Pablo AimarTear of a Clown
Pablo Aimar, nicknamed The Clown (‘El Payaso’) with a 'tear-like' birthmark on his left cheek, made a name for himself at Buenos Aires' River Plate, playing in the #10 shirt. He was considered to be one of the best and most talented young players in Argentina and the 'heir apparent' to Diego Maradona. Indeed, Diego himself stated that Aimar was ‘the legitimate successor as the world's best player’ adding at the time that ‘Pablo is the only current footballer I’d pay to watch’. In 2001, he left River Plate for Spanish giants Valencia.
Within a decade of leaving River Plate, one of South America's greatest clubs, was relegated from the Argentine first division for the first time in their 110-year history. Pablito Aimar, now playing in Portugal with Benfica, would certainly have shed a tear.
'I love beautiful football, indeed you could say that I live for beautiful football, but I'm convinced, and I have been for a long time now, that all that the fans really care about is victory.'
Pablo Aimar