Just for fun and out of curiosity as the European season winds down - who is the best player you ever shared a pitch with?
For a few years, I played over-30s 7-a-side with Dino Melitas. His was a true Americans Abroad tale - at least before Americans became top-flight stars and UCL winners. Dino played 4 years of Div I college, but his youtube skills videos caught the eye of an agent, who nabbed him a Nike and Red Bull sponsorship. That got him a contract to join Southampton's U23s for a year, where he played with Gareth Bale. Dino had some great stories about playing with Bale, who led the team in scoring as a 16-year-old left back. Dino didn't catch on at Soton, but he had a Greek passport by virtue of his immigrant parents. So he started his journey through Greece, Cyprus, and the English pyramid, ending his career with Bromsgrove Rovers before blowing out his knee and coming back stateside to go to medical school.
Anyway, Dino has the sickest touch I've ever seen in person - didn't matter how hot the ball was coming in or how high, he'd give it a calm touch and turn right into space with it. He also loved to nutmeg dudes. Once he a dribbled over to the touchline and rolled a pass back to me in support. Then he gave me a wink and a nod, so I ping it right back. Dino one-touch megged the guy next to him causing the defender to stumble a couple steps before falling on his ass. It was hilarious and heartbreaking all at once. And when opponents decided to get physical to try to slow him down, Dino would screw up his face, isolate a target for his ire, and torture the poor fool with any number of skills designed to embarrass.
We won a lot of games and a couple trophies before he took a fellowship in Michigan. We've won significantly fewer since then.
For a few years, I played over-30s 7-a-side with Dino Melitas. His was a true Americans Abroad tale - at least before Americans became top-flight stars and UCL winners. Dino played 4 years of Div I college, but his youtube skills videos caught the eye of an agent, who nabbed him a Nike and Red Bull sponsorship. That got him a contract to join Southampton's U23s for a year, where he played with Gareth Bale. Dino had some great stories about playing with Bale, who led the team in scoring as a 16-year-old left back. Dino didn't catch on at Soton, but he had a Greek passport by virtue of his immigrant parents. So he started his journey through Greece, Cyprus, and the English pyramid, ending his career with Bromsgrove Rovers before blowing out his knee and coming back stateside to go to medical school.
Anyway, Dino has the sickest touch I've ever seen in person - didn't matter how hot the ball was coming in or how high, he'd give it a calm touch and turn right into space with it. He also loved to nutmeg dudes. Once he a dribbled over to the touchline and rolled a pass back to me in support. Then he gave me a wink and a nod, so I ping it right back. Dino one-touch megged the guy next to him causing the defender to stumble a couple steps before falling on his ass. It was hilarious and heartbreaking all at once. And when opponents decided to get physical to try to slow him down, Dino would screw up his face, isolate a target for his ire, and torture the poor fool with any number of skills designed to embarrass.
We won a lot of games and a couple trophies before he took a fellowship in Michigan. We've won significantly fewer since then.
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