Good Player Guide #14 – Javier Pastore

Javier Pastore
(Palermo / Argentina)

He has been described as “a phenomenon” by Javier Zanetti and “somebody who will one day win the Golden Ball” by his president at Palermo, and offers are already trickling in from the world’s elite clubs. He is a midfielder by trade but is one of Serie A’s leading scorers this season with 7 goals in 16 games thus far. And at international level, he is already starting to establish himself on the scene at the ripe old age of 21. Javier Pastore certainly looks to be going places.

It seems not a week goes by in Italy without Palermo’s hugely promising talent Pastore making headlines. He has scored important goals in big games at Fiorentina and Juventus, a stunning hat-trick to win the Sicilian derby against rivals Catania and his elegant skill has prompted La Gazzetta dello Sport to liken him to Cruyff, Francescoli and Riquelme rolled into one.

Standing at 6 ft 2 inches, Pastore’s rangy stature has seen him avoid the ‘new Maradona’ tag that tends to adorn every promising young Argentine playmaker emerging these days. Instead, comparisons have been made with another South American star footballer, Kaka.

There are definite and obvious similarities. Pastore’s graceful running from midfield and poise on the ball are reminiscent of the former Milan man. They are similar in terms of their movement both on and off the ball, and Pastore’s mop of dark hair and height also lend to a distinct physical likeness. Their career paths to date are also resemblent. Both made lucrative moves to Italy from South America at young ages (Kaka at 21, Pastore a year younger). “I always tried to imitate Kaka’s style,” Pastore admits. “I also met his dad, Bosco. It’s really nice to be compared to him.”

Nicknamed ‘El Flaco’ or ‘the skinny one’ (there is a tendency in Argentina for people to hand out nicknames based on appearance), Pastore was born in Cordoba and started his career at lower league Cordoban outfit Talleres before being loaned to Huracán in 2008 in a deal organised by Marcelo Simonian, the representative who part-owned his rights.

It was at Huracán that Pastore’s upward trajectory began. There, under the guise of Angel Cappa, the skinny young teenager helped guide the mid-level Argentine outfit to their best season in nearly 30 years. Playing wonderful, expansive football, the Huracán team of Matías Defederico, Mario Bolatti and Pastore finished a whisker away from winning the 2009 Clausura, the league’s top scorers denied by hugely controversial refereeing decisions in a last day title-deciding game won by eventual champions Velez Sarsfield.

Despite the disappointment Pastore’s star was born. In came Palermo, whose president Maurizio Zamparini had been alerted to the Argentine’s exploits and was tracking him for some time. “Three months before the end of the Clausura they were talking and talking and talking,” says Pastore of the speculation. “I always tried to ignore it because what was happening at Huracán was truly spectacular, something I was enjoying every minute of. But when the season ended I had to decide what to do, and everything pulled me towards Palermo. I had to think more about my family than Huracán.”

The decision was made. A deal was struck for little under €6 million.

Positionally, Pastore is a classic number 10, though not strictly by design or choice. As a youngster he went for a trial at Talleres, but having grown up on a diet of street football in dusty parks with friends, the idea of a set position was alien to him. “My dad said to me, ‘If they ask you where you play, tell them you play in midfield’,” Pastore told FourFourTwo in an interview. “‘Tell them you are a number 10.’ So I did, and I did well!”

Since deciding on a position, Pastore has developed at impressive speed. He is neither the quickest nor the most physical of players and can be shrugged off the ball at times. But the 21-year-old is a playmaker of haute couture – graceful, comfortable with either foot and blessed with wonderful vision.

His eye for a pass and the elegant simplicity with which he executes his ideas is also a prominent part of his game. Pastore is always looking for that master-key pass to unlock defences. And, crucially, he can beat a man with a trick to create the yard of space needed.

In Italy Pastore is thriving. He helped guide Palermo to 5th in 2009/2010, their best league finish in years. He’s growing and is now physically bulkier; something he puts down to the delicacies of Sicily.

And he’s learning too, developing both tactical awareness and the defensive side of his game. “In Italy I learnt a lot how to retreat and occupy spaces correctly when the team loses the ball,” says Pastore. On the international stage he’s featured in all but one of Sergio Batista’s Argentina squads since the World Cup.

Pastore’s notable developmental arc now sees him linked to several of Europe’s major clubs. Zamparini is naturally reluctant to let his crown jewels leave and is digging heels. “I think he’s worth around €60 million,” says Palermo’s president.

Pastore himself is happy. “The team is always growing and I am growing with the team,” he told La Repubblica. “I don’t see any reason as to why I should leave.”

Ultimately however money talks in football and with Barcelona and others heavily linked (he and Lionel Messi have become friends), a big money move in the near future seems inevitable. Pastore is undoubtedly talented enough for the next level.

(photo by Ryu Voelkel on Flickr)

Argentina, Argentinian Football, Good Player Guide, Italian Serie A, Javier Pastore, Palermo