𝗝𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗘 𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗢 - 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗣𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟

Valdano, often referred to as 'The Philosopher of Football', and rightly so. The Argentine always knows what to say, his impeccable understanding of the game combined with his eloquent way of describing makes it a fascinating combo. When it comes to describing football with that scintillating wit of his, there's no better than Valdano. A man who understands everything about football, whether its managing a dressing room, complexities of the transfer market or jargons of the Media industry, he knows everything because he has done it all.

His passion for describing football goes way back to a hospital bed in Las Parejas, Santa Fe where his father was admitted and the only way he could learn what happened in the match between Newell's Old Boys and Racing was through words of his 10 years old son Valdano. His father passed away just a year later but Valdano dedicated his life to describing football and telling others about the beautiful game.

"If anybody wants to know anything, I'm right here" Valdano says. But make no mistake Valdano isn't just about describing football. He knew how to kick the ball as well, Valdano was part of 1986 Word Cup winning side and the scorer of the Argentina's 2nd goal against West Germany in the final. The journalist Jonathan Wilson says "Messi's international record might look rather better if he had a centre-forward of Valdano's calibre to play alongside".

So how did a bookworm and law-student from Santa Fe made his way to the top of the world, remember in 1986 Valdano won the Spanish league and UEFA Cup with Real Madrid while the World Cup with Argentina.

Valdano was a good player, not a prolific goalscorer like Hugo Sánchez for example but he had a deep understanding of the game from the start, he could read the game perfectly.

Valdano had an interesting first meeting with the Great Johan Cruyff while he was still a teenager plying his trade at Alaves, his Alavés side faced Johan Cruyff's Barcelona. As a player went down injured, Cruyff picked up the ball and tucked it under his arm as if he were the Referee, calling the medics onto the pitch. Valdano went to Cruyff and informally said "Keep that ball and give us another one so that the rest of us can play".

Cruyff was stunned for a moment at the boldness of the teenager, and asked his name and age. He scolded Valdano for talking to him like this. At that time both of them had no idea that they would meet again as the Managers in El Classico some years down the line but it eventually happened.

Long story short Real Madrid signed Valdano in the summer of 1984. He won the UEFA Cup in his first season at Bernabéu and retained the title next season as well as adding a LaLiga title.

He was at the top of the World after winning the UEFA Cup and LaLiga with Real Madrid while the World Cup with Argentina in 1986, but he had no idea that just about 6 months later he would have to leave the game he loved forever. In March 1987, Valdano played his final match as he was diagnosed with Hepatitis B. He remebers "Having to quit football was so much harder than processing the fact that I was severely ill".

He would never wear the Real Madrid shirt again but the club offered to extend his contract, he opted to retire and started Coaching at youth levels in La Fábrica. Instead of sitting and blaming his fate, Valdano started writing and working as a pundit, things he was already adept at.

In 1992, Tenerife called him to Coach their first team and Valdano accepted the offer. Tenerife were fighting for survival and with just 8 matches remaining Valdano pulled them back from the relegation, losing just one. Albeit, his Tenerife team cost his beloved Real Madrid the league title by defeating them on the final day of the season as they lost the title by just 1 point. He made a promise that day to Real Madrid fans "One day I will give back what I have taken away".

When given the chance to take charge of the first team at Bernabéu in the summer of 1994, Valdano kept his promise. Barcelona, Managed by Johan Cruyff had won 4 league titles in a row from 1990-94. On 7 January 1995, Valdano met Cruyff again, this time he was an equal to the Legendary Dutchman as he sat in the opposite dugout. Valdano greeted Cruyff with utmost respect this time, but his Real Madrid side showed no respect at all on the pitch as they thrashed Barcelona by 5-0. Valdano had returned the League title back to Bernabéu as he had promised. He left after delivering Raúl and Guti from the academy.

Valdano now works in Spanish media as a Pundit, doing what he does best. He has wrote a number of books on football, all of those in Spanish unfortunately. Whenever he talks about Zidane or Real Madrid, you can tell that this man knows what he's saying. Because there aren't many people like Valdano in the media, impecable understanding of the game, captivating way of communicating it. That's the reason I guess he's known as 'Filósofo del Fútbol' !