They’re just like us
At the core level of all sports, are humans. Human beings who, although alien-like in terms of their physical capabilities and sheer talent, experience and share the same thoughts and mental tribulations that us ‘regulars’ go through every day.
When we are confident in ourselves, comfortable and happy in whatever the task it is we’re meant to be carrying out, the results are more often than not, extremely positive. Whether this is in our work, school, or any hobbies or pass-times we enjoy. Being at peace mentally and being sure of your abilities creates an oasis of confidence that is extremely hard to shake.
Footballers are the same.
So let’s talk about the ‘wonderkid’. The player who garners huge amounts of attention from their teenage years and shows potential to become an elite footballer in the future. The difference between this footballer fulfilling his potential or slowly fading into obscurity, is less to do with their ability and almost entirely down to their mentality (putting aside the tragedy which is injuries).
These are the 0.000001%. They are already elite in every sense of the word. They dominated in their academy days, often playing years up with little hardship. They are the stars of their youth national teams from the ages of 16/17, looking almost invincible up against their agemates. They’re the best of the best, of the best.
But just like us, they need to be in the right situation and right environment, being used in ways to maximise their strengths, in order to get the best out of their abilities.
Yesterday, Ousmane Dembele won the Ballon d’Or. A glorious achievement that rounds out a rollercoaster career for one of the most hyped up ‘wonderkids’ of the last 15 years. I’ve already written a piece on the Frenchman so I won’t repeat myself completely. Instead I’ll turn my focus to a player who is starring for one of the best teams in Europe having failed to turn any heads whilst in the Premier League.
Ferran Torres was the starlet of Valencia who caught the eye with his directness, technical fluidity and uncanny ability to find the net. A big move to Manchester City was the result of his steep upside and though Torres wasn’t a flop by any means, a lot of fans will tell you his time in England was fairly uninspiring.
The Spaniard moved to the Etihad at the age of 20. He played 43 times and scored 16 goals in relatively limited minutes. Under Pep, Ferran dovetailed across the frontline, often posing as a left-winger in a system that was designed for him to be a cog rather than the engine that drives it. Sometimes he would play up top or as a false 9, but most of the time he was on the bench.
So when Barcelona suddenly came calling, City fans were relatively unbothered about seeing him leave. But one man’s trash is another team’s…
He may have started slowly at the Catalan club, but was that because he wasn’t good enough to hang at the top? No. He showed he had the talent back at Valencia. Perhaps he took a while to adjust to life at one of the biggest clubs in the world, or maybe it’s due to the fact that Torres hadn’t yet carved out a role for himself in this team. 23 g/a in his first 71 games at Barcelona is nothing to write home about, but after the appointment of Hansi Flick, everything seemed to change.
Torres began to find real joy in the German’s attacking system. He carried out his role as Lewandowski's understudy to great effect and even contributed playing just behind the striker at some points. It was 19 goals and 7 assists in 45 games including clutch goals and big performances in the latter-end of last season which made me sit up and realise that Ferran Torres has found himself.
Always a player who knew where the back of the net was, this was obvious even in his City days. The now 25 year old has transformed into a hybrid number 9 who will always get chances thanks to Flick’s style of football and now he has the confidence and reassurance to tuck them away like it’s a training game. 5 g/a in 6 games for Barcelona so far, expect more of the same as the season trudges on. This is now a truly great player we’re watching.
All it takes is one manager, one transfer, one decision to play you in a new role, that can lead you to finding your best form again, or can risk seriously jeopardising your career. Ferran Torres and Ballon d’Or Dembele are just two examples that talent never wanes, it’s just waiting to come out when it feels comfortable to do so. This isn’t about just football, you can apply this logic to all walks of life. Some people find it easy to showcase their ability no matter the surroundings, some need time to adjust and get used to change.
The point is, every ‘wonderkid’ that doesn’t hit the heights many expected of them, more often than not doesn’t do so because they weren’t good enough. It’s because they were unlucky.
Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not.
