Gonzalo Higuain celebrated his 28th birthday on the 10th of December, Louis Gibberd-Thomas gives his verdict on the in-form Napoli striker.
“If Gonzalo Higuain doesn’t win the Ballon d’Or, then it’s his fault.”
These were the words of the Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri on his star striker. The Argentinian began his journey at the beginning of the century with River Plate before moving to Real Madrid. Although his talent has rarely been questioned and his statistics are more than impressive, Higuain would leave the Santiago Bernabeu behind during the summer of 2013 and embark on a new adventure in Naples.
Stepping in to fill the void left by Paris Saint-Germain bound Edinson Cavani, the fans were overjoyed to land the striker; who seemed to be on his way to Arsenal. Despite undergoing several changes in structure and coaching, the Argentinian has remained at the forefront of the Azzurri attack. His current tally stands at 69 goals in 122 matches, which looks impressive but pales in comparison to his predecessor who managed 104 goals in 138 games.
Both strikers have achieved similar assist records at the club, making them dissimilar on paper solely on their strike rate. Although it may seem Napoli pulled the short straw, the Argentinian gives a great deal more on a personal level. For starters, he wants to be in Naples.
Cavani was eager to stretch his wings and test himself at the highest level, with a long run in the Champions League of particular attraction to the Uruguayan. Higuain has played at the pinnacle of club football with Real Madrid and wants to be somewhere where he can feel be loved, and not for the first time a star of Argentinian football has sought refuge in Southern Italy.
As any Neopolitan will tell you: the Stadio San Paolo has had many great players grace it’s soil, but none more so than Diego Maradona. The Argentinian has permanently ingratiated himself and his nation toward the people of Naples, who viewed Maradona as one of their own. Higuain has certainly benefited from the glittering career of Maradona.
With regard to a possible Ballon d’Or candidacy, the competition ahead of Higuain is fearsome. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have hogged the limelight and don’t look like letting up. Even if neither player were involved, certain strikers across Europe would have a greater chance than Higuain, namely Sergio Aguero and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Higuain would need to make a serious contribution to a European campaign or break records with his goal scoring to have a chance.
This time last season Higuain had seven goals in Serie A, currently he has double that figure which has raised the expectation level for the current campaign; something that may prove crucial with the Partenopei targeting the Scudetto. Despite some frustrating moments the Argentinian seems to be thriving with the responsibility on his shoulders.
During his spell in Madrid he shared the central striking role with Karim Benzema, who would later displace Higuain and deprive the Argentinian of match time. Nonetheless his 122 goals were impressive considering he spent much of his final year appearing from the substitutes bench.
His excellent scoring record has followed him wherever he has gone, but it hasn’t stopped speculation linking him with a move away from Naples. Interest from the Premier League has created an air of uncertainty over the future of Higuain. Some comfort has been drawn from his relationship with the fans, who fully understand his worth. Higuain has carved out a place he can call his own at the San Paolo, with his loyalty likely to take the form of captaincy should he choose to prolong his stay.
