- Champion with La Academia in the 2024 edition, he received a call-up from Lionel Scaloni—the first of his career.
- An admirer of Juan Pablo Sorín in his position, he will fight for a place in Argentina’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“My eyes filled with tears. When I found out, I was still at the club and we had a video call; I was really happy, because for me he’s like another son. He deserves it. I told him he’s an example, and this group has many examples. But ‘Gaby’ completely changed his way of living—he started taking better care of his diet and always wants more and more.”
The one speaking—like a father—is Gustavo Costas, the coach of Racing, champions of the 2024 CONMEBOL Sudamericana, that international title after 36 years for La Academia. And “Gaby”—the one who is like a son to Costas—is Gabriel Rojas, Racing’s left-sided full-back/wing-back in that 2024 CONMEBOL Sudamericana-winning team, a key piece in the system, called up by Lionel Scaloni for the friendlies against Mauritania and Zambia. At 28, Rojas tasted his first call-up to the Argentina national team and now dreams of a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Racing, semifinalists of the 2025 CONMEBOL Libertadores, will once again go in pursuit of “the Great Conquest” in 2026. They headline Group E of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana, where they will face Caracas Fútbol Club (Venezuela), Independiente Petrolero (Bolivia), and Botafogo (Brazil)—a side they defeated in the 2025 CONMEBOL Recopa. Racing will make their debut on April 7 against Independiente Petrolero in Sucre. And Rojas, now a full international but who had previously played for Argentina’s U-20 side at the 2016 L’Alcudia Tournament, will once again wear the sky blue and white with Racing.
With a consistently strong level since joining the Avellaneda club at the beginning of 2023, solid and well-timed in defense, intelligent in attack—with an outstanding left-footed delivery on the move—and equipped with the technical movements of a creative player, Rojas will look to earn his place at left back for the 2026 World Cup in a position that also features alternatives such as Marcos “Huevo” Acuña, who will play the CONMEBOL Sudamericana with River, and Valentín “Colo” Barco, currently at Racing Strasbourg in France, but a rising talent in 2023 with Boca, finalists of the CONMEBOL Libertadores. Argentina’s starting No. 3 is Nicolás Tagliafico, now at Lyon in France, captain of Independiente’s triumph in the 2017 CONMEBOL Sudamericana.
So far in 2026, Rojas has recorded one goal and three assists in 11 matches (five goals and 21 assists in 135 appearances overall for Racing). He is not just a full-back: Rojas is consistent, disciplined—he has not been sent off at Racing—and decisive with every touch down the left flank, especially when driving forward at pace. His game ranges from ball recovery in his own half to making surprise runs into the opposition’s box.
Developed at San Lorenzo, with spells at Uruguay’s Peñarol (he was recommended by Diego Aguirre, the current head coach of El Carbonero, who gave him his debut at El Ciclón) and Querétaro in Mexico, Rojas grew up admiring Juan Pablo Sorín while playing youth football at Arzeno and Pueyrredón—Sorín being a World Cup full-back with Argentina and a CONMEBOL Libertadores 1996 champion with River. In 2013, after a youth tournament with San Lorenzo in Santiago, the player born in Rafael Calzada, in the Buenos Aires district of Almirante Brown, received an invitation to represent La Roja (one of his uncles is Chilean), but he turned it down.
“When I found out about the call-up, the first thing I did was call my mom,” said the left-back, who will once again play the CONMEBOL Sudamericana with Racing. “She was crying with emotion, she couldn’t believe it. It was a lot of hard work. I was with my wife and kids. Then I made a video call to Gustavo (Costas), because for us he’s like a father. I wanted to be the one to tell him. The next day he gave me a hug and thanked me for everything we’ve been through together.”
