Santi Cazorla’s Final Season: A Fairytale Return to Real Oviedo

At 40, Santi Cazorla is set to play his final season for Real Oviedo, the club he joined as a child and helped return to La Liga after a 24-year absence. His journey has been nothing short of miraculous:

• Missed 636 days due to injury
• Underwent 11 surgeries, including skin grafts from his arm to his ankle
• Battled gangrene and was told he might never walk again

But it was the words of his son Enzo, then 13, that kept him going:

“Please try again… I want to see you play football again.”

A Career Defined by Resilience and Loyalty

Cazorla’s story is one of grit and grace:

• Left Oviedo in 2003 due to financial collapse
• Became a star at Villarreal, Arsenal, and Spain, winning 2 European Championships
• Returned to Oviedo in 2023, accepting minimum wage and donating 10% of shirt sales to the academy
• Scored a crucial free-kick vs Almeria and a penalty vs Mirandes to seal promotion

His final season begins with matches against Villarreal and Real Madrid, poetic bookends to a legendary career.

Legacy Beyond the Pitch

Despite being called a “symbol” by the club, Cazorla remains humble:

“I prefer to be remembered as a person than a player… I only try to help the young players and the club.”

He’s open to a future role at Arsenal, saying:

“If Arsenal call me, my door is open. It was the best decision of my career.”

Cazorla’s Career Highlights