- The midfielder opened the scoring in the 3-0 victory over Nacional in Montevideo after just one minute and 42 seconds, the earliest goal in El Matador’s continental history.
- A product of Newell’s youth academy, he served as San Lorenzo’s vice-captain, played in Malaysia and featured in the AFC Asian Cup with the Syria national team.
Some careers follow a straight line; others trace a map. Jalil Elías’ belongs to the latter category. Born in Rosario 30 years ago, the Tigre midfielder played for four Argentinian clubs, travelled across the world to compete in Malaysia and represented an Asian national team before writing his own page in CONMEBOL Sudamericana history at the Gran Parque Central in Montevideo. His goal against Nacional, scored after one minute and 42 seconds, was Tigre’s fastest ever in a CONMEBOL competition, according to Opta. The previous record belonged to Martín Morel, who struck four minutes into the first half against San Lorenzo in the 2009 edition.
The goal that opened the scoring in the emphatic 3-0 victory in the first leg of the Round of 16 play-offs bore all his usual hallmarks. He appeared in the right place after Gonzalo ‘Pity’ Martínez’s cross and Alan Barrionuevo’s headed knockdown, before finishing with his right foot. But his night in Montevideo amounted to far more than the record: he completed more passes than any other Tigre player, with 66, and was a constant presence in both penalty areas.
A journey with many stops
Elías came through Newell’s youth academy and made his first-team debut for the club he had supported all his life on 22 November 2015. There was one unusual detail: Lucas Bernardi deployed him at right-back, far from the area of the pitch where he would eventually establish himself.
From Rosario, he moved to Godoy Cruz, then had a spell with Unión de Santa Fe before joining San Lorenzo de Almagro in 2021, where he reached footballing maturity. He made 117 appearances for the club and earned the role of vice-captain.
“Right now, I’m living a dream,” he told Radio La Red in 2022 during his time with El Ciclón. In the same interview, he delivered a line that now sounds almost prophetic, saying the objective was “to qualify for the Copa Libertadores or the Sudamericana”.
His opportunity to return to the continental stage would eventually arrive, although only after a journey to the other side of the world. Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim and a loan spell at Vélez Sarsfield were the final stops before he joined Tigre in mid-2025.
The other shirt
Elías’ family history opened an unexpected door. His paternal great-grandparents arrived in Argentina from Syria, and that heritage enabled him to be called up by Héctor Cúper to represent the country at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. It proved a historic tournament for Syria: they ended a 13-year wait for a victory in the competition and reached the Round of 16, where they lost 5-3 on penalties to Iran after a 1-1 draw.
The midfielder who made his debut as a full-back in Rosario had therefore built up a range of experiences rarely matched in South American football: spells with three prominent Argentinian clubs, a season in an Asian league, a continental tournament with a national team from another confederation and, since Tuesday, a record in La Gran Conquista.
He now finds himself at the centre of the action. Tigre, who defeated Uruguayan opposition for the first time in their 44th match in CONMEBOL competitions, will decide the tie against Nacional at the Estadio José Dellagiovanna on Tuesday 28 July, holding a commanding advantage from their victory in Montevideo. Should El Matador confirm their place in the Round of 16 against Montevideo City Torque, the Rosario-born globetrotter will have another stop to make on the most important journey of his career.
