FC Barcelona - La Liga
Ronald Araujo: God's soldier who runs 35 km/h
- HUGO CEREZO
- ADAPTED BY CONOR CLANCY
WhenBarcelona announced their squad numbers for the 2020/21 season, eyebrows would have raised to see the same No.4 shirt worn by Ronald Koeman, Pep Guardiola, Rafa Marquez, Cesc Fabregas and Ivan Rakitic go to a newcomer with just six first-team games behind him.
Now, just two months on, there aren't many people left who have doubts aboutRonald Araujo's ability.
The Uruguayan is one of the few positives to come out of this season so far.Ronald Koeman's side have been cut adrift in LaLiga Santander and face a Champions League last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain. So, in the absence of results, the fans have had to settle on the emergence of youngsters to keep them happy.Ansu Fati andPedri are others.
Araujo, who is extremely religious, showed against Valencia what he can bring to the team, at both ends of the pitch. He scored a goal that showed his capabilities in front of the opposition's goal, and not just from towering headers.
He's a complete defender. He's quick, powerful, focused, strong, driven and a leader. AgainstAlaves last season, the 21-year-old reached 34.9 kilometres an hour while sprinting.
"He's a top centre-back," said a voice fromBarcelona's dressing room. "He isBarcelona level."
To find the origins of the defender who has helped the Catalans in the absence ofGerard Pique - helped by fellow academy graduateOscar Mingueza - you have to go to Rivera, a town of 80,000 on the Uruguay-Brazil border.Araujo's second name, Da Silva, reveals his Brazilian ancestry on his mother's side.
He started atHuracan, where he didn't take long to show his potential. At 16 he debuted forRentistas and was then bought byBoston River, allowing him to step from second to first tier football.
Araujo shone at the Under-20 World Cup a season later and subsequently had Europe's biggest clubs knocking on his door. For five million euros - 1.7 million up front - he landed atBarcelona in 2018.
"Barcelona brought me in to help the first team," he told RAC1 on his arrival.
Now,Barcelona are delighted with the defender and they're already trying to renew his contract. His hunger to go and play with Barcelona B in their promotion playoff, whileAnsu Fati was lukewarm on the idea andRiqui Puig was reluctant, reinforced the club's already high opinion of him.
"It's my team and I want to be there,"Araujo said, without worrying about a possible injury that would rule him out of the Champions League's final eight in Lisbon. His injury in November delayed his progress a little, but it didn't knock him off track.
Araujo lives in Barcelona with his partner now, having dated for more than four years. He lives a quiet life committed to Barcelona, Uruguay and religion.
In him,Barcelona have someone they can rely on for years to come.
