Compared to Ronaldinho at
the start of his career and now playing in Turkey, Giovani dos Santos
of Mexico remains one of the world's best ...
The last two years have been particularly
frenetic for Giovani dos Santos. Since leaving Barcelona for Tottenham
Hotspur on the eve of the 2008/09 season, the Mexican forward has
experienced his fair share of ups and downs, walking into the Spurs
first team on his arrival and then falling out of favour when Harry
Redknapp replaced Juande Ramos in the hot-seat.
Yet though his club fortunes took a dip, Dos Santos commendably
maintained his international form, confirming his graduation from
promising youngster to seasoned professional and cementing his place in
the Mexico team.
With just six months to go
before the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ kicks off, and short of
first-team opportunities at Tottenham, the Mexican decided to accept
Galatasaray’s offer of a loan deal. The move to the Turkish capital has
reunited him with Frank Rijkaard, his former coach at Barça,
and his main incentive in joining the Istanbul giants was to get some
regular playing time under his belt, a vital factor in his bid to aid
the Tricolor cause in South Africa.
The
world at his feet
Though he is still only 20, Dos Santos is
already a well-known figure on the global football scene, having first
made a name for himself in guiding Mexico to glory at the FIFA U-17
World Cup Peru 2005. Along with the equally gifted Carlos Vela, he
brought joy to his home nation, who afforded him and his team-mates a
heroes’ welcome when they returned with the trophy to Mexico City.
A graduate of La Masia, Barcelona’s hugely
productive youth academy, Dos Santos made his first-team debut for Los
Azulgranas on 2 September 2007, appearing in 27 games in total
that season and scoring four goals.
In the
meantime, he maintained his brilliant form for his country, turning in
more outstanding performances at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007,
where he collected the adidas Bronze Ball to go with the adidas Silver
Ball he pocketed in Peru two years earlier. Then came an eagerly awaited
full international debut in a 1-0 victory over Panama on 9 September
2007.
Despite his promising beginning with
Barcelona and his burgeoning international career, he decided to move to
White Hart Lane and team up with former Sevilla coach Ramos, making
regular starts under the Spaniard. A series of poor results quickly led
to the coach's dismissal, however, and when Redknapp took over the young
Mexican was promptly relegated to the bench. To make matters worse for
Dos Santos, he was also criticised for some below-par performances for
his country.
It’s
World Cup year and I want to go. Now I have to work, play some games and
wait for Javier Aguirre’s decision. It’s my dream to play in South
Africa.
Mexico's
Giovani dos Santos
Sidelined at Tottenham, the Mexican found salvation in the
English second tier with Ipswich Town. Quickly rediscovering the form
that made him such a highly regarded prospect, he scored four goals in
eight outings, becoming somewhat of an idol with the East Anglian
outfit.
His resurgence in England prompted a
return to the national side under the stewardship of Javier Aguirre. In
inspiring Mexico to success at the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2009, he was named
the player of the tournament, and he scored one goal and set up two in a
crucial South Africa 2010 qualifying win over Costa Rica last
September.
It is performances such as that,
allied to his short darting runs, shooting ability and superb vision,
that have made him a firm favourite with El Tri fans.
A return to the Tottenham bench following his loan
spell at Ipswich was hardly ideal preparation for South Africa 2010,
however. And with that in mind, Dos Santos accepted the invitation
extended by Galatasaray during the recent transfer window, playing more
minutes in his very first appearance for them than he had done in the
Premier League with Spurs in the first half of the season.
The challenge is one he has been delighted to
accept. “I was getting desperate,” he was quoted as saying. “It’s World
Cup year and I want to go. Now I have to work, play some games and wait
for Javier Aguirre’s decision. It’s my dream to play in South Africa and
to fulfil it I have to be match fit and show the coach I’m playing
well. That’s why I moved to Turkey: to show what I can do.”
If, indeed, Dos Santos does get the call from
Aguirre, there is every reason to believe he will be pushing for the
Hyundai Best Young Player Award when he gets to South Africa. Given his
superb record in major finals, his army of fans would expect nothing
less.
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