Why All-Rounder Diego Godin Is Still so Crucial at Both Ends for Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid’s second pre-season game could hardly have been more different to the first.

From the comfortable 2-0 stroll against Numancia in front of just 1,500 fans at Burgo de Osma, Spain, last Saturday came a 1-0 victory over a determined and somewhat unlucky Tottenham Hotspur at the vast Melbourne Cricket Ground, one of Australia’s premier sporting venues and a place more used to seeing runs scored and wickets taken rather than a scruffy goal from a set piece.

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No, they aren’t known for their love of cricket in the Spanish capital, but if Atletico Madrid fans did know a bit more about Australia’s premier sport—and indeed a very popular one in England, where Tottenham now return having lost both of their matches Down Under—then they might describe their match-winner as an “all-rounder.”

Diego Godin—the scorer of plenty of goals in Atletico’s past, most of which were much more important than this one—was on hand to turn the ball home after Spurs youngster Anton Walkes could only flick a Gabi free-kick into his path, with the muted celebrations that followed a reminder that the real stuff doesn’t start for Atletico until August 21, when Alaves visit the Calderon.

That said, a win over a team of Tottenham’s quality at any time is to be welcomed, as indeed is a Godin goal.

The cricketing term “all-rounder” refers to a players capable of excelling at the two premier disciplines in the sport—batting and bowling.

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An all-rounder can win you matches thanks to their contributions with the bat when adding runs to the team’s total and with the ball by getting members of the opposition team out. They usually have a premier focus like the other players on their team, but they just so happen to be useful at both of the things that they do. Godin is no different.

One of the very best defenders in world football over the past few years, he has also contributed valuable goals at valuable times for his side.

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Memorably scoring the goal that clinched La Liga glory for Atletico at the Camp Nou in 2014, he was also just moments away from becoming a Champions League match-winner for his side with his goal in the Lisbon, Portugal, final against Real Madrid a week later.

In that 2013/14 campaign alone he managed an impressive eight goals from centre-back, underlining Atletico’s threat from set pieces and ensuring that no opposition could afford to lose sight of him when coming up for a corner or free-kick.

He took that form into the World Cup in Brazil and, although it has long been forgotten because of what Luis Suarez did to the shoulder of Georgio Chiellini, he managed to head the winning goal against Italy that took Uruguay to the last 16 of the tournament.

But since then, the goals have somewhat dried up a little, and he managed just one goal for Atletico throughout the entire 2015/16 campaign—the opener in a 2-0 success at Granada in early December.

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However, that has to be offset by the fact he scored four times for his country over the course of the season—in World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia, Colombia and Chile and in the Copa America against Mexico.

Perhaps his diminishing goal return at club level is down to the fact that Diego Simeone has evolved his side to the extent that set pieces aren’t as crucial for them any more, and that they instead focus more on carving out chances for their supremely gifted forwards and the players scoring goals from midfield.

Whatever the reason, it is still impossible to overstate just how important a presence Godin is when attacking set pieces, with club and country partner Jose Gimenez also a player who needs to be given close attention.

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When around the box, Godin can often move like a forward, utilising the same skills and abilities that make him such a good defender in order to attack the ball and score goals.

The goalscoring central defender is a special asset to have at the very top of the world game, and if you’ve got one, then you need to both protect and nurture him.

Godin—about to enter his seventh season as an Atletico player and still very much Simeone’s main man—is still one of the game’s great all-rounders, as demonstrated at the MCG, and his goals could again be the difference between success and failure as an exciting Atletico side takes shape ahead of 2016/17.