Roque Mesa: Mustachioed Maestro

He has been the leading player for one of the most entertaining teams in La Liga during the past two seasons. Players like Viera, Tana and Boateng wouldn’t get half the space and freedom if it weren’t for the small maestro in midfield. While people compared him to the likes of Xavi and Busquets the man with the tucked in shirt and the characteristic moustache continued to dominate the Spanish football stadiums. When he’s now leaving the Iberian Peninsula it’s a huge loss for La Liga. But one man’s death is another man’s bread and Swansea, and Premier League, shall be overwhelmed that Roque Mesa is taking his belongings to Great Britain for playing football. Because even if the British are used to watch Spaniards shine in their league, I can assure you they have never seen anyone like Roque Mesa.

Born and raised at Gran Canaria, he began his footballing career in the local clubs. Valdecasas, Telde and Yoñe were the clubs he played for prior his move to the Spanish mainland and Valencia. In Valencia he got a contract with Levante UD and played for the clubs youth team during two seasons before he was promoted to Levante B to play in the third division. 2010 a soon-to-be 21-year old Roque Mesa moved back to the Canary islands to join one of the big clubs in the area, CD Tenerife. He played for their B team during six months before he left for the other big club on Canary Islands, UD Las Palmas. One season with the B team in the fourth division was enough to impress the leading figures in the club. Before the 11/12 season a 22-year-old Mesa got promoted to the first team which housed in the second division of Spain back then. He ended the season with 22 appearances on his account, where ten was as a starter.

The spell in Las Palmas wasn’t unproblematic. Mesa was sent on loan at the third division club Atletico Baleares followed by regular appearances with Las Palmas B. But in 14/15 it was Roque Mesa’s time to shine. It was the start of what would become a breakthrough in Spanish football.

Roque Mesa was a regular starter and key when Las Palmas gained promotion to La Liga for the first time in 13 years. Two seasons in La Liga later and close to everyone consider Mesa as on of the best midfielders in the league. His FC Barcelona customized style of play made it impossible for people not to draw parallells to renowned players at Barca’s midfield. Voices were raised for a move to the Catalan giants but a move was never imminent. Instead Swansea City pulled the longest straw. A Swansea who ever since Brendan Rodgers joined the club in 2010 always have aimed for a possession filled football. After the same left the club for Liverpool in 2012 the Welsh club have had a hard time to maintain that image. With Paul Clement in charge and the signing of Roque Mesa there’s now huge optimism surrounding the club.