Being a parent of a curious preschool kid is somewhat delightful and highly challenging at the same time. There’s not a single day you don’t hear half a dozen questions regarding the world around us that this tiny brain of theirs is trying to comprehend. What is good and evil? How do you know you love someone? Where do you see the difference between the job and the profession? And it goes on like this non-stop… And as a dad, you have a strange sense of fear you won’t be able to provide them with the most accurate responses. A few days ago, she asked me what does ‘an elegance’ mean?##EDITORS_CHOICE##Uhh, well… listen, honey, it’s some women or men with a graceful and stylish appearance, you know, that is smart-dressed with some manners attached to that package. That was the answer. But then, another additional question caused some scratching around the head… Ok, and tell me an example, do you know any person of that ilk who you considered elegant when you were my age?And, sure, there’s no reason to tell a six-year-old about Fernando Redondo, the former Argentina and Real Madrid football player. But to be completely honest with you, there’s no better answer to the above-mentioned question than – Redondo.He was, and to this day, probably still is, the most specific embodiment of the term ‘elegance’. The 52-year-old retired ages ago, but his on-the-pitch brilliance and grace remain the perfect example of a one-of-a-kind elegance. And now that we mentioned this day, there’s one lovely coincidence – on this very day, only 22 years ago, Redondo demonstrated what he was made of. What a player Fernando Redondo was! https://t.co/dSR0VI8FUJ— callum (@callum_2022) April 13, 2022 There’s no better stage for coronation than in front of the lights of the mesmerising, packed Old Trafford on the Champions League night against the then-champions of Europe.Fergie’s boys were playing against Redondo’s Royals, and the impeccable midfielder, Real’s captain that night, displayed until then almost unprecedented style and skills. On this day in 2000, Redondo and THAT backheel… pic.twitter.com/RgLHYrVFjY— 90s Football (@90sfootball) April 19, 2022 His Apollonian body posture and incredible technique hypnotised the hosts, as Scholes, Keane, Becks, and co. were relentlessly trying to get a hold of him. And were nowhere near his shadow, let alone stopping Redondo himself. But none of them left the Old Trafford turf that night humiliated like probably forgotten Hening Berg. VILLAREAL – VALENCIAIt was already 2-0 for the guests on the scoreboard at that 53rd minute when Redondo received the ball on the left flank. What he did then will stay in our collective memory for decades as a true example of an impeccable football skill – he hit the ball with his left backheel, it went between Berg’s legs as the Argentine played rushed past him, and then meticulously found totally unmarked Raul Gonzales on the far post with a perfect cross for an easy tap-in, and 3-0.The man whose name means ’round’ in Spanish was as sharp, prodigious and concrete as it gets that night, 19 April 2000. The Prince of Elegance was crowned against the Red Devils.
