People often let players who were on the less flamboyant side of the game slip their mind once their career is over. One such star was Fernando Redondo!
Whether you're speaking about picking out a pass, running at an opposition defender or winning the ball back in midfield, there are few players who could look as silky and as elegant as the Argentine did. He is considered by some to be among the most graceful players to have stepped on to the pitch with his remarkable ability to captivate those who watched him turn a football field into a canvas.
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The man born in Buenos Aires was described as "elegance personified" in his biography on Real Madrid's official website. His time at the LALIGA giants is what he is most renowned for. He joined the club in 1994 and stayed for a period of six years. While wearing the iconic white of Los Blancos, he won a fair number of trophies, including two UEFA Champions Leagues, two league titles, one Super Cup, and two FIFA Club World Cups. He was also recognised on the individual front, winning the UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award in 2000.
Redondo will forever be carved into history for creating one of the most memorable experiences in the UCL. Real were up against a Manchester United side who had won the treble the season before in the second leg of their quarter-final encounter, with the aggregate score still at 0-0. The Argentine, wearing the captain's armband, led his team out of the Old Trafford tunnel. As the game went on, the Spanish giants found themselves 2-0 up in the 50th minute, but knowing their opponents' ability to score late goals would have left them feeling uneasy. Redondo, though, proved himself a real problem for the opposition midfield that consisted of Roy Keane and Paul Scholes.
Then, in the 52nd minute, a moment of magic from the Argentine put the visitors ahead by three goals. He received the ball on the left side of the midfield and found defender Henning Berg in front of him, but made light work of the former Red Devil with an immaculate backheel before bursting into the penalty box and very coolly picking out Raul Gonzalez, who slotted the ball home. Sir Alex Ferguson's men threatened a late comeback but Los Blancos would emerge 3-2 victors. That year, they went on to win the competition.
Manchester United vs Real Madrid - UEFA Champion's League 1999/2000Fernando REDONDO is ridiculous pic.twitter.com/QyGMFInvQS
— Old School Panini (@OldSchoolPanini) April 3, 2019
When Florentino Perez was elected as Real president in July 2000, things changed. Redondo was sold to AC Milan despite his desire to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu. He went on to make an impact at the Serie A giants, winning the UCL with them in 2003, one domestic cup and a league title. While fans of the Italian team may have appreciated the treasure unloaded unto them by Perez, Madridistas struggled to let him go. Los Blancos fans are said to have pleaded for his return to the Spanish capital, and even orchestrated demonstrations outside of the stadium to this effect. Not many players could have such an effect on those who paid good money to watch them play each week.
Internationally, Redondo won the Copa America with Argentina in 1993. However, his time with the Albiceleste will perhaps always be overshadowed by a series of unfortunate events and friction with various coaches.
One such example of this is the fallout he had with former manager Daniel Passarella who, at the time, peculiarly demanded that all his players play with short hair. This was said to have been aimed directly at Redondo, who had longer hair at the time. Refusing to give up his look, the midfielder was left out of the squad that travelled to the 1998 FIFA World Cup, with the team going on to be knocked out in the quarter-finals.
This wasn't the first times his hopes of winning what is one of world football's most coveted trophies were dashed. At the 1994 World Cup, Diego Maradona, in what would become a notorious incident, failed a drug test and was sent packing. The side crumbled thereafter, and were knocked out by Romania in the round of 16. One can only wonder what more Redondo could have achieved if his international career treated him as well as his club career did.
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