© EuroFootball.com
Although Carlos Tevez is only 20 years old, he is already a battle-hardened player, with a large scar running from his right ear to his chest. Growing up in one of the tough neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, he can only be grateful that his scars are superficial. This Argentine is undoubtedly one of the biggest (or perhaps the biggest?) talents beyond the borders of Europe. If you haven't heard about him yet, you can be sure that you will soon.
"I don't like comparisons," says football legend Diego Maradona. "But yes, it's hard not to notice what he has achieved. Very few players achieve so much at such a young age."
We write these words not without reason - Carlos Tevez is the latest player to be compared with the legendary Maradona. However, unlike others, he increasingly confirms his reputation as Maradona's successor each year.
Little Carlos attracted attention when he was only eight years old, playing for the local club "All Boys" in the under-12 team. Though he was only 1.37 meters tall at the time, both of Argentina's most powerful clubs observed his progress: "Boca Juniors" and "River Plate." It was between these clubs, when Carlos was only twelve years old, that a battle for the young prodigy erupted, not much different from the confusion that clouds Wayne Rooney's future. The battle was won by "Boca Juniors."
Since then, Tevez has helped the Buenos Aires club win the Libertadores Cup, and he himself was named the best player in last season's South American Championship. He was one of the leaders of the Argentine youth (under 20) team in the South American Youth Championship, which Argentina won.
He was also one of the best players in the Argentine national team at the "Copa America 2004" tournament, where Argentina only lost to their fierce rivals, the Brazilian national team, in the final. After that defeat, he left the field with tears in his eyes, but last Saturday, he triumphed with the entire Argentine Olympic team, which won the Olympic football tournament with a 1-0 victory over the Paraguayan national team in the final. Tevez himself scored the only goal in the final.
It is an understatement to say that he dominated in that tournament. Argentina played undefeated in that tournament and finished with 17 goals scored and only one conceded. Carlos scored eight of those seventeen goals in five matches. "We knew that he played well, as we've seen lots of tapes of his game," said Italian national team defender Daniele Bonera, who had to mark Tevez in the semi-final match. "But when I had to face him on the field, everything seemed different. Speed, strength, coordination, and technique - he has all these qualities. It's incredible! It seems like someone is controlling him with a PlayStation controller."
Bonera can be forgiven, as in that semi-final match, Tevez looked like Zinedine Zidane playing against a group of ten-year-olds. The Argentine did as he pleased on the field and scored the first goal in the match where the Argentine national team triumphed with a 3-0 victory over the European youth champions, who also had national team players such as Andrea Pirlo and Matteo Ferrari.
Another thing that prompts people to compare Tevez to Maradona is his appearance. Strangest of all, the short (171 cm) Tevez resembles not a young Maradona but the Argentine football legend when he was in his forties.
What pleases the player's fans the most is that, even though he is a millionaire, Tevez does not suffer from the "star disease." When signing a contract with "Boca," Carlos was asked about any financial bonuses, to which the Argentine replied: "I want you to rent a house for me close to where I grew up." Despite becoming a football star, Carlos still lives in that house with his parents, brothers, and sisters, and his room looks like that of a teenage football fan.
The walls of his bedroom are lined with posters of Ronaldo and Maradona, and his most prized possession is a David Beckham jersey, which he received when "Boca" played a friendly match against "Manchester United" - it hangs above his bed.
The most intimidating thing for opponents is that the Argentine does not stop improving. Being unselfish, he almost never holds onto the ball for too long and gladly passes it to a teammate. The player's coaches have the task of determining Tevez's best position on the field. He has played as a supporting attacker and as a striker. He played as a striker in the "Copa America" final against Brazil.
"He's too good to sit on the bench," said Argentine national team coach Marcelo Bielsa at the time. "So I asked him to play as an attacking midfielder. I try to field the best 11 players on the field, regardless of their position. And Tevez is amazing in every position, so I can confidently let him play."
It now seems only a matter of time before this prodigy signs a contract with one of Europe's major football clubs. Last year, "Boca Juniors" rejected a £9 million offer from Bayern Munich, and in recent weeks, clubs such as Barcelona, Milan, PSV Eindhoven, and Manchester United have shown active interest in the player.
Mauricio Macri, president of "Boca Juniors," who recently rejected a €13 million offer from PSV, outlined the club's philosophy: "We know that sooner or later we will have to sell him. But we will only sell him for his true value. Currently, that sum is large, very large."
Tevez knows that he will have to play in Europe in the future, but he says he is in no hurry: "I am 20 years old, and I have no great desire to go anywhere. It would be very profitable financially, and I think about my family. There is still plenty of time, and I don't want to leave until I'm ready."
Although he may not want to leave Argentina for a few more years, it is highly doubtful that the player will stay at "Boca Juniors" longer than until next summer. Moreover, there are no more tournaments left for him to win in South America.
