It’s January of 2018 and Kepa Arrizabalaga is strongly linked to Real Madrid, not Chelsea. In a surprise turn of events, the keeper extended his contract with Athletic Bilbao. Fast forward a few months and Zinedine Zidane has left Real Madrid in part because of arguments with the board. On nearly the last day of the window, Thibaut Courtois forces his move to Real Madrid and Chelsea is left to scramble. Short on time after the Belgian’s betrayal, they eliminate the middle man and trigger the release clause for Arrizabalaga.
Fast forward to February of 2019 and Arrizabalaga is feigning injury to buy time for his team. Maurizio Sarri, not understanding, tries to sub him off. Arrizabalaga refuses, creating a scene seen across the world. Arguably, Sarri’s death rattle had begun before but he would quit the club for Juventus in short order regardless. Arrizabalaga would continue on, trying to shake that event and several bad performances for the better part of the next two years.
In the summer of 2020, Chelsea had spent big on several positions but there was one Frank Lampard still wanted to improve on: keeper. Arrizabalaga had failed to live up to his price tag and Lampard had run out of patience. The relatively unknown to most Edouard Mendy joined the club and immediately put Arrizabalaga on the bench for the foreseeable future. It was not until Thomas Tuchel arrived that Arrizabalaga really got chances at all again.
And, finally, it is the Super Cup against Villarreal. There was some confusion around the hour mark when it looked as though Arrizabalaga was being given instructions. Ultimately, he was saved until penalties looked inevitable. Anyone that has seen a Mendy penalty shootout knows that it is not his forte, but Tuchel relied on data to justify his decision. Arrizabalaga, the long maligned keeper, was brought on as a Hail Mary play by the coach. It worked brilliantly. Arrizabalaga made several key saves that saw Chelsea win their first Super Cup in over two decades.
Anyone that has read Arrizabalaga’s Player’s Tribune article knows his time at Chelsea has not been easy. He went from a massively expensive signing to a player on the bench. But, keepers know more than most that it is a team sport that goes far deeper than the players on the pitch for 90 minutes. The game goes into attitude and training and relationships and sometimes, when the moment arises, taking the chance given to you.
Arrizabalaga took his chance. He’s not going to become a starter over Mendy overnight, but he showed he was more than an expensive flop. His career as a whole has shown how little, small moments matter in one’s trajectory. Many players fail and many succeed not through their own ability but through the moments they go through that are out of their control. The best they can do is weather any storms and climb any mountains that come along.
It’s been a hard, unlucky career at Chelsea for Arrizabalaga. But, for one night, he was the hero the club needed. And he took his moment with aplomb.