Alvaro Arbeloa and the question of legacy
The retirement of Alvaro Arbeloa has sparked quite interesting conversation on social media on the Spanish right back’s legacy. Unintentionally, the debate brings rise to even bigger questions.
Alvaro Arbeloa has retired from football at the ripe age of 34. The Spanish right back started his career in Madrid’s youth ranks. He was deemed surplus upon reaching senior level. A brief stint at Deportivo La Coruna earned him a transfer to Liverpool. Arbeloa blossomed on Merseyside playing arguably his best football. In 2009, he returned to Real Madrid and played over 200 games with Los Blancos, winning a La Liga title, a Spanish Supercup, the Copa Del Rey and two Champions League titles. He finished his career at West Ham, making just three appearances for the Hammers.
The full-back won 56 caps for his native Spain and was also part of the Spanish team that won two European Championships and the World Cup in 2010.
Arbeloa’s Legacy
Upon his retirement from football, a small debate has started among Madrid fans on the legacy of Alvaro Arbeloa. The Spanish right back surprisingly polarizes opinion, some argue that he was always a solid selection and his battles on social media particularly against Gerard Pique- make him a club legend. On the other side, fans have taken unkindly to his comments in support of Jose Mourinho during and after his tenure at Real Madrid.
The debate seems rather odd. Arbeloa’s time at Madrid was quite ordinary, as he played 238 games for Real Madrid in 7 years. In comparison, Dani Carvajal has already played 158 games in 4 years. Many of Arbeloa’s plaudits described him as a solid option, for a club so often about creating and scoring goals, his stats are far from solid.
Arbeloa created just 14 goals throughout his career in Madrid. Dani Carvajal has already created 25 goals for Los Blancos. One point that Arbeloa supporters are right about is his commitment to the club, something even his former teammates highlighted as a defining trait. Of course, if commitment to Real Madrid was worthy of the praise that Arbeloa has received then Karim Benzema (who has played over 400 games in the same timespan) will be feeling greatly aggrieved.
Real Madrid and Legacy
In truth, a discussion on Arbeloa’s legacy at Real Madrid is overkill on a flattering farewell for the right back. Arbeloa’s last home game was quite a spectacle, a montage of his best moments at Real Madrid was played at the start of the game against Valencia and the Salamanca native soaked up the applauds long after the final whistle.
Arbeloa’s farewell and now the debate on his legacy leads me to ask even bigger questions about the club itself. Arbeloa was a committed but average player at Real Madrid, who deservedly or not received a hero’s send-off from the club. Meanwhile, Iker Casillas was left alone in a press conference to announce his departure after 15 years at the club. Raul left Real Madrid as the club’s all-time top goalscorer and the Champions League highest ever goalscorer, it would take 3 years for the club to organize a testimonial for him.
Next: Alvaro Morata vs. Karim Benzema: the comparison