Every parting is for the next reunion, every goodbye is for the next meeting.
The clamor of the world can't touch your suffering, and who can glimpse a few points of the fervor you pay for soccer.
He is the game-changer on the field, the invisible hero of both offense and defense. When the team needs glue, he is the force that makes you wonder how such a team could not be strong.
In Elche, Valencia, a soccer family was born, and José Antonio was responsible for the family's glory. Not only was his father a great soccer player, but his brothers were also popular in the region, but it was the youngest, Saúl, who was the most popular.
His dexterous dribbling and natural defensive instincts foresee a brilliant future for him. What the coach appreciates most, however, is his mentality - his winning spirit, his ambition, and his infinite loyalty to the team. These may be difficult to detect on the field, but they are often the key to a player's success or failure. Among his peers, he was virtually unrivaled. He began to dedicate himself quietly to the team, that unseen effort, birthdays that he couldn't celebrate, parties that he couldn't be a part of, and obsessive-compulsive training to improve his soccer skills while others were having fun.
His hard work would eventually pay off, and in 2006, at the age of 11, Saúl was favored by Real Madrid and given the opportunity to receive youth training. It was a dream team for countless kids from Spain and all over the world.
However, he was not happy in that youth academy and suffered injustice.
"I learned a lot during that year with Real Madrid, I matured a lot. It was also a difficult time in my life." --Saúl
In 2008, he left Real Madrid for his "second home", Atlético de Madrid, where people tried to interfere with his training by taking away his shoes and food, and where anonymous letters were written to falsely accuse him.
At the time, Atletico were actively developing their youth system, and Saúl found the stage to showcase his skills. His partnership with Óliver Torres has been hailed as one of the mainstays of Atletico in the last decade. However, it was Saúl, who started out as a defender, who really shone.
Carrying the dreams of all Atletico fans, Saúl joined the Atletico system in 2008 and made it to the professional team in just two years. After making over 200 appearances for the youth team, he attracted the attention of superpowers such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Bayern Munich, but he turned them all down, knowing that Atlético de Madrid was his home! In 2010, at the age of 15, he finally joined the Pro B team, where he was quickly promoted to the main squad, and in 2012, at the age of 17, he made his debut at the Stadio de la Cádrica in a match against Besiktas.
Unfortunately, Atletico had a wealth of talent in the midfield at the time and Saúl missed out on his first Champions League final appearance when he was sent out on loan to Vaccareno in the 13/14 season, but he accrued invaluable big-game experience.
In the 14/15 Madrid derby, he crushed the confidence of the Real Madrid players and the hearts of the Real Madrid fans with a difficult reverse hook. He is Atletico Madrid's number 17 and his name is Saúl Ñiguez.
It was not only revenge for past injustices, it was his way of showing the world, "I am Atletico's boy". You will not just remember this goal, but you will always remember him - Saúl.
