Giovanni dos Santos' career has been fraught with contrasts, conflicts and controversies. Now, it's at a crossroads. In the summer of 2021, after ending his contract with Mexican league supremacist América, the 32-year-old has been a free agent for several months. It now seems increasingly unlikely that we will see him play again at the highest level of league, and a career that was once full of hope and sometimes bursts of great sparks will now only disappear in the long darkness.
Dos Santos is a versatile striker who can play as an attacking midfielder, winger or striker. Dos Santos has a precocious talent, being able to score great goals and create opportunities for others. He was admitted to La Masia College in Barcelona at the age of 13 and played a leading role at the junior level before competing for the first B-class competition at the age of 18. In September 2007, Dos Santos replaced Thierry Henry in a 3-1 win over Athletic Bilbao, coming off the bench in the second half. On the final day of the season, he scored a hat-trick with Barca beating Murcia 5-3, which seemed to confirm his status as a future legend for the club. However, it marked the end of his Camp Nou career.
The problem is that Dos Santos and Messi are fighting for the same spot — a battle he will never win — while another La Masia graduate, Bojan, made an even more explosive impact with 10 goals in his first season, making the Mexican a member of the team's fringes outside the pair. Still, he is widely regarded as one of the most promising youngsters in world football, so he left in 2008 to try to qualify for first-team competition elsewhere. Dos Santos eventually came to Tottenham, but he failed to integrate into the team and spent most of his time on loan with Ipswich, Galatasaray and Santander. In October 2008, Tottenham hotspur manager Ramos, who signed him, was sacked after a bad start, which also hampered his development.
The Spaniard was replaced by Harry Redknapp, who didn't like Dos Santos at all, even publicly accusing the youngster of being too often at parties and being late for training. Redknapp said in a 2010 interview: "If his passing can be as smooth as going to a nightclub, then he's fine. His parents came to see me last year and he apologized to me because they realized he wasn't dedicated. He has great abilities and superb skills. But, all of a sudden, he was late on Monday morning and had a stomach upset. He probably went to a party somewhere in Barcelona. However, he had great talent. If he works hard, he could become a top player. ”
Dos Santos' attack ability is also a double-edged sword. He plays best as a shadow striker, but he is also placed as an organizational core where his ability to create chances is less prominent, or as an inside-cut winger he goes too far and can't find the ball, or on the left wing he is confined to the sidelines and often wanders outside the game. In the end, Dos Santos returned to Spain on a free transfer with Mallorca in 2012 and regained his footing, scoring six goals in 32 appearances and becoming the relegation team's top scorer.
The upturn in form earned him the chance to travel to Villarreal, where he finally found normal top-level playing times, playing at a high level of play for several consecutive seasons at the same club, something he had never done before. However, he surprised many Mexican fans who wanted him to start a great renaissance in Europe, but she joined the LA Galaxy at the age of 26. However, his form continued to improve to such an extent that he was shortlisted for the 2015 Ballon d'Or — one of only two Major League Soccer players — to share the distinction with Pirlo at New York City Football Club. In 2016 and 2017, he was also the cover star of the SPECIAL EDITION OF THE FIFA series of games MLS.
Speaking about his Ballon d'Or nominations, Dos Santos said: "It's great to be on the charts with the best players in the world. I am happy to represent my country and my team. I'm proud. I've been working very hard and while it was a surprise for me, I was very happy. "In dos Santos' attempt to calm down, get closer to his family and focus on football, being away from party life was also a factor in his abandonment of European football." To be honest, I like to stay at home," he told the media in 2018, "I just got training and came home and I love being with my family, being with my parents, and spending a day with them." I really enjoy watching movies and reading books. Really, I'm a very calm person in this regard. I think I'm at a stage in my life where I see life in a different way, I enjoy life in a different way, and I like to relax with the people I want to spend time with. ”
However, in 2019, Dos Santos left the Galaxy after battling injuries for two years and played club football with Team America for the first time in his home country, where he has long been seen as a hero in Mexican football. Although Dos Santos never reached the heights he had initially expected in his club career, it can be argued that he has exceeded expectations on the national team. He first helped Mexico win at the 2005 U17 World Championships, helping Mexico score eight of 16 goals and score silver balls to become the tournament's second-best player – losing to Anderson in the battle for the top prize.
His first international tournament had a similar success, with he named the best player in the 2009 Gold Cup, helping Mexico to victory on american soil, beating their main opponent 5-0 in the final. It was their second achievement two years later, beating the U.S. national team again in the decider, this time 4-2, and Dos Santos scored a wonderful goal in the final to win him another national team title. It was a goal that deserves repeated attention, and it showed the talent of Dos Santos, but he only showed it occasionally.
In 2012, mexico won the gold medal in Men's Football at the Olympics in London, the highest achievement he has achieved in international competitions. Dos Santos scored three goals, including a goal in extra time against Senegal in the quarter-finals, however an injury in the semi-final against Japan ended his match prematurely and he had to miss the final victory over Brazil at Wembley. Dos Santos has also represented Mexico in three World Cups, though he failed to help Mexico break the round of 16 limit that has plagued his national team since 1994. In 2014, he helped Mexico take the lead in the second half with outstanding goals against the Netherlands, but they conceded two goals in the final six minutes to make it 1-2.
Although he is in his early 30s, it seems unlikely that Dos Santos will play in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He has never had sustained success in the Americas, as he suffered an early setback with a badly scratched leg against Chivas Guadalajara. He has been a free agent since falling out of favor with Team America under new head coach Santiago Solari in 2021. There are rumors that he will return to professional football, but that's about it.
Dos Santos' close relationship with his family may have been a factor, and his father , former Brazilian footballer Chiziño — died suddenly a month after he left The Americas at the age of 59, suffering from COVID-19, which undoubtedly had a profound impact on him. His reputation at the party, whether still important or not, will continue to follow Dos Santos. The latest reports suggest he could return to football in 2022, adding a clause that would allow him to host family gatherings or go to nightclubs without paparazzi showing up. However, such an agreement , whether it may exist or not — has yet to be reached.