Riquelme - What Happened?

Remember Juan Roman Riquelme? The player that was supposed to win Villareal the Champions League before guiding Argentina to World Cup glory?

After missing a last-minute penalty against Arsenal that would take the Spanish club through to final, and then being substituted during Argentina's quarter-final loss to Germany, the playmaker has somewhat faded into obscurity.

So what's happened in the past year? After Riquelme was left out of Villarreal's opening game of 2007, he began theatrically doing groundsmen's jobs at the training ground, sweeping floors and polishing boots. The director has backed the leaving-out of the Argentinian, and ever since he has never recovered.

He secured a loan move to Boca Juniors for 5 months earlier this year where he impressed, and looked on course for an £5.5 million move to Atletico Madrid before it fell through at the last minute.

He has yet to play for Vilarreal this season, yet in his first game for a few months, he scored 2 free-kicks for Argentina in their opening World Cup Qualification game.

Unfortunately for Riquelme, he draws comparisons with Nicolas Anelka. A football player who has undoubted ability and sometimes breathtaking skill, yet a petulant and sometimes uncaring attitude has held them back from becoming one of the world's true greats.

It's both amazing yet saddening to see one of the World's greatest players seldom-used, and unable to grace the footballing world with talent such as his. Let's hope that his Argentinian form will guide them to the World Cup finals, and the footballing world can yet again marvel at Riquelme's undeniable footballing genius.

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