How an ironic Moussa Sissoko chant somehow came to fruition

Moussa Sissoko’s change in fortune has been as radical as it was unexpected. Here is a quick recap of where it all went right.

About a year ago, an uproarious Tottenham faithful sang ‘who needs Bale when you’ve got Sissoko’ at The Bernabeu.

In case I need to point out, every last syllable was marinated in profound sarcasm and dripping with tragic irony. How could any player – let alone Moussa Sissoko – ever recreate the beautiful and indelible memories Gareth Bale left Spurs fans with.

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But the chant did give us all a good laugh, and, apart from a steadfast scapegoat, the Frenchman became somewhat of a comical club figure (who just happened to cost £30 million).

Moussa was crowned the squad’s undisputed UNO champion – gifting Twitter endless ammunition – and earlier this season, for probably the first time in footballing history, a team’s own supporters urged the FA to ban one of its players after Moussa allegedly stamped on Newcastle’s Kenedy off-the-ball.

Then, on 20 September 2018, came an unforeseen moment of caprice. In front of an incredulous London Stadium, Sissoko skinned a claret shirt before floating a delectable left-footed cross onto Erik Lamela’s head in what proved the only goal of the game.

Spurs fans had waited over two and a half years for such a moment and savoured it as a fleeting flash in the pan. But that flash quickly turned to a flame before rapidly transforming into a rampaging fire.

Equipped with the frame of a Panzer tank and the engine of a Venom GT, Sissoko has been running riot ever since – it seems all he needed was a kickstart of confidence. He’s been Spurs’ best player more often than not and even has himself back in a ridiculously talented French squad.

Wednesday night was, without doubt, the apotheosis of his Spurs career. As usual, he covered every blade of grass – thrice over – and Spurs were most dangerous when he got those muscular legs churning down the right flank.

But it was a resolute Inter Milan defence and Tottenham looked to be crashing out of the tournament. The home side just lacked the sort of spark in the final third that Gareth Bale provided against the very same opposition eight years ago.

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However, in a truly glorious footballing narrative, Spurs didn’t need the Welsh winger, they had Moussa Sissoko. The inexhaustible Frenchman’s endeavour finally paid off as a powerful foray towards Milan’s box led the ball to Christian Eriksen who made the back of the net bulge!

They say football has an infinite capacity to amaze people, and I’m starting to believe it. The strides Sissoko has taken in recent weeks befit a giant and thanks to Spurs unlikely new hero it remains in the race for club football’s most coveted trophy.