Given the due respect?
Diego Godin, the commander of the unshakable, unyielding ship that the Rojiblanco defense is, exemplifies the general public callousness towards an incredible team. Nobody in the world, right from the exalted voters of the individual awards to the FIFA Video game rankers have ever given the Uruguayan, arguably the best defender in the world, his due. The best defender in the world? Has yours truly gone bonkers? Let me explain.
Who is the best defender in the world? Not Jerome Boateng, who is caught way too high way too many times. Not Mats Hummels, who though polished is still very error prone. Not Vincent Kompany, who has a tryst with the surgical knife every other week these days. Not Thiago Silva, who fails to make his own national team. Not Gerard Pique, who for all his success has still not managed to be a rock solid defender. Not Sergio Ramos, who is brilliant on his day and a card magnet every other day. And surely not Diego Godin, the best defender in the best defense in the best league in the world. No way.
Now, if Simeone reads this article, he’ll shake his head in absolute frustration because of the author’s fixation on one player. It’s never been about a single individual for the Argentine. It’s never been about Radamel Falcao for him. It’s never been about Diego Costa for him. And it’ll never be about Antoine Griezmann for him.
It’s all about all eleven men in the field staying awake at all times. If they don’t, he doesn’t cajole, he shouts. He probably lets rip a Parental Guidance version of “Dilly Ding, Dilly Dong”. But, he keeps them awake. He keeps them alive. He keeps them kicking.
If any football team can ever epitomize Winston Churchill’s rousing call of “Blood, toil, sweat and tears”, it is Madrid. Oh sorry, they are the “other” team from Madrid, they can’t be called Madrid, they have to be called Atletico Madrid. Even though they are the most successful team in, well, Madrid. But then again, that’s how Diego Simeone likes them. Perennial underdogs. Perennial overachievers. Perennial fighters.
And here they are, a whisker away from the most hotly contested La Liga title race in a decade. Two weeks away from potentially lifting the trophy in that cauldron of emotions, Estadio Vicente Calderon. More importantly, here they are facing another tryst with destiny. May 28. Champions League Final. Surely, they won’t succumb at 93:18 this time around. Real Madrid is the foe. Deja vu is a primal emotion. Guts are their only way. Glory is the reward. San Siro awaits. Fight, Fight, Fight.
