4 January 2012
The Ciutat Esportiva Dani Jarque was ready for the Alevín A Catalan derby. Usually, even for such an important game, only some of the staff and parents would be in attendance. However, today, there was an unusually large crowd. This was because, just 20 minutes ago, the Espanyol management was informed that Johan Cruyff and his team were here to watch the match. No matter the rivalry with Barca, they could not slight this legend of the game and quickly formed an important contingent to accommodate Cruyff. And so, as the game kicked off, there was a large group to the north of the pitch, amongst which sat the man himself, with sunglasses covering his eyes and a lollipop in his mouth.
…
It had been 10 minutes since kick-off, and if someone could look behind the sunglasses, they would see Johan Cruyff's eyes follow only a single kid amongst the 14 on the pitch. It was the handsome 8-year-old with the captain's armband. Barca's captain was conducting every play and leading the team to press and circulate at his will. Of course, Cruyff could see it; the boy was reading the game several seconds before his peers. The boy had that gift of time very few have. A smirk rose on Cruyff's face as he found himself agreeing with many of the 8-year-old's actions.
…
I signal to Abdou, our keeper, to pass the ball to me, but Abdou's ball veers a bit too much to my right. At the same time, I can hear the footsteps of their #10 from behind me. If I receive the ball on a half-turn, he will tackle me. If I pass the ball first time to the left defender, he will press the defender, which is quite a risk. So I direct my body to block the #10's path, and instead of stopping the ball, I angle my right foot. The ball skims off the inside of my boot and behind me to my left. I turn left and sprint after the ball, leaving the #10 catching my shadow.
As I run for the ball, I take a quick scan. One of their 3 defenders has left his line to challenge me. I take a heavy touch to the right and accelerate, forcing the incoming defender to pause and change directions. It is, however, too late for him.
I don't run further into the created space because I see Alejandro Balde, our lightning-quick left striker, run in between the two defenders. I simply roll the ball into Balde's path. He takes the ball comfortably and runs past the progressing keeper before passing the ball into the net.
1-0!
I high-five Eric and the others as we jog to Balde, who is still celebrating in the corner.
"Jordi, you genius! I love you!" Balde rubs my head and slurs his words in his excitement.
I chuckle and shove him back towards our half. There is no reason to celebrate this much for a 1-goal lead.
…
Johan took his sunglasses off when Jordi Lloret turned after manipulating the ball through his legs. Murmurs and chatter rose around Cruyff as Jordi went past the second player with a simple change in direction. Next, the through pass was fairly simple, but Cruyff understood that it was timed perfectly. Most young players would've carried the ball further when they had so much space in front of them.
Johan folded his sunglasses and placed them in his jacket's pocket. From the same pocket, he retrieved another lollipop. The football he had seen from this boy was downright exaggerated. When was the last time he had been so absorbed in an academy level game? Cruyff could not help but think back to the first time he saw a short Argentine boy play at La Masia.
The Espanyol players tried to come out and attack immediately after the goal, but were thwarted by the Barca defence. Jordi was aggressive in his press and interceptions. Behind him, Eric Garcia and Alejandro Isaac were always in the right position to defend the long balls. All Espanyol had been able to do thus far was successfully recycle the ball from one wing to the other.
Soon after, the game returned to the previous equilibrium, with Barca steadily progressing the ball and threatening for the second goal. Jordi was drifting through the pitch, always available to receive a pass or create more space behind him. He was the silent leader of his team, guiding the play with his movement alone.
In the 18th minute, he drifted wide to the right when Eric had the ball. Noticing the two Espanyol midfielders following Jordi, Eric sped up through the middle, carrying the ball deep into the opposition half. As a defender came up to him, he passed to Balde on the left wing. Balde, with his first touch, crossed the ball to the far post. Diego, the second striker, had made the intelligent run and was in time to head the ball into the goal.
2-0!
Jordi sprinted in and hugged everyone and anyone who fit in his wingspan. He was ecstatic, more so than with the first goal. Jordi always found great joy in imagining and facilitating an entire play. He drifted wide with the intent to open up space for Eric, who followed the script and ran forward. Then came Balde, who served a perfect cross to Diego. The entire move was identical to the images that came to Jordi. In these moments, Jordi was the author of an elaborate play, the narrator of a beautiful tale.
…
As the clock read 24:00, the game had fallen into a quiet rhythm. The Barca youngsters were keeping the ball, circulating it amongst them, waiting for the half-time whistle to sound. The Espanyol youngsters were walking along, tired and looking forward to half-time.
Coach Pau Moral was very satisfied. His team understood patience and was taking no risks. Already 2-0, it was important to coach the boys in playing according to the game state. His captain, that outrageous boy, was still dictating everything.
Jordi to Eric, Eric to Isaac, Isaac to Ilya on the wing, Ilya to Jordi, Jordi to Eric— No, Coach Pau was jolted out of his reverie, as Jordi sent a curling ball over the static Espanyol defence. Diego was not expecting the ball either, but was the first to react. He met the perfectly-weighted ball with his chest at the edge of the box. The ball bounced once before Diego chipped it over the goalkeeper and into the goal. Diego ran directly towards Jordi to celebrate. Coach Pau's feet were stuck in place. Was he even worthy of coaching this boy?
3-0!
…
Johan Cruyff was disappointed to see Jordi subbed off at halftime. Of course, he understood that the boy was just 8 years old and his body was not ready to play a 50-minute match. Despite this, he wore his sunglasses and got up to leave. The Espanyol management was surprised, but did not investigate too much.
As Johan's car left the sporting complex, he spoke to his son, Jordi Cruyff, "Message Alexanko. Tell him that I watched the boy he had suggested. And… and he has seriously underestimated the boy. This is a talent to build a whole team around. Treasure him, accommodate him, and never disappoint him."
Johan thought back to last year when the new Barca president, Sandro Rossell, removed him as the honorary president. He sighed before continuing, "If he wishes to meet me, then Alexanko can bring the boy to my place."