained, but he chose the challenge of establishing himself in a stronger and unfamiliar setting. “I was very clear about it,” he said. “Otherwise, I would not have come; I would have stayed comfortably in Mexico. I knew what I had come here to do, and I still know it clearly.”
A first contribution in Piraeus
The 78th-minute finish placed González at the centre of Olympiacos’ win, but the striker redirected the attention towards the collective effort. He pointed to a side that continued working until the final whistle, with the match extending to 93 minutes.
“I work every day for moments like this, but it does not belong only to me,” González said. “It belongs to the whole team, because we fought until the end. You could see the commitment from the first minute through to the 93rd today. We did not stop fighting, and that is what brings results in the end.”
For the Mexican, the decisive goal is an early marker rather than a finishing point. He has spent only two months in Greece and described his European journey as one that has barely begun, while expressing gratitude for the opportunity to be at Olympiacos.
“I am only just starting,” he said. “I have been here for about two months. There is still a lot ahead, God willing. I am very happy and very thankful to God for everything he gives me, and for being here.”
