Facts: - death place: la plata , argentina - clubs: leon union de santa fe estudiantes - caps: 197 82 28 20 - position: centre back - years: 1996-1999 1999-2000 2000-2002 - death date: april 28 , 2002 -lrb- aged 32 -rrb- - pcupdate: 22 october 2007 - birth date: 20 may 1969 - fullname: edgardo fabian pratola - name: edgardo pratola - birth place: la plata , argentina - goals: 7 6 2 0 Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of edgardo pratola .
edgardo fabian pratola -lrb- la plata , 20 may 1969 - la plata , 28 april 2002 -rrb- was an argentine football -lrb- soccer -rrb- player .his career started as a defender with estudiantes de la plata , where his devotion was noted as one of the reasons the club returned from relegation in 1995 .pratola owned the no. 6 jersey and was the captain of the team .pratola played for mexican side leon between 1996 and 1999 , after which he returned to argentina to play for union de santa fe , and then returned to estudiantes in 2000 .diagnosed with cancer of the colon in 2000 , he broke the news himself in an unassuming way , quit the team after unsuccessful surgery , and fought his illness to the end .the day before his death he asked that estudiantes play their next match -lrb- against independiente -rrb- and not ask for a postponement .a touching ceremony was held before the game .he is fondly remembered by estudiantes fans by his nickname '' el ruso '' -lrb- the russian -rrb- .after winning the apertura 2006 championship in a play-off against boca juniors , many estudiantes players displayed t-shirts in honour of pratola .current captain juan sebastian veron mentioned him in an emotional victory speech broadcast around the stadium , leading to chanting of ' ruso ' by estudiantes fans .pratola was again remembered by estudiantes following the club 's triumph in the 2009 copa libertadores finals against cruzeiro .in the post-match celebrations , estudiantes players wore shirts that said , '' ruso , estas con nosotros , '' or , '' ruso , you are with us . ''