10 of the biggest wastes of talent in football

#6 Giovani dos Santos

Dos Santos currently plays in Mexico

Giovani dos Santos left his native Mexico for Barcelona’s La Masia academy at the age of 11. Coming through the ranks alongside Lionel Messi, the Mexican’s style of play resembled Ronaldinho more than the Argentine, thus leading many to consider him a talent who would shape the world of football to come.

As things turned out, Dos Santos left Barcelona on a high, scoring a hat-trick in his last La Liga game, but was tempted by the prospect of first-team football being offered at Tottenham Hotspur.

However, a predilection for the party lifestyle upended his Lilywhite career, with Harry Redknapp saying:

“If he could pass a nightclub as well as he could pass a ball, he would be alright.”

“He’s got bags of ability and fantastic skill. Suddenly he was late on Monday morning – upset stomach. He’d probably been in Barcelona, partying somewhere.”

A series of loan spells at Ipswich Town, Galatasaray and Racing Santander ended with a permanent transfer from Spurs to RCD Mallorca in 2012. There were brief glimpses of a resurrection in La Liga with Mallorca and Villarreal, but the Mexican opted for a move closer to his homeland, signing for MLS side LA Galaxy.

He then joined Club America in 2019 and still plays for them in Mexico.

A rather large fall from grace for someone once considered the peer of Messi and Ronaldinho.