If you mentioned Goran Pandev’s name to some experienced commentator on European football, they would tell you about his dynamic forward play, his bad left foot and an impressive number of matches and goals in one of the best national leagues on the continent. Mention his name to a resident of Northern Macedonia, and you will hear an answer filled with references to an icon, a hero, a demigod.
In order to understand the holistic impact of Pandev on Northern Macedonia, this report will describe three elements that have thus contributed to strengthening the authority of football in the country, awakening a sense of civic pride and hope for the betterment of the population, as well as a lasting legacy that will attract and inspire people. the next generation of Macedonians:
His performance abroad
His play ” at home’
His plan for the future
All these efforts were made to put Pandev at the origins of the development of his nation and firmly enter the hearts and minds of the North Macedonian people.
Italian glamour and humble beginnings
Pandev was born in 1983, when Macedonia was no more than an integral part of the network of Yugoslav Socialist Republics after being included in Tito’s sphere of control, and grew up in a region gripped by political conflicts and conflict traumas, although Macedonia itself withdrew from the Union. Yugoslav domination in conditions of relative peace. However, the financial turmoil caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union and its hegemony in Eastern Europe would seriously undermine its economy, and Pandev had to study the values of humility and restraint from a young age all his life.
This modest background is quite unusual in connection with a career characterized by performances in clubs located in the rich north of Italy. Nevertheless, ironically, it was Pandev’s practical nature that made him fall in love with many coaches and fans of one of the most prestigious leagues of European football: Serie A. Indeed, the former Lazio head coach Delio Rossi once anecdotally reflected Pandev’s modest charm, explaining that he returned to pre-season training in a “cheerful” state after how he enjoyed the culinary delights and comfort of his hometown. How many modern footballers could so easily return to their old rituals? Not as much as I would suggest.
National Service
Nevertheless, no matter how proud Pandev was of his nation on distant shores, his commitment to the Macedonian red color may have been an even greater catalyst for gaining the status of a local cult.
Traveling across the Mediterranean, Pandev regularly returned to international service, undoubtedly supported by his country’s ever-growing presence in the European theater of operations. Of course, there was no shortage of outstanding results, and it is not surprising that Pandev would make a significant contribution to their creation.
He will score the first goal in the famous draw with the Dutch in the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign and will take part in the return without scoring goals to the Amsterdam arena. Pandev entered the fray with England As a teenager, finding himself in another confrontation between a small Balkan nation and one of the great European players. And in 2009, the veteran of Serie A almost single-handedly led Macedonia to the famous party in Skopje, striking twice when his team almost lost to the Spanish European champions with a score of 3: 2, which would have been a seismic shock. against the unplayable style of tika taka. the team that will compete at the World Cup in South Africa next year.
Pandev’s Project
The creation of the “Pandev Academy”, an academy created to use outstanding talents in his hometown of Strumica, is the first manifestation of a legacy that will serve many future generations. Pandev played an important role in the creation of the football center of Excellence, named after him, working with the coaching duo Yaroslav Trekhovsky and Ilya Matinicharov on the creation of the academy and its further development. However, having a modest background and always a practical approach, Pandev is not interested in using the academy to suppress ego or to enhance his already firmly entrenched status as a cult icon; he personally finances a whopping 50% of the academy’s operating budget, and it was clear from the very beginning that this was a completely selfless act in support of the insufficiently funded community in which he previously lived.
Trenchowski recalls a conversation between them in which Pandev said: “I want to use the money that made me rich and invest it in football, my CITY, our children and my country.” this sonorous phrase perfectly reflects the romantic connection that this icon feels for her adoring young nation.
Humility, not pride
Indeed, not 144 goals of the legend during a club career that lasted 635 matches, not a record 38 international hits and not even a huge number of 11 silver coins of the club, which made him revered in his native territory. Such was his character with traits that are so often rarely seen in the modern game: altruism, humility and a sense of duty to his nation.
The creation of the academy, which has now evolved into a competitive league team with European aspirations, is a major factor in its domestic fame, admiration and, most likely, lasting legacy. This can be seen as a suitable by-product of an enriched and successful career.
