- The Colombian goalkeeper joined Boca in mid-2026 and quickly began delivering in decisive matches.
- He proved crucial against O’Higgins and São Paulo in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana, while also underlining his ability in penalty shoot-outs.
Óscar Córdoba, a legend between the posts for Boca Juniors, had recommended Álvaro Montero to the ‘Xeneize’ back in 2020. The move did not materialise at the time, but football eventually brought him to ‘La Bombonera’ six years later. With Agustín Marchesín sidelined through injury, the club’s board, led by Juan Román Riquelme, moved for him after he had established himself as one of Vélez Sarsfield’s standout performers.
Following Montero’s display in the first leg of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Quarter-finals against São Paulo, Córdoba praised the way his compatriot had established himself in goal: “For me, he is the goalkeeper who is going to make a very important mark at Boca. He is almost two metres tall; he is a wall. I highlight the confidence ‘Vasco’ Arruabarrena gave Montero when he was being heavily criticised. I kept saying he needed time — he had only played three matches.”
After an uneven start, Álvaro Montero needed very little time to understand the demands of wearing the blue and gold goalkeeper’s shirt. The Colombian joined the club midway through 2026 and was quickly required to take responsibility in knockout matches, where his performances began turning him into an increasingly important figure for Rodolfo Arruabarrena’s side.
Standing 2.01 metres tall, Montero arrived to provide presence in the air, experience and security between the posts. Before moving to ‘La Bombonera’, he had built an extensive career in Colombia with Deportes Tolima and Millonarios, featured in continental competitions and represented the Colombia national team. He was also familiar with Argentine football, having spent time in San Lorenzo’s youth system and, more recently, with Vélez Sarsfield.
His spell at Boca began directly in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana. The goalkeeper made his debut in the 1-0 victory over O’Higgins in the first leg of the Playoffs and responded with a decisive save from Martín Sarrafiore while the game was still level. In the return leg, the tie went to penalties and Montero once again played an important role in securing qualification.
That ability to deliver in high-pressure moments was also evident in the Copa Argentina. Against Vélez, his former club, the Colombian saved two penalties in the shoot-out and helped Boca advance to the Quarter-finals. Although it came in a different competition, that performance strengthened his confidence and confirmed a quality that can prove decisive in any continental tie.
Montero delivered once again at the start of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Quarter-finals. São Paulo created the clearest chances of the first half at ‘La Bombonera’, but the Colombian goalkeeper answered every challenge before Miguel Merentiel scored the only goal of the match.
His most important intervention came against Luciano. The Brazilian forward found space to shoot from the edge of the box and tried to place the ball inside the post, but Montero reacted quickly and pushed the effort away. He later denied Calleri as well, helping the Argentine side finish the match without conceding.
The goalkeeper’s performance gave Merentiel’s goal even greater value. Boca not only won the opening match of the tie, but will also travel to Brazil without having conceded and knowing that a draw will be enough to secure qualification.
Montero has kept three clean sheets in his first five appearances in this season’s CONMEBOL Sudamericana. Beyond the numbers, his progress can also be seen in the confidence with which he comes off his line to claim crosses, organises the defence and responds in the moments when opponents manage to break through Boca’s defensive block.
His presence will be crucial in the second leg against a São Paulo side driven on by their home crowd and needing to take the initiative and increase their attacking output to overturn the result from Buenos Aires. Boca, meanwhile, will have to withstand periods of pressure and make the most of the spaces the Brazilian side may leave behind.
In that scenario, Montero’s role will become even more important. His ability to command the penalty area and his sharp reactions could prove decisive against an opponent forced to chase the goal. If São Paulo win by a one-goal margin and the tie finishes level on aggregate, qualification will be decided by a penalty shoot-out — an occasion in which the Colombian has already shown he is comfortable.
