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The best part of Thursday’s UEFA Champions League draw in Istanbul was Jorginho’s speech after being adjudged the Men’s Player of the Year.
The 29-year-old was quick to acknowledge his teammates, coaches, kit men, physios, medical staff and everyone who contributed to the successful year he had. However, the midfielder was also not lost on the fact that many people wrote him off as recently as eight months ago, during Frank Lampard’s tumultuous spell at Chelsea.
And to remind his critics and naysayers of what he had just achieved, Jorginho had some words for them:
“(Thank you) even to those who didn’t believe in me because they motivated me to work even harder.”
Such top awards have a history of favouring attacking players, but Jorginho’s triumph restores the altruistic side of football in the larger scheme of events.
A deserved award for a magnificent player
Jorginho remains the only player in the year under review to have played in the final of the UEFA Champions League, European Championships and the UEFA Super Cup, winning all three matches.
His game may not centre on scoring goals – of course,aside from his ability from the penalty spot – or even providing assists, but the Italian is a special player in his own right.
He offers so much on the pitch and helps his team make quick transitions after recovering the ball in deep areas. England, and to a large extent many parts of Europe, are still adapting to the role of a deep-lying playmaker.
That is, perhaps, why Jorginho and players like him are not appreciated enough for the work they do. But there’s a good reason why he is a starter for both Chelsea and Italy, despite the enormous midfield options available to both teams.
It may be a long time before we see another player like Jorginho win the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award. But there can be no denying the fact that a deserving player won the prestigious award this time.
An incredible year for Jorginho for club and country
You cannot be a mediocre player and be a starter in teams managed by Roberto Mancini, Thomas Tuchel and Maurizio Sarri.
While some fans do not see much in Jorginho’s game, the three aforementioned astute tactical minds have seen enough quality to make him one of the first names in their starting line-ups.
The result has been the incredible year Jorginho has enjoyed for club and country. He played a key role as Chelsea won their second Champions League title and was a mainstay in Italy’s Euro 2020 victory.
“I have no words to describe this moment. It’s unreal for me because I have worked so hard to get here,” Jorginho said after picking up his award.
“It feels amazing, and none of this would have happened without the help of everyone who contributed along the way. It’s a great feeling, I’m really happy, and I just want to say thank you to everyone.”
It has been an amazing year for Jorginho, irrespective of his lack of goal contributions. After all, football means more than just goals and assists, and the Italian midfielder’s triumph is well-deserved.
