The Soldier25/1/2018 He looked around him, and there was no one to be seen. Nothing but the grassy pitch. Ahead, he could see several opposition players running towards him. In the far distance, he could hear his teammates shouting his name. He glanced back towards the goalkeeper, gave him a slight shrug, and then smiled. He never complained, never objected to anything, never shied away from the role assigned to him. And he never disappointed. Javier Mascherano. Known amongst fans as El Jefecito, “The Little Guard”, he arrived at Barcelona from Liverpool in 2010. He was never the most prolific player on the team. Of course, with the likes of Messi, Iniesta, Piqué, Suarez, Neymar, and other stars, there was no question of him getting the spotlight. But that never seemed to bother him. Neither did the fact that he was played out of position. Originally a defensive midfielder, he found himself playing as a centre back after a barrage of injuries to the Barcelona CBs. Little did he, or anyone else know, it would completely change his career. As a defensive midfielder, Mascherano had a particular set of skills that made him excel in his new position. His ability to resist pressure and pick a teammate to pass to was unparalleled, and essential for a Barcelona CB. So was his vision of the game, and his skill of sending long balls over the opposition team to the awaiting Barcelona forwards. It was like clockwork – Masche, as he was known to his teammates, would ping the ball over, which would result in a chance or a goal. He soon became an invaluable asset to the team. He was not the undisputed starter, and yet, he never complained, and was always ready to give it his best when called upon. Year after year, he continued to deliver his best. His only regret, perhaps, was that he had never found the net for his dream club. 7 years, tens of trophies, and countless memories had passed by, until he finally had the chance to do so. With the match against Osasuna already secured, the Blaugrana had earned a penalty. Piqué, leading as ever, points towards Mascherano. This is it. This was the moment he had been waiting for. He calmly steps up to the spot, and smashes the ball towards the back of the net. One would think that Mascherano would have been overjoyed in his celebration. Instead, he calmly turns and smiles, and hugs his teammates. The stadium went up on its feet, saluting the legend with a standing ovation. Yet, he was nowhere near the celebrating players. In the distance, you could see him already back in position, as he shared a quick exchange with ter Stegen, and then directed his focus towards the game once more. Over 300 matches later, his chapter in the book of FC Barcelona comes to an end. Javier Mascherano. Remember the name. He was a silent guardian. A watchful protector. A warrior, a soldier, ever alert. And now his watch has ended.
He braced himself. His eyes were fixated on the ball. He started running. He knew he couldn’t miss. He was almost there. He went down sliding. Around him, the crowd roared. The ball calmly rolled into the hands of the waiting goalkeeper, who quickly started another play. He picks himself up and looks at his teammates, who silently acknowledge him, before pushing up ahead. He takes a brief moment to look around him, and sees the crowd cheering. He smiles as he realises, he had just saved his team. He brushes himself off and goes back to his post, ready to weather the next storm.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.Aayush GuptaAspiring writer and photographer, looking to showcase his work. Archives
June 2018
Categories |