“You’re too young to play football. Focus on your education! ”
Ricardo Aimar did not want to let his son, Pablo Aimar, got caught up in the whirlpool of football. Because for Ricardo, football will never provide a better life for his son. However, although Pablo Aimar belongs to a child who is devoted to his parents, he now chooses to determine his way of life.
Aimar, who learned how to be a footballer, imitated a bit of the inherent nature of his father. Humility, hard work, and honesty. These three points make Aimar strong in facing every challenge.
Right in 1993, or when he was 13 years old, Aimar dared to speak to the River Plate club legend, Daniel Passarella, that he wanted to join the club. It was only then, Daniel Passarella was the one who spoke with Aimar’s father to say that his son had such extraordinary talent.
That way, Ricardo Aimar also has no choice. With a slightly restless heart, he released his son to pursue football at a relatively young age.
Just like most of the world’s other talents, Aimar’s journey started from street football. He often spent time with his peers just to play football.
Pablo Cesar Aimar Giordano is known as an outstanding attacking midfielder. Aimar is an Argentine football academy graduate, Estudiantes Rio Cuarto. His young coach, Alfie Mercado, saw Aimar as a talent predicted to shine. Speed, ball control, to reading the game can be mastered by this 170 cm tall man.
After officially joining River Plate in 1993, Aimar made his debut for River on August 11, 1996, against Colon. His first goal for the club came on February 20, 1998, against Rosario Central.
Four seasons strengthening River Plate, he packed 21 goals in 82 matches. Moreover, he also successfully presented two league trophies and one super trophy for River Plate.
Following an extraordinary performance with River Plate, Aimar was glimpsed by a European club, Valencia. Here, he was referred to as the successor to Diego Maradona. Long before Lionel Messi was compared to Maradona, Aimar was first labeled the next Maradona by the Argentine public.
His movements are fast, have good vision, reliable in passing players, measurable passes, and his tiny body and dreadlocks make the Argentinian public seem to see the figure of Maradona in the new version again.
In Valencia, Aimar’s heyday in European football emerged. He was brought to Spain with a fee of 24 million euros or 353 billion rupiahs. Five seasons strengthening Los Che, Aimar scored 27 goals in 162 matches. He twice lifted the La Liga trophy, twice the super cup trophy, and once Europa league trophy. Meanwhile, in the 2000/01 Champions League final, Aimar failed to bring his team to the championship after being defeated by Bayern Munich on penalties.
At that time, Aimar was truly the idol of the Estadio Mestalla. Because Valencia had not won the La Liga for 30 years before Aimar came to dock.
The greatness of Aimar himself was recognized directly by Maradona. Since Aimar decided to move to Europe to defend Valencia, Maradona had predicted that Aimar would be a great player. It turns out that what Maradona said was true. Aimar later became an important figure in the triumph achieved by Valencia at that time. He won the prestigious trophy for the Spanish club.
The greatness of Aimar as a motorbike in Valencia was what ultimately led to him being nicknamed El Magoa which means the Witch.
But when Ranieri entered the ranks of Valencia coaches, Aimar began to have trouble in penetrating the first team. Until eventually, he had to be eliminated from the competition and moved to other La Liga teams, Real Zaragoza. After the nickname: “The Witch” was still firmly attached to him, Zaragoza had brought him pushed to number four in the first half of the season, and had the opportunity to compete in the European Champions League competition.
However, a knee injury he suffered in the middle of the season kept him away for a month. Zaragoza who lost the wizard had to be thrown from the top five at the end of the season.
The year of 2006 was the beginning of the sinking of Pablo Aimar’s career. Aimar has only played for two seasons for Los Blanquillos. Among the 47 matches in La Liga, he only scored five goals.
Aimar then decided to move out of the competition. He later joined the Portuguese Premier League club, Benfica. Aimar returned to his best. In the second season with Benfica, he gave the club a League trophy. During five seasons in Portugal, Aimar has played 171 times in all competitions.
At that time, at Benfica, Aimar made a duet with his former River Plate teammate, Javier Saviola. Keep in mind, both of them became the figures behind the success of River Plate who won the Argentine Apertura League and Clausura in 2000, although at that time they were still aged 19 and 17 years old. Both also left the River with a period that is not much different. Aimar in January 2001, while Saviola six months later headed for Barcelona.
After five seasons defending the Portuguese giants, Aimar’s contract finally ran out. After playing for Benfica, Aimar decided to pursue a career in Malaysia with Johor Darul Takzim.
The decision was fatal.
Not even a year defending the Malaysian club, Aimar was fired just like that. Johor Darul Takzim decided to terminate Aimar’s contract because the player was often injured. Johor was getting frustrated and chose to take extreme solutions. They decided to immediately fire Aimar with the excuse of having wasted money for him.
After having no club, Aimar finally returned to Argentina. 15 years traveling outside Argentina, Aimar made his debut when River defeated Rosario Central on May 31, 2015.
But it turned out to be the first and at the last fight for Aimar. On July 16, 2015, Aimar decided to hang up his shoes after his name was not included by River’s coach, Marcelo Gallardo, to undergo the Copa Libertadores semi-final match.
The decision Gallardo made to exclude Aimar was the best after Aimar told Gallardo the problem so far. Aimar had said that he felt suffering from the injury he suffered.
So when Gallardo’s decision was taken, he decided to stop playing football.
Although he ended his career less desirably, Aimar’s journey was much in demand by the world of football lovers. He managed to be an inspiration for some players, including FC Barcelona star, Lionel Messi.
Messi did not even hesitate to call Aimar his childhood idol.
According to Messi, Aimar is one of Argentina’s best players. He has inspired him a lot and became his idol during his childhood. When Aimar decided to retire, Messi even thanked Aimar for giving his magic on the pitch.
“Pablo Aimar will always be my idol. I enjoyed his game, and I’ve followed his journey since he was at the River, ”
“He is the best player in the world. I am very grateful to him.” Said Lionel Messi (quoted from soccer training).
