Cazorla's humility a lesson to the game.
In an age of money and ego, there is so much for football to learn from that beacon of humility and selflessness, Santi Cazorla. His story is one of putting others first. It’s also an uplifting story of good things happening to good people.
When Cazorla arrived at Arsenal in early August 2012, he was immediately warmly welcomed. The Spaniard with the ready smile and quick feet had just won the European Championships and then endeared himself to his new club-mates with his initiation song.
Arsenal were on pre-season tour, about to play Cologne the following day and Cazorla was called upon to perform after the team dinner. He chose “Macarena”, a favourite amongst many newbies (Cesc Fabregas and Juan Mata at Chelsea, Alex Moreno and Carles Gil at Aston Villa) and impressed with his dance moves as much as his singing. His new Arsenal team-mates loved his willingness to laugh at himself.
That lack of ego is now seen and celebrated most powerfully as Cazorla’s career closes. Or, you could argue, Cazorla’s career now climaxes with his greatest feat yet. Aged 40, Cazorla has guided his beloved Real Oviedo back into La Liga and he’s not the only one crying tears of joy.
Oviedo have been through the mill, dragged down into the mill-pond of stagnancy and financial uncertainty, almost drowning as they dropped down to the fourth tier of Spanish football. It’s a painful, familiar narrative afflicting many clubs. It’s also a familiar, inspiring tale of fans fighting to keep their club alive, and begin the climb back up. What sets the story apart, and has seized the headlines across Spain, is the romantic plot-line of a famous footballer, who had to leave because of the chaos, returning to help.
Cazorla played for minimum salary - €90,000 a year – and only because he had to take some return legally. He played for the love of his club, his town, his people. His goal against Almeria got Oviedo in the play-offs, then converted a penalty in the final against Mirandes as Oviedo returned to the top flight. 24 years of hurt ended. The little man with the big heart had done it. Hollywood films have been scripted from less.
It’s no surprise. The values instilled into Cazorla growing up were of hard work and humility. They define him. I met him at London Colney, Arsenal’s training ground, two months after he joined. Cazorla was sitting in a corner, transfixed by a picture of the 2004 Invincibles. I was there to interview him, to hear about his glory days with Spain and his ambition with Arsenal. But first he wanted to talk about the Invincibles and their qualities as people.
He knew Robert Pires from Villarreal, and asked his advice when considering joining Arsenal. “Don’t think twice,” Pires urged him. Cazorla had heard of the humility in that dressing-room. It chimed with his experiences of Spain when winning the European Championships in 2008 and 2012 (he missed the 2010 World Cup with a hernia). No egos. Just strong characters like Cazorla. Even as he pushed 50 caps at the time, Cazorla himself had the humility to watch and learn from Xavi and Andres Iniesta, models of humility themselves.
Cazorla had the balance right between respect for opponents and hunger to win, a balance that not all modern players achieve. Cazorla was close friends with Mata and Fernando Torres and fiercely competitive when he played them in Arsenal-Chelsea games.
He'd quickly embraced football in a new land. Cazorla spoke passionately about the atmosphere of English grounds. He loved Upton Park and Old Trafford and was moved when he heard the Kop sing “You’ll Never Walk Alone”. Cazorla’s one of these people you meet in life, instantly like and wish them well in whatever they do. Football needs more role models like Cazorla.
Jack Wilshere was 20 when Cazorla came to Arsenal. Wilshere’s bright. He studied Cazorla, noted the two-footed strengths, the willingness to take the ball under pressure, and the vision and quality of passing that allowed Cazorla to create so much. Also his character. Wilshere admired Cazorla’s winning mentality, a quality of so many Spanish players of that era with an equally admirable accompanying modesty.
In 2014, with Arsenal trailing Hull City 2-0 after eight minutes in the FA Cup final, Per Mertesacker looked around, almost in despair. Where would inspiration come from? He saw Cazorla. And believed. Within nine minutes, Cazorla dribbled forward, was fouled by Alex Bruce, got up and curled a 25-yard free-kick past Allan McGregor. The comeback was on. And now Cazorla has been involved in another rescue act. And all football should rejoice - and learn.
**
Enjoy the week. I’m covering the Euro Under-21s out here in Slovakia, focusing on England’s quarter-final with the Dutch in boiling Bratislava. Plenty of new talent rising up.
I wince at that gruesome Achilles injury suffered by Santi, as if he needed any more trauma to enhance his comeback journey with Oviedo for the Hollywood script typing pool. Amazing story, fantastic man, wonderful player.
It was a great story this. Fair play to him. Such a talented player but career held back by a lot of injuries. But has done well to come back. Did okay for Arsenal. Brilliant passer but games often passed him by due to speed and intensity of game. Would probably do better now as it is a bit slower. A nice way to finish your career.