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Higuain’s stunning fall from grace continues

By Evan Siegel

TURIN, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 23: Gonzalo Gerardo Higuain of Juventus looks on before the Serie A match between Juventus and Torino FC on September 23, 2017 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images )
TURIN, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 23: Gonzalo Gerardo Higuain of Juventus looks on before the Serie A match between Juventus and Torino FC on September 23, 2017 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images ) /
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Patience is the soccer world is kept to a minimum, but Gonzalo Higuain’s fair share appears to have run out.

Gonzalo Higuain has had a terrific professional career by anybody’s standards, scoring dramatic goals for River Plate, Real Madrid, Napoli, Juventus, and the Argentinian national team. Just twenty-nine years old with seemingly years of productive play ahead of him, Higuain has lost touch with his former self who used to be one of the game’s most feared strikers.

After beginning his career playing for his childhood team in Buenos Aires, Higuain left his country to join forces with Real Madrid, starting as a super-sub behind the team’s numerous star forwards. After making a name for himself at the international and professional level, Higuain was eventually signed to Napoli for a $40 million transfer fee.

Higuain was a stud for Napoli, scoring 71 goals in just three seasons. In the prime of his career, an eventual return to Real Madrid or another larger team seemed inevitable. But when his international play began to plunge, everything was turned upside down for Higuain.

It all started early in the 2014 World Cup Final. After a dramatic run through the group stage and a penalty shootout win over the Netherlands in the semi-final, Argentina clashed with Germany fresh off of their historic annihilation of hosts Brazil. Higuain was absolutely gifted a wide open chance after an errant pass set up Higuain one-on-one with Manuel Neuer.

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Higuain shanked the ball completely wide of the net and became the most significant play in Argentina’s extra time loss to Germany. Only a year later in the final of the Copa America, Higuain again missed a golden opportunity in the final to win his team an international tournament.

Now in 2017, Higuain has been left off of the international squad for the time being. Despite being sold to Juventus for $90 million, Higuain has been relegated to a substitute for the first time since his early days at River Plate. In Wednesday’s Champions League win over Olympiacos, Higuain came on in the 60th minute and immediately shifted the game.

Scoring one goal and setting up another, Higuain showed flashes of his former self. The strong, brushing striker with a powerful right leg that intimidated goalkeepers throughout his days in Argentina, Spain, and Italy. Still just twenty-nine years old, there is time for Higuain to see a rebirth and possibly make the Argentine roster before next summer’s World Cup, where he may not face the same pressure to score the way he did in the 21st minute of the 2014 World Cup Final.

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