CHENNAI: On that cold July night in Johannesburg, Joan Capdevila must have felt lonely. On one side, there were Xavi, Iniesta & Co — the Barcelona stalwarts that had lifted the Champions League a year ago. On the other side, there was Iker Casillas and his Real Madrid teammates. In the middle was Capdevila, the only player in Spain’s lineup that night who did not don either the blue and red of Barcelona or the pearly whites of Madrid.
What happened next is history and four years on, Capdevila, the only player apart from Casillas to play every minute of the 2010 World Cup, is still struggling to come to terms with what he achieved on the final night. “I still can’t believe what we accomplished, and till date don’t know how to face that success,” the 36-year-old Spaniard, who is NorthEast United’s marquee player in the inaugural Indian Super League, told TNIE.
“Playing in a World Cup is a dream for every child. Being champions of a World Cup is a feeling no words can express. It’s only after seeing photos and videos that you can experience the happiness of the players. It’s an unimaginable moment and thinking of it, I still get goosebumps. The streets of Spain were filled with crowds celebrating and I am very humbled and honoured to be given the opportunity to be part of such an overwhelming experience,” he said.
Apart from a short spell with Benfica in 2011, this will be the first time in 15 years that Capdevila will not be playing in the La Liga, but the left-back is ready for the scrap. “I was at a point in my career where I was looking for a new challenge. I didn’t want to retire and this came at the right time and hence I’ve taken the leap. I look forward to a phenomenal season under the guidance of Ricki Herbert and am thankful for this opportunity as this experience will add dimension to my career. I’m thankful that as a footballer I’ve always had opportunities. However, to join NEUFC was a strategic decision as it’s a new league and seemed exciting that was a perfect fit to where I am in my career at this point,” said the player who represented Deportivo and Villarreal in La Liga.
Capdevila is optimistic that the ISL will play a vital role in improving football in the country and hopes it will grow from being a two-month tournament to one that will run for a full season. “I hope with the growth of ISL, Indian football will reach the global standard. I’m confident that the young Indian talent that I will be playing with will imbibe the experiences and skills the international players have to offer. I also believe that I will learn playing alongside Indian players on a new turf. I hope the ISL in time will run for a full season instead of three months. I’ve no doubt that this will gain the visibility and fan following it deserves. With time, I’m sure we’ll see many more European players wanting to be a part of this league.”
Despite never having played for Real or Barca, the one club that Capdevila wishes he had played for is AC Milan. And while the likes of Xavi, Iniesta and Casillas were his teammates in World Cup and Euro winning campaigns, ask Capdevila who the best he has played with is, and you’ll get a rather unlikely answer. “Djalminha (former Deportivo and Brazil midfielder) is the best I’ve played with,” he said.