Juan Mata and Ricardo Kaka - football's nice guys

Juan Mata

The scene is an endearingly familiar one. We, the masses who get our weekly fix from the blockbuster football action that can never come too soon, will line up in bars, fan clubs, common rooms in hostels – practically any place that has a cable connection.

A special mention for all the living rooms that this weekend, will resemble a highly charged Indo-Pak summit, what with siblings sporting their “Gooner” and “Scouser” tags proudly, and parents warily on the lookout for a fallout that could result in nuclear annihilation.

But all of us, whilst in the throes of a build-up that rises to a fever pitch at the sight of the players alighting from the hallowed team bus, will harbor an all-consuming jealousy.

Watching those self-satisfied professionals, all covered up in the sponsor’s gear against the biting cold, zoning out to the headphones permanently lodged in their ears as they make their way into the changing rooms.

The tipping point will be when one of them high-fives Gunnersaurus on his way in, and the green glob dances around in glee.

And we think – the modern day footballer. You’re kidding me, right? A preening, condescending ball of talent whom God loved just that little bit more.

No, we aren’t talking about you, Emmanuel Adebayor. But then, nobody talks about you anymore.

Now that you have spent the last two minutes of your life wondering if the author even understands the concept of an article’s title, let me tell you this.

They’re not all that bad. And amongst these heroes that light up our weekends, the names of Juan Mata and Ricardo Kaka stand out – they are football’s goody-goody boys, the Rams to Mourinho’s Raavan (that’s my way of wishing all a Happy Diwali).

For those of you who do not know, Jose Mourinho, when he’s not getting off on scaring puppies or imitating Miley Cyrus, delights in sending scary texts to Iker Casillas in the dead of the night.

Even taking into account the one hour time difference between London and Madrid, so that when the clock strikes twelve in Madrid, San Iker wakes up to another day that begins with a beep-beep that has him breaking into cold sweat.

And no, changing your number does not work. Not with his minions Sami Khedira and Alvaro Arbeloa still at hand to do his dirty work for him. What they did to San Iker on Halloween borders on harassment. But then, God only tests the worthy.

Mata’s struggles at Chelsea this year have finally managed to shut the incessantly loud Blue Army up – for good. For years it was about “Bringing Mou” back, and then they tried to tell us that winning the Europa League has meant that Chelsea became the first English club to win “all three main UEFA club competitons”.

You keep telling yourself that, boys.

But today, with Mourinho sulking in the dug-out just like they always wanted, Mata’s plight has meant that they dare not voice their disapproval of the Special One’s ways.

Mourinho’s eccentricities may well force Mata to adapt his game, and maybe reinforce the Portuguese’s reputation as possibly the best at man management in the business – but he’s playing a high-risk game.

While Mata did tear apart an Arsenal team in the Carling Cup this week, there will be no shortage of suitors lining up for the Spaniard when the January transfer window comes along. The World Cup beckons – and Mata will have no intention of sulking in the shadows while his countrymen enjoy the sun in Brazil.

Even so, time and again the Spaniard has said that he was happy at Chelsea, and that he will work his way into Mourinho’s good books. And to put on the kind of performance he did against Arsenal – that takes a man who is secure in the knowledge of his own abilities.

The Mata we saw that day did track back a lot more – and very impressively too, breaking up Arsenal’s play on more than one occasion. But before Mourinho congratulates himself too heartily, he could very well find himself bidding farewell to a man who should really be featuring decidedly in Chelsea’s title ambitions.

The plethora of talent at hand in the creative half of Chelsea’s game will give way sooner or later – and Mata looks like the one most likely to make way.

I wonder what Abramovich will make of that.

Regardless, it is a testament to the Spaniard’s character that he has not taken to a showdown with the manager. Altogether surprising, since he has convincingly won the last two editions of Chelsea’s Player of the season award, and remains their best bet on the field even today.

A look back at all the problems Mourinho had while at Madrid, especially his ego clashes with Cristiano Ronaldo – and you will see why Mata is in a class of his own.

He will not want to look too closely at another contemporary though – a nice guy if ever there was one.

Kaka, once the darling prince in the colors of AC Milan – and Ballon d’Or winner to boot – never really found his feet in his time at Madrid.

Ricardo Kaka

Admittedly, the circumstances were different – Kaka’s niggling injuries, combined with Mesut Ozil’s subsequent ascent, not to forget Madrid’s penchant for buying anything that moves fast enough for their liking, meant that he had to hit the ground running – or stop running altogether.

And while fellow summer signing Ronaldo never did stop running, even dragging along Karim Benzema (another signing in that summer of Galactico fever) for years on end, Kaka didn’t make the cut.

But his four years at the Bernabeu suggest that Kaka had a similar disposition as our Spanish hero does today – in that they both think of signing for a club to be a genuine commitment. And not simply as a contract that can be discarded when something better comes up, or things don’t work out.

In doing so, Kaka may well have sabotaged his own career. He had no shortage of suitors in those four years, as every transfer window linked him to yet another destination.

Choosing not to act on the temptation shows us a little something about the man. Having lapped up the love of the fans in his days in Milan, Kaka obviously felt a similar obligation toward Madridistas. He often spoke of hoping to put in a shift that pleased the fans – indicative of the connection he feels is necessary for a footballer to succeed at a club.

Mata is much the same – he has made London his home, and would rather stay and cement his status as one of the best players to have graced Stamford Bridge with his talents.

The question remains, though – is it a fair marriage, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, when he is not given the respect that he deserves? It is a two-way street, you know.

Kaka, now in the arms of his beloved Milan again, can only offer a wistful smile to his comrade.

But these two, these nice guys, they deserve better than to finish last, as popular urban wisdom so dismissively suggests.