His dream was to play in the NBA, but fate made him undertake another journey. It is in the last throes of a more than honorable football career that the Frenchman Etienne Capoue finally allows himself moments of infinite pleasure.
Exactly one year ago, almost to the day, it was an excited player – “like a child at Disney” – who swapped his cleats for trainers and granted himself a truly enchanting interlude with the Valencia club.
A dream come true for the French international whose passion for basketball, a sport he has played since his earliest childhood, has remained intact in someone who grew up admiring Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson rather than Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham, even if the round ball has ended up taking over.
A passing contribution
A year later, free of any contract, the former Villarreal midfielder has once again reconnected with his first loves by training with a Spanish fourth division basketball club, CB Jovens L’Eliana.
According to online media outlet Relevo, it was Capua’s repeated appearances at his sons’ training sessions that led to the possibility of him joining the first team’s training sessions.
Less than a week later, the former Toulouse and Tottenham player played his very first friendly match (editor’s note: as he does not have a license, he cannot take part in official matches), crowned by a victory (78-70), while he had only participated in a handful of sessions.
We can see him all smiles in a photo released by the club to immortalize this timeless moment. With Relevo, the Spanish club takes care to specify that his contribution will only be temporary, Etienne Capoue not having quite finished with football, even at 36 years old.
- RMC Sport
